[jimmydean]

Got a brand new '04 Diamond Back XTS Moto frame and thought it looked very good. Solid tubes, good looking welds, looked to be a well made over seas frame. Then I took the paint off...

What I found on the drive side of the chain stay made me a little shocked. There was a patch about the size of a silver dollar, made of some sort of filler. Hard, grey, putty of some sort. Kinda looked like JB Weld or something. Tougher than standard body filler, but not metal for sure. I didn't remove it to see how thick it was, but I would never have known it was there if I would have left it painted.

I called DB and they had never heard of such a thing. I just sent it to them and am waiting for the replacement part (sans filler). They said they had no idea what I was talking about and would look into it and get back to me on it.

Who knows if it would have held up to abuse or not, but I wasn't going to find out. I know they are pimping this new line as being a sweet freeride bike and the price point is about as good as you can get considering the Saint group and Super T. But it makes me wonder if they cut quality (like patching rather than replacing) to keep the price on the low down.

I hope to post some pictures when I get 'em back and stuff. Has anyone else ever heard of such a thing?

 

[scottishmark]

well assuming its just come out of a factory in taiwan i'd be surprised if they really knew themselves what was under the paint.

Does indeed make you wonder though!

 

[freeridekid]

Originally posted by scottishmark
well assuming its just come out of a factory in taiwan i'd be surprised if they really knew themselves what was under the paint.

Does indeed make you wonder though!

i've got the complete moto and it has held up perfectly for several months under daily riding

 

[jimmydean]

Originally posted by freeridekid
i've got the complete moto and it has held up perfectly for several months under daily riding

As I would expect it to. But I don't expect a NEW frame to be patched EVER. It's just a chainstay, replace it. Or at least offer it at a dicount or something. Not that I paid for the frame to begin with, but that's not the point. This was a retail frame, I would think it would be free of defects.

I'm also wondering if it would have busted and it was sent in for repair, would they have pointed out the patch having claimed to know nothing about it when I called? I could only imagine:

Me: The chainstay broke, can I get a replacement?
Them: Sure, send it in
Me: OK, it's on it's way
Them: What did YOU do that required a patch?
Me: What patch?
Them: The big spot of JB Weld we found, we aren't replacing this...

 

[zedro]

i'm guessing it would just be a cosmetic fix, perhaps there was some surface pitting for whatever reason. If it was a structural fix, they would simply weld new material in there and grind/sand it flush.

Doesnt paint stripping usually void warranties anyways?

 

[Zark]

DB won't give a hoot if the paint was stripped. They have always been easy to deal with on warrantiees at my shop.