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Other Resources => Vendor Discussion & Reviews => Topic started by: Pswiss on August 31, 2025, 12:12:29 PM
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I bought a Winspace SLC2 less than 2 years ago. Recently, the saddle clamp broke under normal use, I have always used a torque wrench and never exceeded 5 nm, something that should never happen. I contacted Winspace support expecting by email a warranty replacement.
Instead, here’s the exchange I had:
Me:
Dear Emma,
The saddle clamp has failed. Please note I have always used a torque wrench. This is really dangerous!
Best regards
And I attached pictures which clearly show the brittle fracture in the aluminium, typical of a a defective casting
Winspace (Emma):
Sorry to hear that. You can order the clamp from us. It is USD 15, and the shipping cost is USD 30. Please click this link and select the quantity as 15. For shipping option, please choose the USD30 option.
Me:
Are you serious? Your clamp broke and you want to sell one to me? This is outrageous. Please kindly reconsider — I also expect compensation.
Winspace (Emma):
According to our after-sales center, it broke after two years of use, it is not a quality issue. We can offer you one for replacement, but you need to afford the shipping cost USD 30.
Me:
A saddle clamp does not “wear out” after 2 years — this is clearly a metallurgical failure due to casting defects. I work in the metal industry and can provide expertise if you like. It’s astonishing that you refuse responsibility for a part worth less than $15. If you don’t reconsider, I’ll pursue legal avenues and post this publicly.
At this point, the case was “escalated” and I received this:
Winspace (Edward):
Please kindly advise your shipping address and telephone number. I will send you a seatpost clamp.
Me:
Before I give details, are you in agreement with the earlier messages suggesting it’s “normal” for a clamp to fail like this? How can Winspace be so stingy for a $10 part? What happens when there’s a more serious claim? I’d like to speak with senior management.
Winspace
After review by our technical team, we have determined that the failure you experienced is not indicative of a manufacturing defect or quality issue. Our products undergo rigorous testing. While we stand by our quality, as a gesture of goodwill we would be happy to provide a replacement clamp at no cost.
The Broken Clamp
This is a brittle fracture typical of defective aluminum casting. The granular break surface and absence of plastic deformation show that the material failed suddenly rather than being overloaded. The crack followed the thinnest section around the bolt bore, where stress concentrates, but a sound component should easily withstand this. The failure indicates casting porosity or metallurgical weakness — in short, a manufacturing defect, not wear, misuse, or excessive force.
My conclusion:
Winspace insists that a broken saddle clamp is not a defect — yet they’ll “generously” offer a free replacement. Only after I insisted. This is a ridiculous position: either the part is defective, or it isn’t. They can’t have it both ways.
I’ve declined their offer. I’ll buy a proper replacement myself and will also share this exchange so others can see how Winspace handles warranty claims. In my view, their after-sales service is dismissive, and damaging to their reputation.
⚠️ Warning to other riders: If this is how Winspace reacts to a $15 defective part (which probably costs them les then $5), imagine how they’ll respond to a serious warranty claim.
Luckily I did not suffer any damage as a consequence of this failure because clearly Winspace Cycling co.,ltd would have not accepted any liabilities despite the manufacturing defect is unquestionable.
They have recently increased they prices getting in close to Western brand but they are clearly behind in terms of quality, quality control and warranty.
They statement "After review by our technical team, we have determined that the failure you experienced is not indicative of a manufacturing defect or quality issue" is farcical to say the least...
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one of the big advantages selling out of china is handling quality issues the way they do.
Nothing will change, people will still buy, get defectives and chinese companies usually do not care.
the first layer of customer support always tries to make a benefit out of your complaint (selling this 1.5 USD part for 30 USD is a get profit, having in mind, shipping if for nill overthere)
This escalates , if customer think, wow, i got a reply and they will send a new one, problem is solved.
We have seen broken aluminium parts on a tt bike where the complete front end failed. luckily on a trainer..
The part showed the same stressfractur signs yours did, a couple of hundred frames are outthere...the company never did anything to inform buyers about this, they even asked for 129 USD for the new part...
In this case, winspace tries to establish a premium touch as pricing is ridiculous...hambine did also review frames of them and loved them :-) if i am correct..
So....calm down, it is nothing personal, its just the way they handle this...LTWOO does not even answer dealership complaints..
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I used to be on the side of sticking with the "higher end" Chinese brands that are a little more expensive but after my own negative experience with winspace I changed my mind. The quality of parts they ship out seems no better than cheaper sellers like VeloBuild and the customer support you receive has little to no correlation with the price you pay :/
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I bought a Winspace SLC2 less than 2 years ago. Recently, the saddle clamp broke under normal use, I have always used a torque wrench and never exceeded 5 nm, something that should never happen. I contacted Winspace support expecting by email a warranty replacement.
Instead, here’s the exchange I had:
Me:
The saddle clamp broke, can you send me a new one?
Winspace (Emma):
Sorry to hear that. You can order the clamp from us. It is USD 15, and the shipping cost is USD 30. Please click this link and select the quantity as 15. For shipping option, please choose the USD30 option.
Me:
Are you serious? Your clamp broke and you want to sell one to me? This is outrageous. Please kindly reconsider — I also expect compensation.
Winspace (Emma):
According to our after-sales center, it broke after two years of use, it is not a quality issue. We can offer you one for replacement, but you need to afford the shipping cost USD 30.
Me:
A saddle clamp does not “wear out” after 2 years — this is clearly a metallurgical failure due to casting defects. I work in the metal industry and can provide expertise if you like. It’s astonishing that you refuse responsibility for a part worth less than $15. If you don’t reconsider, I’ll pursue legal avenues and post this publicly.
At this point, the case was “escalated” and I received this:
Winspace (Edward):
Please kindly advise your shipping address and telephone number. I will send you a seatpost clamp.
Me:
Before I give details, are you in agreement with the earlier messages suggesting it’s “normal” for a clamp to fail like this? How can Winspace be so stingy for a $10 part? What happens when there’s a more serious claim? I’d like to speak with senior management.
Winspace
After review by our technical team, we have determined that the failure you experienced is not indicative of a manufacturing defect or quality issue. Our products undergo rigorous testing. While we stand by our quality, as a gesture of goodwill we would be happy to provide a replacement clamp at no cost.
