Cannondale F500

May 2006

A week after the bike is delivered I take it on its maiden ride and one of the pedals comes loose. I take it back to the shop and they look at it. The wobbly pedal has stripped the thread so the whole chainset needs replacing. They do it under warranty and I pick the bike up a week later.

June 2006

After a few off-road rides I'm really beginning to enjoy this bike. But what's this? The front suspension seems to have collapsed! In the morning I pump it up with air, which seems to make it ok again. I go back to the shop. They agree something isn't right but it might take two weeks to fix. I'm off on a cycling holiday in a week. I decide to defer my decision.

August 2006

I take the bike back to fix the suspension. It is repaired in a week. I get a phone call telling me it's ready.

September 2006

Suspension is still leaking. Oh dear, another trip to the shop necessary. There's another problem now - punctures. I've had five in the last four rides. I think I made the mistake of thinking that expensive bike = expensive tyres. The final straw comes in a MTB triathlon when I get a puncture. After that it's two new tyres.

December 2006

Just before christmas the bike goes back in. I explain that the suspension is still leaking - I get more gormless understanding from the fresh-faced shop assistants. They'll have a look at it.

January 2007

I haven't heard anything for nearly four weeks. I phone and ask what's happening. Obviously embarrased that the bike hasn't been looked at, the assistant tries to sell me the idea that the company that will be dealing with the repair shuts down for four weeks over christmas, but is now (as of yesterday) open again. Profuse apologies. They will send it off.

February 2007

Another visit to the shop to find out what is happening. The forks have been looked at and there are a number of things that need to be done. A new air chamber needs to be fitted, and new needle bearings apparently (which cost £60). I tell them to go ahead with the work.

March 2007

No word from the shop, so I phone. The bike is ready to collect, we left a message last week, they tell me. As I'm on FW Evans time, I'm going to leave it a few weeks before picking it up.