Cycleops trainer warranty

More of a rant to let off some steam than anything else, but I thought that someone else might benefit if it helps them make a better purchasing decision when they're looking for a trainer. Grab a coffee and read on if you dare.

I bought a Cycleops Fluid 2 trainer with the extra 'Pro kit' on ebay last weekend. It is a current model and about 18 months old, only 5 hours use (not even a tyre mark on the roller), great price and the seller has been an absolute champion to deal with. All good until less than an hour into my first ride and the roller starts making a clicking noise. Only occasionally at first and at very low speed, but then quickly becomes 'the norm' at low speed with or without the bike on the trainer and the roller feels a bit 'notchy' at the point it makes the clicking noise. Goes away at higher speeds, but I've convinced myself there is an unnatural hum and slight vibration at higher speeds.

I must emphasise at this point that the ebay seller has been excellent and offered me a refund, but I decided to try my luck with a warranty claim or at the very least get some advice from Saris (they own the Cyclopes brand) about what might be wrong. The price was so good for this 'Pro kit' version that I didn't want to give it back if there was even the slightest chance of fixing it. I did some homework and found several YouTube videos and a heap of forum posts all over the interwebs. Clearly the clicking noise doesn't happen to everyone, but clearly it is not uncommon.

Now I had already discovered by reading the warranty fine print on the Cycleops website that the legendary 'lifetime' warranty only applies in the US so I wasn't expecting miracles. I also knew that I would probably be referred back to someone in Australia as it wouldn't make sense for Saris to try to provide direct support half way around the world.

What I wasn't prepared for was for the support person that replied to my email to politely feign surprise that such an issue could occur and to recommend that I take it to my LBS and ask for their advice on what the issue might be and how to deal with it. If there turns out to be a problem I may have to purchase a new resistance unit as they are not serviceable so there are no spare parts. But hang on, there's videos and forum posts and everything so surely Saris must know this is an undocumented feature of the Fluid 2 ??????? Surely there's a formal process for this ??????

Not to be deterred I sent a similar local request for assistance, not a demand for a warranty replacement, just a request for someone to give a shit and support their product. Monza Imports (the distributor) replied with a similar polite and straightforward (but less cheesy) email to say that there was no warranty because I wasn't the original owner. I should take it to a bike shop that sells them and see what they say. No comment about the clicking noise.

I've sold expensive IT hardware and software for nearly 20 years to every level of business and government and been senior punching bag (sales droid/account manager) on several large projects so I have an idea in my head of what good customer service is. What I have seen so far is not good customer service.

Yes, there is a significant difference between a $400 dollar trainer and a $400,000 software license, but the principle is the same. Sometimes you have to work to the letter of the contract to avoid having the customer try to screw you, but it never hurts to go a little out of your way and distribute some 'warm fuzzies' where there's a chance to create some goodwill and a future sales opportunity.

The brush-off from Saris was insulting. The guy actually wrote, "That's strange. Off the bat I have no idea what the noise could be." And there ended any acknowledgement that there could even be an issue let alone answering my request for assistance in diagnosing the root cause. This is despite me having already written that I had seen videos and read forum posts about this issue.

The reply from Monza made me go to the ACCC website and start reading up on the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) to see if I had a case to kick them in the arse. Turns out I didn't. The gotcha is that I purchased from an individual in a private sale and not from a business. Any implied warranties or consumer guarantees provided by the ACL are null and void in my situation.

While I might feel I have a moral claim for support from Monza Imports (only 18 months old and virtually unused), I have no legal rights to pursue a warranty claim. My only recourse would be to ask the ebay seller if he would extend his offer of a refund now that I have confirmed that I can't get any warranty support, or use the PayPal dispute resolution process, which wouldn't be fair on the seller.

I even spoke to a neighbour who is a barrister and he agreed that short of trying my luck in the courts and hoping someone would flinch, I would be better off letting it go.

So the lesson in all of this is that you should see a bargain for what it really is. A great way to save a dollar if you are prepared to wear some risk. What I have learned is that I could have afforded a brand new trainer and that is exactly what I should have purchased to avoid this very shitty situation.

You should make sure you know and fully understand your rights and the vendor's obligations under the law and factor that into your thinking whenever you purchase anything of value. That is financial value or some other intrinsic, personal value. Whatever decision you make, at least it will be an informed decision. I will know better next time.

Looks like I'm up for the cost of a new resistance unit unless I choose to keep using the existing one and ignore the clicking noise. On the bright side, I'll still probably be ahead when comparing my total spend to the cost of a new Pro kit Fluid 2 at today's US$ exchange rates.

You win some. You lose some.