The Broken Clamp
This is a brittle fracture typical of defective aluminum casting. The granular break surface and absence of plastic deformation show that the material failed suddenly rather than being overloaded. The crack followed the thinnest section around the bolt bore, where stress concentrates, but a sound component should easily withstand this. The failure indicates casting porosity or metallurgical weakness — in short, a manufacturing defect, not wear, misuse, or excessive force.
My conclusion:
Winspace insists that a broken saddle clamp is not a defect — yet they’ll “generously” offer a free replacement. Only after I insisted. This is a ridiculous position: either the part is defective, or it isn’t. They can’t have it both ways.
I’ve declined their offer. I’ll buy a proper replacement myself and will also share this exchange so others can see how Winspace handles warranty claims. In my view, their after-sales service is dismissive, and damaging to their reputation.
⚠️ Warning to other riders: If this is how Winspace reacts to a $15 defective part (which probably costs them les then $5), imagine how they’ll respond to a serious warranty claim.
Luckily I did not suffer any damage as a consequence of this failure because clearly Winspace Cycling co.,ltd would have not accepted any liabilities despite the manufacturing defect is unquestionable.
They have recently increased they prices getting in close to Western brand but they are clearly behind in terms of quality, quality control and warranty.
They statement "After review by our technical team, we have determined that the failure you experienced is not indicative of a manufacturing defect or quality issue" is farcical to say the least...
Another picture
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Round seat post clamps are like $5 USD. Here I thought you were dealing with a custom clamp for an aero seat post. This is the equivalent of buying bar tape or some other minor sh*t. Suck it up and stop being a cry baby!
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Just buy a new seatpost clamp - How much is your time worth & how much of it have you wasted bitching about this?
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Round seat post clamps are like $5 USD. Here I thought you were dealing with a custom clamp for an aero seat post. This is the equivalent of buying bar tape or some other minor sh*t. Suck it up and stop being a cry baby!
You clearly didn’t read my post to the end, I agree with you that a clamp is a cheap part. That’s not the issue.
The problem is that Winspace tried to charge me USD 15 for the clamp (plus USD 30 shipping) while insisting the failure was “normal” and “not a defect,” even though the part broke spontaneously in under 2 years.
This isn’t about a $5 part , it’s about how their after-sales service dismisses obvious defects. If that’s how they react to a minor issue, imagine their stance on a major warranty claim.
And yes, as I already wrote, I told them to go and get lost it and bought a proper replacement myself.
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What a waste of time on part of OP (aka male Karen) for a $5 item, after two years after purchase. A standard seat clamp ffs!
Lastly, learn to speak more cordially and with respect to people. You might have a gotten a more positive response.
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You clearly didn’t read my post to the end, I agree with you that a clamp is a cheap part. That’s not the issue.
The problem is that Winspace tried to charge me USD 15 for the clamp (plus USD 30 shipping) while insisting the failure was “normal” and “not a defect,” even though the part broke spontaneously in under 2 years.
This isn’t about a $5 part , it’s about how their after-sales service dismisses obvious defects. If that’s how they react to a minor issue, imagine their stance on a major warranty claim.
And yes, as I already wrote, I told them to go and get lost it and bought a proper replacement myself.
of cause they wanted to sell you a new clamp, because that's what you wanted in the first place.
In no f*** way anyone on this planet could guess that you broke the clamp or the clamp broke by itself from your first message.
and after their response the only person who escalated this 5$ story was you!
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Just buy a new seatpost clamp - How much is your time worth & how much of it have you wasted bitching about this?
If you think pointing out bad after-sales service is ‘bitching,’ then you missed the point. It’s not about the $5 clamp. it’s about Winspace denying an obvious defect. Sharing that experience isn’t brand-bashing, it’s a warning to future buyers.
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I’m not so sure.
If your first post is really what happened, then I don’t know why you expect help when you threaten them with a compensation demand and display a pretty crappy attitude.
Maybe modify your behaviour, or at least ask for help rather than demanding.
It’s crappy that something broke, but if this is how you react to something so small, I hate to see what you’re like when something more important happens.
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What a waste of time on part of OP (aka male Karen) for a $5 item, after two years after purchase. A standard seat clamp ffs!
Lastly, learn to speak more cordially and with respect to people. You might have a gotten a more positive response.
Could you be specific about where I supposedly lacked respect? Or are you referring to terms like “bitching” or you calling me a “male Karen”? My post was simply pointing out that Winspace dismissed an obvious defect as “normal"
Calling me a ‘Karen’ isn’t an argument, it just shows you missed the point. The issue is Winspace denying an obvious defect.
Insults don’t change the facts: Winspace tried to charge me for a defective part and called it ‘normal.’ That’s the problem.”
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Calm down, guys. This is a cycling forum, not a boxing ring. Even if there's a disagreement, there's no need to be vehement. Let's be constructive :).
I prefer to have a ride now ;).
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I’m not so sure.
If your first post is really what happened, then I don’t know why you expect help when you threaten them with a compensation demand and display a pretty crappy attitude.
Maybe modify your behaviour, or at least ask for help rather than demanding.
It’s crappy that something broke, but if this is how you react to something so small, I hate to see what you’re like when something more important happens.
Probably you didn’t read my initial post carefully.
My first email to Winspace was simply:
“The saddle clamp broke, can you send me a new one?” (with pictures attached).
Can you point out where in that message there was a “threat” or a “crappy attitude”?
I did exactly what you’re suggesting: I asked politely for help.
What’s truly “crappy” is when a part fails due to an obvious manufacturing defect, and the company insists it’s normal wear. That’s the real issue here.
And yes, you’re right to raise the bigger question: what if this failure had happened in a way that caused serious consequences? That’s why this matters.
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Good lord. After they agreed to warranty the part, you insisted that they agree with you before shipping?
I would have told you to piss off after that.
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of cause they wanted to sell you a new clamp, because that's what you wanted in the first place.
In no f*** way anyone on this planet could guess that you broke the clamp or the clamp broke by itself from your first message.
and after their response the only person who escalated this 5$ story was you!
Please carefully look at the pictures.
This is a brittle fracture typical of defective aluminum casting. The granular break surface and absence of plastic deformation show clearly that the material failed suddenly, not from overload. I always used a torque wrench and never exceeded 5 Nm (the manufacturer’s limit is 6 Nm). If it had been overtightened to the point of breaking, the carbon frame would have been damaged or even destroyed first.
