2018 Merida e160 900E Crack in Seat Tube

[brw0513]

Hi All.

I was giving my 2018 e160 900E a wash today and was horrified to find a crack in the seat tube just below the welded joint with the top tube. The crack is around 40mm long.

Did these frames have a history of cracking?

Has anyone had a repair successfully performed?

I will contact Merida here in Australia to see if they can help me in any way. The best outcome is probably a replacement frame.

 

[Renan Mendes]

My 2021 e-One Sixty cracked in the same place.

 

[Cinnamon]

Happened to me. Twice.

 

[RoJo]

Afraid so, my 2018 cracked here.

 

[Toommo963]

Hi All.

I was giving my 2018 e160 900E a wash today and was horrified to find a crack in the seat tube just below the welded joint with the top tube. The crack is around 40mm long.

Did these frames have a history of cracking?

Has anyone had a repair successfully performed?

I will contact Merida here in Australia to see if they can help me in any way. The best outcome is probably a replacement frame.

Hi brw0513,
Just wondering how you got on with this issue.

I have a 2019 Merida 900e and my bike mechanic found, based on your description, very similar cracks on my bike today following a service.

If I am reading the information correctly on the Australia Merida web site they provide a "Lifetime warranty on the frame for original owner" (although lifetime is considered to be 10 years)

Did you get it resolved under warranty and if so did you you deal directly with the manufacturer/distributor or through the bike shop where you purchased it?

 

[brw0513]

Hi Toommo963. The frame was indeed replaced under warranty by Merida Australia. But it was a hard slog and it only possible because the bike shop (Cheeky Bikes in Newcastle) was outstanding with their after sales support.

If you are the original owner, then you should be ok. But the process would need to start with the bike shop where the bike was purchased.

The whole process has soured my opinion of Merida Australia though. If I were to sell my 900e, the next owner would be aware the bike is no longer under warranty. But if the frame cracked again, or the rear triangle was damaged in a stack, the new owner couldn't buy a replacement frame. I find this ludicrous given the frame is one of the very few parts that has the "Merida" name on it. Merida will only issue a new frame as part of a warranty claim. Absolutley rubbish. I suspect if people knew this, the second hand market value for a used Merida, in Australia, would only be worth 2 cents.

 

[Toommo963]

Hi Toommo963. The frame was indeed replaced under warranty by Merida Australia. But it was a hard slog and it only possible because the bike shop (Cheeky Bikes in Newcastle) was outstanding with their after sales support.

If you are the original owner, then you should be ok. But the process would need to start with the bike shop where the bike was purchased.

The whole process has soured my opinion of Merida Australia though. If I were to sell my 900e, the next owner would be aware the bike is no longer under warranty. But if the frame cracked again, or the rear triangle was damaged in a stack, the new owner couldn't buy a replacement frame. I find this ludicrous given the frame is one of the very few parts that has the "Merida" name on it. Merida will only issue a new frame as part of a warranty claim. Absolutley rubbish. I suspect if people knew this, the second hand market value for a used Merida, in Australia, would only be worth 2 cents.

Hi brw0123. Well that's interesting. Thanks for taking the time to provide that information. I will begin persuing my issue through the bike shop that I purchased it from. Thanks again.

 

[HORSPWR]

But the process would need to start with the bike shop where the bike was purchased.

If this is the case, then I would go to consumer affairs. What if like me, I'm the original owner but I now live 1500ks away from the bike shop I bought it from. I don't think which Merida dealer you purchased it from is relevant under Australian consumer law. It would be just like a Volkswagen dealer denying a warranty claim just because you bought your car from interstate!

 

[brw0513]

If this is the case, then I would go to consumer affairs. What if like me, I'm the original owner but I now live 1500ks away from the bike shop I bought it from. I don't think which Merida dealer you purchased it from is relevant under Australian consumer law. It would be just like a Volkswagen dealer denying a warranty claim just because you bought your car from interstate!

What you say is no doubt fundamentally true. But I think I'd still be waiting for an outcome if I went through consumer affairs.

 

[Basy]

Discovered my crack today. Glad I still have the original invoice so we'll see what happens next.