Giant Bicycles Problem: Poor Customer Service or Bad Warranty Department?

Giant TCR at Giant Shop in Australia

Giant Bicycles:  The largest bicycle manufacturer in the world.  Giant is in fact a factory, they don't only manufacturer Giant branded bicycles, but they also make a considerable number of other well known bike brands.  Having been given bikes to race on for the past couple of decades, and having worked with and in Giant retailers on and off since the late 90s, I decided to spend my own hard earned money on a TCR.  Things went a little pear shaped with the bike when I discovered what I could only assume was a defect and design flaw, but things got really disappointing once I contacted Giant regarding the issue.


TIMELINE

- Bike Purchased in Australia Feb 2018

- Giant shop calls Giant AUS for advice on what BB to use to install a Rotor Inpower Crank (information later confirmed by other shops and distributors worldwide)

- Rotor installed at Giant shop Australia

Cable rub damaged the axle & powermeter

- 11 months later, cable rub on Power crank axle discovered, Powermeter damaged beyond repair and who knows if the frame (or cable guide)  is defective or not

- Giant AUS were contacted to offer information as to the cause and possible solutions to these issues.

- As of yet I still have not been offered an explanation as to why the cable is rubbing on the crank: is it due to a cable guide defect, due to a frame defect, or an issue Giant is in the process of discovering and would gain from making changes for in the future.

If you look closely, you can see where the cable has been rubbing against the crank axle.

POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Giant Australia initially tried to brush me off by saying it was a compatibility issue.  I have been involved in the cycling industry for decades, and have worked with Giant bikes as far back as 1999; besides, I had asked Giant at the time of installation what parts to use.  I can't say I was very impressed with the gentleman at Giant AUS obviously taking me for an idiot.  Rather than deal with the question, he clearly wanted to brush it off without investigation.  Once it was established (by my contacting numerous other importers and distributors) that it was not in fact a known compatibility issue, and thus not something I or anyone else (including Giant shops, retailers and distributors themselves) could have avoided, the gentleman at Giant Australia simply said he would no longer respond to questions or emails.  Not only is this poor customer service, but the person in question at Giant Australia is also not doing their job.  In my fairly extensive experience, he didn't do his job correctly in the first place by trying to brush me off rather than ask questions, investigate the issue or even look at (or get a colleague, local bike shop, regional distributor etc to look at) the frame to see if there were any defects or issues he could see.

As it stands I am now out of pocket for a Power Meter and left with a frame on my hands that I don't know if it is defective or not, or if I can sell it (as I am now obviously riding a different brand).

This is one of the very few times over the past 20 years that I have paid for a bike.  I generally get a new bike given or lent to me each year/season.  However I liked the Giants, and wanted to ride what I thought was a solid, reliable, lightweight workhorse of a bike from a reputable and reliable manufacturer.

Many Giant Shops install Rotor cranks to customers' bikes, and the question remains as to whether the customer / the end user should be worried about running into similar issue as myself due to issues arising from the installation and use of a common brand of crank, or if it is just me who has a defective frame or cable guide and I am a one-off.

My interlocutor at Giant Australia suggested I should "upgrade" to Di2 (a product I do not like and have chosen NOT to use, not to mention the fact that the TCR is sold as either a Di2 or a mechanical bike.)  He also sent me a message stating that no modifications can be made to their products... so does that mean that if you buy a frame-set from them you cannot build it up and have to keep it as a frame only and put it on the wall as installing parts would constitute a "modification"?
No actual "modifications" were made to their product.  Actually that is untrue, in fairness to the Gentlement at Giant Australia, I did have the steerer tube of the fork cut down to fit me.

SHOULD YOU BE WORRIED IF YOU OWN A GIANT BICYCLE?

That's a difficult one,  if I am a one-off unlucky customer who happens to have come across a poor employee within the company, then you shouldn't have much to worry about.  All companies have staff issues and some warranty or design flaws, and the odds of you suffering from the perfect storm that is the meeting of those two factors is fairly small.  Although it could suggest that there may be other totally unrelated issues the company isn't aware of, or is aware of and doesn't want to deal with.  Generally Giant is known for having good warranty policies and good customer service; so for your case, if you own a Giant Bicycle or are thinking or purchasing one, lets just hope I am the exception that does not prove the rule.  You are probably safe with your Giant, although you may want to ignore your retailer and even the company themselves if you have a Rotor or want to install a Rotor crank!

If you are interested, you can read the full e-mail trail with Giant AUS here, and the emails confirming the choice of equipment installed here