The crack propagated along the thinnest section around the bolt bore, where stress concentrates, but a properly manufactured part should easily withstand this. The failure points to casting porosity or metallurgical weakness — in other words, a manufacturing defect, not wear, misuse, or excessive force.
The only reason I escalated is because Winspace initially responded with the absurd claim that “there was no defect,” instead of taking responsibility. That’s the issue.
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Mate, maybe you could be a little more gently in future warranty complaints.
Statements like "outrageous" and "compensation" in the 2nd sentence already. Are you serious?
Let alone, the "legal avenues" when they don't react like the way you want.
Very agressive tone of voice right from the start imho.
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Please carefully look at the pictures.
This is a brittle fracture typical of defective aluminum casting. The granular break surface and absence of plastic deformation show clearly that the material failed suddenly, not from overload. I always used a torque wrench and never exceeded 5 Nm (the manufacturer’s limit is 6 Nm). If it had been overtightened to the point of breaking, the carbon frame would have been damaged or even destroyed first.
The crack propagated along the thinnest section around the bolt bore, where stress concentrates, but a properly manufactured part should easily withstand this. The failure points to casting porosity or metallurgical weakness — in other words, a manufacturing defect, not wear, misuse, or excessive force.
The only reason I escalated is because Winspace initially responded with the absurd claim that “there was no defect,” instead of taking responsibility. That’s the issue.
Honestly man, I go back to my original question. How much is your time worth, & how much of it have you wasted (and continue to waste) on this.
I understand the point you are trying to make - what if this was something else...... But really, is this the way? Just to prove 'you are right' - You will give yourself an ulcer!
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Please carefully look at the pictures.
i've seen the pictures and i see that there is some kind of defect.
But again let's see your conversation in another example like a car dealership:
Hi, the whatever kind of my car broke down, can you give me a new one?
Yes, of cause. Let me look at my spare parts list, what it will cost you.
WTF is wrong with you c... i never told you that this might be a warrenty issue so f... you, give me the god dawm thing and compensation or i will sue your ass off.
And with this kind of behavior you think they will be nice and obey your orders as they were god given?
Be nice, tell them what happend and they would likely respond the way you want in the first place.
I f.... up my BB and by beeing nice i got a free replacement.
You can be happy that they even respond to your mail in this nice way. Would it be my company, your mail already be in the trash can. And good look trying to sue a chinese company from i guess Switzerland for a 5$ saddle clamp.
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Round seat post clamps are like $5 USD. Here I thought you were dealing with a custom clamp for an aero seat post. This is the equivalent of buying bar tape or some other minor sh*t. Suck it up and stop being a cry baby!
Putting aside the disrespectful language, you’re missing the point. The issue isn’t the $5 value of the clamp, it’s that Winspace is denying an obvious quality failure. The fracture shows a clear casting defect, yet they insist the part “has no issue.” That attitude is what’s not reassuring.
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Mate, maybe you could be a little more gently in future warranty complaints.
Statements like "outrageous" and "compensation" in the 2nd sentence already. Are you serious?
Let alone, the "legal avenues" when they don't react like the way you want.
Very agressive tone of voice right from the start imho.
I wouldn’t call us “mates,” but setting that aside, it seems you didn’t actually read my post (perhaps it was too long for you).
My initial message to Winspace was simply:
“Dear Emma,
The saddle clamp has failed. Please note I have always used a torque wrench. This is really dangerous!” I even attached clear photos showing the defect.
Can you elaborate as to which part of that is “aggressive”?
Winspace’s response was not an offer of help, but to tell me to pay $15 for a new clamp plus $30 shipping, essentially, to go and get lost. That’s where the escalation began and continued when they claimed that this kind of failure is perfectly normal
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i've seen the pictures and i see that there is some kind of defect.
But again let's see your conversation in another example like a car dealership:
Hi, the whatever kind of my car broke down, can you give me a new one?
Yes, of cause. Let me look at my spare parts list, what it will cost you.
WTF is wrong with you c... i never told you that this might be a warrenty issue so f... you, give me the god dawm thing and compensation or i will sue your ass off.
And with this kind of behavior you think they will be nice and obey your orders as they were god given?
Be nice, tell them what happend and they would likely respond the way you want in the first place.
I f.... up my BB and by beeing nice i got a free replacement.
You can be happy that they even respond to your mail in this nice way. Would it be my company, your mail already be in the trash can. And good look trying to sue a chinese company from i guess Switzerland for a 5$ saddle clamp.
I did exactly what you suggest.
My initial message was:
“Dear Emma,
The saddle clamp has failed. Please note I have always used a torque wrench. This is really dangerous!”
What exactly is “not nice” about this message? Can you explain? And why should I be “happy” that they even replied? Should I have sent them flowers for answering an email about a defect that could have caused an accident? I also attached several photos clearly showing the failure, and I sent it directly to the sales rep who sold me the bike, on the same email thread we had used before. So she was fully aware of the context.
Their response was to tell me to buy a new clamp, and then to insist there was no quality issue at all.
So do you agree with Winspace that this kind of failure is “normal”? Because that’s what your position implies. And if not, then we’re back to my original point: they denied an obvious defect instead of taking responsibility.
It seems you didn’t go through my initial post carefully.
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It's a cheap seat clamp that they'll clearly buy in and some will eventually fail. I'd guess they'd only be unhappy with the quality if they failed quickly and often. A sales rep will try and sell you a new one as that's what they're paid to do.
I'm not sure I understand why you contacted them in the first place as you clearly understand it's a low quality part so why would you want them to replace it with another? Just buy a good one.
"If you don’t reconsider, I’ll pursue legal avenues and post this publicly." and asking for compensation just makes you sound like a dick.
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OP, Im sorry the part failed. It looks like you should be covered for this part under warranty, but for whatever reason you were not. I do think you should have led with the warranty coverage and not mentioned anything about compensation or w/e. Frustration isnt justification for a bad attitude.
And yea, while Ive had a good time with direct from China frames, I think between tariffs, the complete lack of warranty coverage, and next to no after purchase support, my FM639 will be my last DFC bike. "Western" brands have their own issues, including with stuff like warranty coverage, but ultimately there is a neck to choke if any problems arise. Brands like Winspace are for the Asian market with whatever comes to the west basically being gravy
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Good lord. After they agreed to warranty the part, you insisted that they agree with you before shipping?
