Santa cruz reserve warranty terms changed?

[cozzy]

Ive read that the terms have changed and they no longer send a complete new wheel if you break your carbon rim, just the rim itself.
Anyone experienced this?
Ive broken 2 rear wheels since 2019, last one in 2024 and had a complete warranty replacement within 2 days. Excellent service.
Each time a newer revision with a different erd, as i then have to buy a few spare spokes.
Currently on the latest 30HD.
Pretty poor show to change the terms. One of the reasons for purchase was the original warranty.

First rear in morzine.

Second rear at rogate.

First front at bpw.

 

[irie]

Was looking at them, forewarned is forearmed.

 

[jray17]

Yes it changed. They will send you a new rim and new nipples. They will also give you a service credit for any Santa Cruz dealer to rebuild the wheel if you ask. Im not sure of the amount as I had someone else build my last one.

 

[irie]

Well that's Santa Cruz wheels removed from our possible purchase list.

 

[cozzy]

Well that's Santa Cruz wheels removed from our possible purchase list.

Exactly. What will they decide to change next on a whim, maximum of 4 claims perhaps?
I could perhaps understand for new customers going forward, but not to apply that to existing customers who didnt purchase under them terms.
Shitty behaviour from them considering the price.

 

[steve_sordy]

I thought that Santa Cruz carbon rims were the best in the business? See that Danny Mac video to illustrate.


What the hell have you been doing to the rims worse than that?

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

I recall a similar discussion on another forum... the claim presented was they never "promised" to replace the entire wheel per their warranty policy. Seems like they commonly did, but that was an above and beyond. Now they are simply following the terms of the warranty.

I can see disappointment, for earlier customers, who recieved full wheel replacements. I haven't looked at their pricing recently, but that could sway folks if their charging a premium. The other big brands WAO and Nobl only replace the rim too, so its SOP.

 

[linkqwd]

I thought that Santa Cruz carbon rims were the best in the business? See that Danny Mac video to illustrate.


What the hell have you been doing to the rims worse than that?

spoke tension could be off

 

[Account Deleted]

Lol, it seems a bit unsurprising, is it really reasonable to expect you can just detonate the rims eternally off one purchase price?

 

[Bndit]

It does’t make any sense to change the whole wheel if the rim brokes. It would mean that you have endles supply of hubs too everytime when rim goes…

 

[Weeksy]

Only own 3 of their rims, all on DH bike, we've broken a couple and without any arguments the rims have been swapped... I'm more than happy with their service.
I can't understand why anyone would think a new wheel is needed when a rim breaks.

 

[gbcoke]

Too many rim brands = crazy competition
Solution = Free replacements including complete wheels !!! to get customer attention.
Outcome = Losing money ,reversing terms and upset customers

This is industry is amazing but so stupid. Too many brands doing the same products and going to crazy marketing solutions in order to get our attention. Good for us but this is one of the reasons why it's collapsing with no end in sight.

Lifetime frame warranties, free bearings, no question asked rim replacements... are all great for the customer but really show the weakness of the brands.

There is no other off-road abusive indusrty with these kind of warranties, crazy !!!

 

[Bac]

Yeah had the same thing.. 3 rears gone in the space of a couple years. They actually explode very easily - see the below section of trail it exploded on one time! -

Excellent service from SC, swapping out the whole wheel, but even then, I got tired of the cost of replacing the tyre, time off the bike, and the faff that comes with it each time.

Each time the wheel exploded, I was up for replacing the tyre as well as it damages the bead and sidewall.

I always run full DH casing tyres at 27psi in the rear. Tried cushcore, didn't like them

I ended up going for some I9 GR315 carbon wheels - wow they are tough!! They've had an absolute punishing far more than I'd ever given the Reserves, and they're still begging for more 2.5 years later