I would have told you to piss off after that.
Thanks for your deep insight.
Winspace denying an obvious defect isn’t just about a $15 clamp, it’s about safety.
Winspace are clearly maintaining that there’s nothing wrong with a part failing like this, denying an obvious manufacturing issue. If a company can’t even recognize such a failure and take responsibility, they’re endangering their customers.
But since you think that’s fine, I’ll save us both some time and, as you suggested, piss of
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I wouldn't ask them for a new one if its bad quality in the first place.
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Usually when you buy a frame or complete bikes you have different warranties for frames and small parts. Many brands have something like 3-5 year warranty for frames and 1-2 year warranty for other parts (you can check with your LBS). After that, manufacturer is not obliged to replace parts for free.
If you see the part is bad or cheaply made in already cheap chinese component, just replace it right away, does it worth the time and effort spent on arguing? It's not like you're buying an Enve, where warranty is a part of marketing strategy and built in the price tag. In this case you are indeed playing Karen
Yes, there were multiple occasions documented on this forum where Winspace show themselves as a complete shit in terms of after sales for frame defects, that's one of the reasons why I completely dismissed them when I was looking for a new frameset. But the same happens with any brand - they will try to not make it a warranty claim as much as HR will bury you into the ground to cover shady company you worked for. Patrick Lino's Giant Propel fork case, Shimano's Cranksets, original Sram UDH - you name it.
So in summary, Winspace = shit, OP = Karen.
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Not sure why you feel the need to insult me and call me a “Karen.” But thanks for the advice, if refusing to accept that Winspace denies liability for a clearly defective part makes me a Karen, then that’s… interesting.
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you can't have your cake and eat it too...
You buy a cheap frameset from the other side of the world and you complain about a 3$ seatpost clamp that is not manufactured by Winspace and 99% of case is your fault or your dynamometric wrench fault.
It seems to me that your objection doesn't hold water
If they'd given you the clamp as a gift, you'd have complained that it wasn't delivered with a bouquet of flowers.
But do you think just because they're Chinese, they're also stupid?
The most ridiculous thing is to spend little and expect a service as if you had bought the frame in a boutique in Beverly Hills.
Your message insults us who read this forum and not Winspace who even bothered to reply to you
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@Pswiss
You also posted your story on Facebook and got roasted there as well — maybe just let it go this time.
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It seems you didn’t go through my initial post carefully.
I did!
“Dear Emma,
The saddle clamp has failed. Please note I have always used a torque wrench. This is really dangerous!”
vs
The saddle clamp broke, can you send me a new one?
This are TWO complete different stories.
No. 1 they f.... it up.
No. 2. you f... it up.
So don't blame others for misinterpreting something you describe different to what happened.
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Could you be specific about where I supposedly lacked respect? Or are you referring to terms like “bitching” or you calling me a “male Karen”?
Seriously, your second response is like this, you consider respectful? Learn how to deal properly with other humans. Going by other responses you don't seem to be very self aware of your own behavior. Again, a $5 item like this doesn't even warrant a email reply and you get all aggressive and expect compensation and pursue legal avenues. This is KAREN.
Me:
Are you serious? Your clamp broke and you want to sell one to me? This is outrageous. Please kindly reconsider — I also expect compensation.
Winspace (Emma):
According to our after-sales center, it broke after two years of use, it is not a quality issue. We can offer you one for replacement, but you need to afford the shipping cost USD 30.
Me:
A saddle clamp does not “wear out” after 2 years — this is clearly a metallurgical failure due to casting defects. I work in the metal industry and can provide expertise if you like. It’s astonishing that you refuse responsibility for a part worth less than $15. If you don’t reconsider, I’ll pursue legal avenues and post this publicly.
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Why are you even asking if I think they are “stupid because they are Chinese”? That’s a strange and unnecessary comment, can you elaborate?
And clearly, you didn’t read my post (maybe it was too long for you). You’re missing the actual point: Winspace denied an obvious failure and refused to acknowledge a clear quality issue. That’s what this discussion is about, not the price of the clamp.
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@Pswiss
You also posted your story on Facebook and got roasted there as well — maybe just let it go this time.
Roasted? More like by the 5% of fanboys who can’t handle any criticism of their beloved brand. The irony is watching the same keyboard warriors get worked up, call me names, and accuse me of wasting time... all while wasting their own.
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If you think only 5% of people disagree with you, you need to go back to school and learn how to do percentages. Seriously man, you make it worse with every posting you write.
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Clearly you and statistics don’t go well together. A noisy minority of fanboys in a thread is not a representative sample it’s called bias. Most people who agree simply don’t waste their time arguing here.
But percentage seems to be the real issue here, not a brand denying responsibility. Glad we’ve cleared that up ;D
“That was the right thing to act this way from your side, otherwise the manufacturer is never going to learn from their mistakes. Good job!”
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I did!
“Dear Emma,
The saddle clamp has failed. Please note I have always used a torque wrench. This is really dangerous!”
vs
The saddle clamp broke, can you send me a new one?
This are TWO complete different stories.
No. 1 they f.... it up.
No. 2. you f... it up.
So don't blame others for misinterpreting something you describe different to what happened.
You have a point, I corrected my post now to reflect exactly my email. I had shortened the wording at first (since the post was already long), but here is my actual email, exactly as sent (and attached):
“Dear Emma,
The saddle clamp has failed. Please note I have always used a torque wrench. This is really dangerous!
Best regards”
The problem isn’t whether my summary line was too short, it’s that so many commentators think it’s “normal” for a seat clamp to fail, blame me for overtightening, and overlook the key fact: Winspace refused to acknowledge any defect in the part.
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Ok so people in the Facebook group „Winspace Owners“ could potentially be biased towards Winspace, I give you that. But why would you post there and hope for approval in the first place?
But if you know anything about this forum, that is not the case here.
It is a great forum with a lot of people having great knowledge. So please do yourself a favour and stop spreading hate here and having unnecessary discussions.
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Who told you I was looking for approval?
And “spreading hate”? That’s really over the top or you’re referring to the people who responded with name-calling and insults.
As for “great knowledge”: anyone who thinks a seat post clamp failing in under two years is normal is lowering the bar pretty far
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I still support your view. After all, this frame wasn't cheap, and what you're concerned about isn't the seatpost clamp itself, but getting better service.
If you or a friend are looking to buy a wheelset, I can give you a few clamps for free. They're just taking up space in my warehouse.
Our wheelsets come with a two-year warranty:
Within two years: We will replace or repair them free of charge, depending on the specific situation.
After two years: We offer discounted replacements.
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I still support your view. After all, this frame wasn't cheap, and what you're concerned about isn't the seatpost clamp itself, but getting better service.
If you or a friend are looking to buy a wheelset, I can give you a few clamps for free. They're just taking up space in my warehouse.
Our wheelsets come with a two-year warranty:
Within two years: We will replace or repair them free of charge, depending on the specific situation.
After two years: We offer discounted replacements.
Nice work @serenadebikes ;D
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Who told you I was looking for approval?
Why did you post this story? Surely it wasn't to argue with people about your tone or whether or not your claim was valid?
Approval is prob the wrong word..... you def seemed to be looking for affirmation that you were wronged by Winspace.
This board is pretty fair and unbiased around Chinese brands I think. People have posted brand eff ups in the past and the board has mostly agreed. So the fact that you are getting so much push back should be a signal that maybe your approach and expectations are off. Again this frame should be covered under warranty, so you should have led with that. Instead you seemed to frame your grievance through emotion, which you are still doing now.
Is it really so hard to accept the loss, buy a $30 seatpost clamp and move on? If not, that seems more like a you problem than a "Winspace and a bunch of people you told the story to" problem.
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It seems you didn’t actually read my post, otherwise you’d know they eventually offered a replacement free of charge, but only after first trying to sell me one, and even then they kept denying the defect. And yes, I have bought one myself locally much cheaper...
I’m not looking for affirmation, the defect is obvious.
What’s been funny is watching some of the Winspace loyalists in uproar: aggressively attacking me, offering poor arguments, unable to properly engage, and constantly falling back on insults. Honestly, quite entertaining.
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I hesitate to jump in, but just a quick reminder to please keep things respectful and refrain from name calling, shit talking, etc. I know it's easy to fall into that, I have myself many times... The internet can do that to you, lol.
You're free to argue and debate all you want, I'm just asking everyone to please try to aim for an overall community vibe of positivity and respect.
Thanks.
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It seems you didn’t actually read my post, otherwise you’d know they eventually offered a replacement free of charge, but only after first trying to sell me one, and even then they kept denying the defect. And yes, I have bought one myself locally much cheaper...
I’m not looking for affirmation, the defect is obvious.
What’s been funny is watching some of the Winspace loyalists in uproar: aggressively attacking me, offering poor arguments, unable to properly engage, and constantly falling back on insults. Honestly, quite entertaining.
Are you still going on this?
And exactly where in Winspaces' warranty terms do you think this is there issue? Its a nearly 2 year old, cheap-as-chips saddle clamp that no doubt Winspace buy in from a third party. Its not a frame (3 years) or wheels (2 years). Its a wear & tear part = not covered
You've been threatening legal action, compensation etc etc. How have you got on with your lawsuit? When will you be expecting a payout?
WARRANTY
Here at Winspace we stand behind our products. We believe in providing a quality product to our users that is safe and fit for intended purpose. For this reason we supply all our frames with 3 years’ warranty and 2 years’ warranty for our wheelsets. The specific details of our warranty can be found below;
WINSPACE warranty:
1) The warranty period starts at the time of the goods’ arrival at the original buyer’s location and lasts for: Framesets 3(three) years, wheelsets 2(two) years.
2) WINSPACE warranty covers exclusively the manufacturing defects of its products and excludes, notably, from its scope of application any damage, prejudice and, more generally, any direct or indirect consequence which would result from bad use or failure to respect user instructions, the lack of maintenance or non-conforming use of the products.
3) WINSPACE warranty does not cover parts that are subject to normal wear and tear. Wear and tear parts are subject to damage as a result of normal use and riding in conditions/usage for applications other than recommended. Wear and tear parts are identified as: wheel brake pads, rim brake surface, spokes, rim tape, bearings, etc.
4) Warranty terms for defects in workmanship or parts:
A.) The seller shall supply the buyer with lucid instructions and/or diagramnfor replacing defective parts, as well as spare parts.
B.) In the event that the defect is beyond repair, the seller shall be liable for the defective products, by providing the buyer reimbursements or replacements for the complete unit.
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You need to understand the difference between a contractual warranty (what Winspace chooses to put in their terms) and a legal warranty (the minimum protection consumers have under the law, regardless of what a company prints).
A contractual warranty can limit coverage (like “3 years on frames, 2 years on wheels”), but a legal warranty covers situations where a product was not of “satisfactory quality,” “fit for purpose,” or “durable as reasonably expected.” Even outside the written warranty period, if a part fails prematurely in a way that shows a defect, the manufacturer can still be held responsible under legal warranty.
Now, are you seriously suggesting a seat post clamp is a “wear and tear” part?
Conclusion: It is well within the contractual warranty and even if it was not, it would fall under the legal warranty.
That’s like saying a stem or handlebar should be expected to fail after two years, which is absurd. Consumables are tires, brake pads, chains, not a structural clamp holding the seat post.
And as for me “still going on”.... I’m only replying to posts like yours ;)
Finally, regarding the legal action / compensation point, it’s actually working out perfectly. By rushing to defend Winspace, with a lot of energy but not much argument, the loyalists are keeping this post alive and giving it more visibility. Even better.
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When my clamp broke on the past road bike that I had, I bought a new one. Much better quality than the one that came with the frame. No sending e-mails, no drama, no nothing. Sometimes, it's much better to move on with our lives than to complain with even the smallest things. BTW, did you tell your friends to buy wheelset from @serenadebikes so that he can send you seat clamp for free?
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Good for you, but the difference is I’m not complaining about replacing a clamp. The issue is a brand refusing to acknowledge an obvious defect and calling it “normal.” That’s what people should know before buying.
And no, I don’t need freebies from anyone, I can buy my own parts. What I expect from a so-called premium brand is accountability, not denial.
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I'd suggest you don't buy products direct from China if you expect anything more than goodwill based on their stated contractual warranty as you have very little way to enforce anything else. Even if they fail to honour that there's very little you can do. If you want the protection of your home countries laws then you need to pay the premium of buying there. This isn't defending Winspace at all as I'd not buy from them as I view them as overpriced for what they offer and I'd rather not pay for a significant marketing budget.
I'm interested to know how a broken seat post clamp is really dangerous? Back before dropper posts they were almost a consumable part on well used mountain bikes in the UK and all that happened when they eventually snapped would be that your seat would drop and you'd have a harder ride home.
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Your point is entirely correct about Winspace and their behavior shows that while they want to position themselves as premium and keep raising prices, they’re not up to the standard.
As for the danger of a seat clamp failure: without the clamp, the seat post slide very freely in this frame and will slide down immediately. Maybe in your area the terrain is flat, but imagine this happening suddenly and catching you by surprise while descending a mountain pass at high speed as it is common in my area it can cause a very serious crash
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Maybe it’s an over sized seat tube, you should contact Winspace customer services and ask about a warranty claim 😂
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Good for you, but the difference is I’m not complaining about replacing a clamp. The issue is a brand refusing to acknowledge an obvious defect and calling it “normal.” That’s what people should know before buying.
And no, I don’t need freebies from anyone, I can buy my own parts. What I expect from a so-called premium brand is accountability, not denial.
They gave you a new seatpost clamp. What exactly more do you need to be satisfied?
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This post is hilarious reading. 10/10 would watch the movie.
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Maybe it’s an over sized seat tube, you should contact Winspace customer services and ask about a warranty claim 😂
It’s within reasonable tolerance but good try at deflecting. You’ll have to do better than that. 😂
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They gave you a new seatpost clamp. What exactly more do you need to be satisfied?
Maybe you missed the fact that they only offered that after first trying to make me pay, and only once I raised the tone, which now has all the Winspace fanboys in uproar.
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I guess if you are in the shoes of Winspace, how do they know you have NEVER exceeded 5 N-m in the past 2 YEARS of usage? They can't take the words of any customer for granted can they? It's a freakin' $5 seat clamp. There are many ways a clamp failed, overtightening it is one big possibility. Defective is another. But after 2 years, and it's $5. Com'on.
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Maybe you did not read my post, I informed them from the start it was always tightened with a torque wrench. And if you’d looked at the photos (that I provided with them in the first place), you’d notice the clear crystalline fracture with no plastic deformation, clear metallurgical failure, not overtightening.
And in fact, if they had any doubts, and any real interest in improving quality and ensuring customer safety, they would have asked me to send the part for metallurgical testing.
And your own reasoning applies to Winspace: it’s a $5 part, come on. All the more reason they could have acknowledged the defect instead of denying it and trying to make pay for a new one.
Out of curiosity, since you seem to think it’s normal for a seat post clamp to fail in less than 2 years (in fact 1.5 years in this case) and seen the possible consequence if it fails during a ride (including risk of injury), what’s your recommendation? Replace it every year? Every 6 months? Should we do the same with all aluminium parts, stems and wheel axles too?
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Out of curiosity, since you seem to think it’s normal for a seat post clamp to fail in less than 2 years (in fact 1.5 years in this case) and seen the possible consequence if it fails during a ride (including risk of injury), what’s your recommendation? Replace it every year? Every 6 months? Should we do the same with all aluminium parts, stems and wheel axles too?
Don't be so riled up. What I meant was from the perspective of Winspace, they were facing a customer who used the bike for 2 years and who may or may not have abused the clamp.
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This post is hilarious reading. 10/10 would watch the movie.
I second this...
OP, I'm making my first post just to point out how ridiculous this whole thing is. I agree with you that it is a bummer that something fairly simple, like a post collar was botched. Where I think this gets ridiculous is that you seemingly think that the moral high ground is worth the time, emotion, shipping logistics, making this post, among other things. Not to mention you probably initially purchased the frame with a "budget" in mind, albeit Winspace may be a premium brand in the east(china) it is still a budget brand in the west...
The collar from Winspace broke, after 2 years, even if you swear that you always use a torque wrench, no higher than 5nm, is the wrench calibrated? Do you think a collar on a mid range Specialized hybrid or $4500 Trek road bike (not ISM design) doesn't fail under similar conditions? I'm guessing the collar was fatigued, bummer indeed but so is your attitude. Go buy something that's CNC'd from Wolftooth, Hope, i9 whatever from an LBS, they must have some hideous anodized collar for you. Please tell them this heartfelt tale of how you were wronged too by the way, I'm sure they will have a ton of sympathy. Maybe they'll give you one for free to get you to leave quicker.
Snide comments aside, as someone who spent 10+ years at a bikeshop and is now at a manufacturer, you seem like the sort of customer most folks come to dread. The validation you seem to be seeking here, is almost as insane as you demanding a company in China ships you a new seatpost collar.
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The wrench is a professional Gedore, calibrated, next argument?
If you had actually read the post and looked at the pictures, you’d see this is a clear metallurgical failure, not overtightening. The real issue isn’t the clamp itself but Winspace denying the defect. If they had any interest in improving quality or customer safety, they would have asked me to send in the part for inspection. The fact that this didn’t even occur to them, and apparently doesn’t occur to you either, despite your industry experience, says a lot.
And about your “if you swear” comment, thanks for insinuating I’m a liar. Apart from being disrespectful, that’s not an argument.
As for other brands, if a collar fails spontaneously there too, that’s not an excuse or justification. A defect is a defect
“validation” ....you’ve missed the point entirely. I’m not looking for sympathy; I’m making people aware of how Winspace behaves. And thanks to your contribution, you’re keeping this post alive and visible.
Your line “where I think this gets ridiculous is that you think the moral high ground is worth the time, emotion, shipping logistics, making this post" is especially ironic... considering you just wrote an entire essay about it and the post you are quoting
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OK I've run out of popcorn! This thread has been read 1830 times. Well played OP. If your mission was to get your message out there, then you've succeeded.
Do I think that threatening to pursue legal action over a defective round seatpost clamp worth $5 is ridiculous? Absolutely.
Do I think this hurts the Winspace brand? Absolutely.
If this happened to me I personally wouldn't at all be upset (you get what you pay for), but IMHO OP has a point (that he's made time and time again in this thread) in regards to how Winspace chooses to deal with issues (which is not at all surprising to me).
I love my bikes, the select parts on my bikes, and the brands that make them. If anything I feel sorry for OP that he owns and rides a bike made by a brand he despises so much.
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If anything I feel sorry for OP that he owns and rides a bike made by a brand he despises so much.
+1 yet he is calling all other contributors to this post 'Winspace Fanboys' 🤣🤣🤣
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Biggest Karen in Chinertown history?
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The wrench is a professional Gedore, calibrated, next argument?
If you had actually read the post and looked at the pictures, you’d see this is a clear metallurgical failure, not overtightening. The real issue isn’t the clamp itself but Winspace denying the defect. If they had any interest in improving quality or customer safety, they would have asked me to send in the part for inspection. The fact that this didn’t even occur to them, and apparently doesn’t occur to you either, despite your industry experience, says a lot.
And about your “if you swear” comment, thanks for insinuating I’m a liar. Apart from being disrespectful, that’s not an argument.
As for other brands, if a collar fails spontaneously there too, that’s not an excuse or justification. A defect is a defect
“validation” ....you’ve missed the point entirely. I’m not looking for sympathy; I’m making people aware of how Winspace behaves. And thanks to your contribution, you’re keeping this post alive and visible.
Your line “where I think this gets ridiculous is that you think the moral high ground is worth the time, emotion, shipping logistics, making this post" is especially ironic... considering you just wrote an entire essay about it and the post you are quoting
how old is it? Was it serviced on regular bases. Are you professionally trained to use a torque wrench?
So much argument they could find to deny your wish for a new clamp, although you used a torque wrench ;)
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The cal cert as shown is missing a date and looks like one that's supplied with a tool. When was it last calibrated? Standard practice is a 12 month cal period, though it's largely pointless for tools only you use as used in their correct operating ranges good torque wrenches don't appear to drift. Being fully awkward why weren't you tightening the seat clamp to the specified torque of 6nm and using a tool capable of doing that?
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What you wrote is indeed pointless. Maybe you could share pictures of your own torque wrench and its yearly calibration certificate? Or are you suggesting everyone on this forum does that?
Even if a torque wrench were out of calibration, it would only drift a few percent. Since I’ve always tightened to 5 Nm, it would have to be 40% off to result in significant over-torquing , and even then, still well below the level that could cause a fracture.
As for why I didn’t torque to the specified maximum of 6 Nm, the clue is in the word “maximum.” With round seat posts, I’ve always used 5 Nm, and if the post doesn’t slip at that setting, there’s no reason to go to the maximum. There are even some parts where the maximum recommended torque is not optimal.
What’s really awkward is that in the same breath you split hairs about torque wrench calibration, but then suggest blindly tightening every clamp to the maximum rated torque.
And by the way, the fact I torqued it only to 5 Nm makes the case even stronger: this was a defect in the part, not misuse.
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2 years is a very long time and from the perspective of a low cost bike frame manufacturer, they have to fend off all sorts of claims. Heck, I'm pretty sure most customer who really want free replacement will make claims that they did this or that. Some of them were true, Some were not.
Anyway, congratulations! You won a free replacement of an aluminum seat post clamp! :D
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how old is it? Was it serviced on regular bases. Are you professionally trained to use a torque wrench?
So much argument they could find to deny your wish for a new clamp, although you used a torque wrench ;)
How old was it...read the post maybe?
“Professionally trained to use a torque wrench”… now that’s funny. What’s next, a license to use a hex key?
Bringing up calibration or training doesn’t make sense here, and it sounds more a desperate attempts tp deny the obvious. If you had actually looked at the pictures, you’d see a clear brittle fracture consistent with a metallurgical defect.
And even if a torque wrench drifts, it’s only by a few percent. Since I’ve always tightened to 5 Nm, it would have to be 40% off to cause significant over-torquing leading to this kind of fracture. If it were truly out of calibration to that degree, I’d have been stripping bolts and breaking other parts all over the bike long ago.
And now it appears Winspace may have known all along they were sending out frames with defective clamps.
“Both of mine failed within the first couple of weeks of ownership. Roundabout the time I received my frame, there was talk on here of others who also experienced failed clamps; seems there must have been a bad batch.”
If they had the slightest interest in quality improvement or customer safety, they would have asked me to send the clamp in for metallurgical examination.
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Biggest Karen in Chinertown history?
Maybe you could refrain from throwing insults from behind your keyboard. Either you have no argument and are reduced to name-calling, or you’re so emotionally attached to your new Winspace that you can’t make a rational point.
What makes your comment even more ridiculous is the fact that it appears Winspace may have known all along they were sending out frames with defective clamps.
“Both of mine failed within the first couple of weeks of ownership. Roundabout the time I received my frame, there was talk on here of others who also experienced failed clamps; seems there must have been a bad batch.”
If they had the slightest interest in quality improvement or customer safety, they would have asked me to send the clamp in for metallurgical examination. Not to mention a recall...
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OK I've run out of popcorn! This thread has been read 1830 times. Well played OP. If your mission was to get your message out there, then you've succeeded.
Do I think that threatening to pursue legal action over a defective round seatpost clamp worth $5 is ridiculous? Absolutely.
Do I think this hurts the Winspace brand? Absolutely.
If this happened to me I personally wouldn't at all be upset (you get what you pay for), but IMHO OP has a point (that he's made time and time again in this thread) in regards to how Winspace chooses to deal with issues (which is not at all surprising to me).
I love my bikes, the select parts on my bikes, and the brands that make them. If anything I feel sorry for OP that he owns and rides a bike made by a brand he despises so much.
Fair points, and thanks for actually reading before commenting.
The $5 clamp was never the issue. The real problem is Winspace denying a clear defect and calling it “normal.” I only escalated after they refused to acknowledge it, which is ridiculous for a brand that claims to be premium.
To make things worse, it seems now that Winspace probably knew about the problem all along:
“Both of mine failed within the first couple of weeks of ownership. Roundabout the time I received my frame, there was talk on here of others who also experienced failed clamps; seems there must have been a bad batch.”
If Winspace actually cared about quality or safety, they’d have asked me to send the part back for examination, not he mention a recall / customer information
Also, you wrote “you get what you pay for.” Are you saying Winspace is cheap crap? I could have paid half the price and bought the same frame from Speeder, so at the very least I expect quality control and proper service from Winspace.
So no, I don’t “despise” the bike. I’m just pointing out how poorly the company handled this. If that helps others before buying, then the point is made.
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+1 yet he is calling all other contributors to this post 'Winspace Fanboys' 🤣🤣🤣
Not all contributors, just the ones coming up with ridiculous arguments like splitting hairs over torque wrench calibration, yearly calibration, or offering no argument at all beyond insults. That kind of reaction can only be explained by emotional attachment and bruised feelings that the bike they just bought might be coming from a questionable company.
And by the way, to make things worse, it seems Winspace probably knew about the problem all along:
“Both of mine failed within the first couple of weeks of ownership. Roundabout the time I received my frame, there was talk on here of others who also experienced failed clamps; seems there must have been a bad batch.”
If Winspace had even the slightest concern for quality or customer safety, they would have asked for the part back for examination, not to mention considering a recall.
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one of the big advantages selling out of china is handling quality issues the way they do.
Nothing will change, people will still buy, get defectives and chinese companies usually do not care.
the first layer of customer support always tries to make a benefit out of your complaint (selling this 1.5 USD part for 30 USD is a get profit, having in mind, shipping if for nill overthere)
This escalates , if customer think, wow, i got a reply and they will send a new one, problem is solved.
We have seen broken aluminium parts on a tt bike where the complete front end failed. luckily on a trainer..
The part showed the same stressfractur signs yours did, a couple of hundred frames are outthere...the company never did anything to inform buyers about this, they even asked for 129 USD for the new part...
In this case, winspace tries to establish a premium touch as pricing is ridiculous...hambine did also review frames of them and loved them :-) if i am correct..
So....calm down, it is nothing personal, its just the way they handle this...LTWOO does not even answer dealership complaints..
Thanks for your comment, and I agree, nothing personal, it’s just the way they choose to handle things.
But to make matters worse, it seems Winspace may have been aware of the issue all along:
“Both of mine failed within the first couple of weeks of ownership. Roundabout the time I received my frame, there was talk on here of others who also experienced failed clamps; seems there must have been a bad batch.”
If Winspace had even the slightest concern for quality or customer safety, they would have asked for the part back for examination, maybe even considered a recall. Instead, denial and brushing it off...
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Are you from the German parts of Switzerland?
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Not sure what exactly that has to do with the topic...or are you planning a visit? If you do, you might then realize the potential danger of a seatpost clamp failing while going down a mountain pass at speed. Come ride a down mountain pass sometime, then tell me a seat clamp failure is no big deal
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Not sure what exactly that has to do with the topic...or are you planning a visit? If you do, you might then realize the potential danger of a seatpost clamp failing while going down a mountain pass at speed. Come ride a down mountain pass sometime, then tell me a seat clamp failure is no big deal
Haha. I've been visiting Switzerland on a regular basis for quite some time. I've been all over the country and I can't get enough of the valley's of Ticino. I've found it cheaper to stay in Cannobio IT which allows my visits to be a bit longer. I asked as I was generally curious.
However, I asked an innocent question and you felt the need prove a point without actually answering my question. In fact, I have ridden in Switzerland, not nearly as much as I'd like though. I also never questioned your view on the safety aspect, even though you made the assumption that I currently don't realize the potential danger. Your view is your view and I'm cool with that. I can see how it could create a dangerous situation. We Americans have a stereotype that is well known around the world. Some parts of that stereotype are good and some are not. Also, not all of us fall into that stereotype. That being said, the citizens of the German speaking portions of Switzerland have a stereotype as well. One part being that they love to find a soapbox to stand on and preach about how they are correct. If someone is even slightly out of line in public, they will called out for it. What they miss is that even when they are correct, people will see them as being "Karen's" when the issue is relatively small in other peoples eyes. A person can be technically correct, but still seen as being overly dramatic.
Take care and enjoy your beautiful country. I am envious that I cannot spend more time there.
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As for why I didn’t torque to the specified maximum of 6 Nm, the clue is in the word “maximum.” With round seat posts, I’ve always used 5 Nm, and if the post doesn’t slip at that setting, there’s no reason to go to the maximum. There are even some parts where the maximum recommended torque is not optimal.
What’s really awkward is that in the same breath you split hairs about torque wrench calibration, but then suggest blindly tightening every clamp to the maximum rated torque.
And by the way, the fact I torqued it only to 5 Nm makes the case even stronger: this was a defect in the part, not misuse.
I was being pedantic and if you look your broken seat clamp doesn't indicate a maximum torque value, only an absolute torque value. It's highly unlikely to be the case here but there are applications were under torquing will lead to failure just as surely as over torquing.
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Haha. I've been visiting Switzerland on a regular basis for quite some time. I've been all over the country and I can't get enough of the valley's of Ticino. I've found it cheaper to stay in Cannobio IT which allows my visits to be a bit longer. I asked as I was generally curious.
However, I asked an innocent question and you felt the need prove a point without actually answering my question. In fact, I have ridden in Switzerland, not nearly as much as I'd like though. I also never questioned your view on the safety aspect, even though you made the assumption that I currently don't realize the potential danger. Your view is your view and I'm cool with that. I can see how it could create a dangerous situation. We Americans have a stereotype that is well known around the world. Some parts of that stereotype are good and some are not. Also, not all of us fall into that stereotype. That being said, the citizens of the German speaking portions of Switzerland have a stereotype as well. One part being that they love to find a soapbox to stand on and preach about how they are correct. If someone is even slightly out of line in public, they will called out for it. What they miss is that even when they are correct, people will see them as being "Karen's" when the issue is relatively small in other peoples eyes. A person can be technically correct, but still seen as being overly dramatic.
Take care and enjoy your beautiful country. I am envious that I cannot spend more time there.
Your question didn’t really feel “innocent” as it was framed around a stereotype, but since I didn’t want to assume, I simply didn’t answer. To clarify: no, I’m not from the Swiss-German part, I live in the French-speaking part. And if you plan to visit again, you’re always welcome, it really is a great place to ride.
You’re right, you didn’t question the safety aspect, and I appreciate that. But a lot of people replying here seem to dismiss it as a “small issue.” as you said yourself.
And that said, it seems now that, Winspace may well have known about it all along:
“Both of mine failed within the first couple of weeks of ownership. Roundabout the time I received my frame, there was talk on here of others who also experienced failed clamps; seems there must have been a bad batch.”
Thanks for your courteous message, it’s a refreshing change from some of the other replies here.