Arkose rear rack mount failure? Warrantee? Epoxy

My left seatstay ie top rack mount on a new arkose A8 has popped out today for no apparent reason! Have a rack on but haven't even had panniers on it yet.
Anyone else had this issue or success with Evans warrantee? If not anyone tried epoxy and aluminum frames??

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That’s a warranty claim, that is.

When I asked a fairly old framebuilder if the rack mounts could be in the tube like that on a frame he built for me, he refused. It seems to be the norm now, on forks and frames, and I often wonder esp on forks why everyone seems to do that.

I think it’s because it’s an aluminium frame. On a steel frame the rack mount is brazed onto the stay but you can’t braze aluminium and TIG welding will probably weaken the stay too much so it’s easier (and cheaper) to drill a hole in the stay and fix the mount in the hole. Anyway, this one is clearly faulty.

How old is the frame?

If out of warranty I would probably go for a patching it up and a seat clamp with rack bosses unless it’s a massive frame.

Never seen that, looks quite poorly finished.

Got it from Evans in cycle to work in March of this year. They're going to have a look at it on Friday. I'll keep you updated :)

In that case should definitely be warrantied. Frame swap or new bike.

Yeah that's pretty bad. Friday welding job.

Warranty claims can sometimes be like pulling teeth and you end up without a bike for weeks when it's their fuck up. Suggest you do not leave the shop until they commit to a date on providing either a replacement bike or a replacement frame (AND having all your parts moved over to it).

So theyve admitted its a warranty issue, but they've also got no more of the right frame to do a frame exchange (apparently they have stopped doing the single speed arkose with the EBB for 2020). Theyve offered me either a refund (got on cycle to work so not sure how this works) or putting the moneys towards a new bike. A bit annoying given that I quite liked both the geared hub and the hydraulic discs and cant get anything near as good for the moneys....

As you got it on the CTW, you are obliged to continue the monthly payments to your employer as they bought it, regardless of the fact that you don't have a bike (same as if it was stolen). I reckon you should badger Evans to provide you with a bike of the same or greater value at their expense (at no extra cost to you). Technically, it’s not your bike but your employers but I reckon they have no interest in getting involved.

Take them up with you need to provide the same bike or a bike that does the same job regardless of cost;

It will cost them more to refund you; but that’s possibly easier for them

Always bloody awkward when there isn’t the stock available

Bike vendor in completely inadequate response to warranty claim shocker

When I asked a fairly old framebuilder if the rack mounts could be in the tube like that on a frame he built for me, he refused.

What Winston said to me too

I don’t think the rack mount on that aluminium frame is welded, most likely they drill a hole and then insert a threaded insert like a pop rivet. In the OP’s case, the insert has pulled out taking a chunk of seat stay with it. Bottle cage bosses are fitted in the same way.

Normally yes, but if you zoom on that photo I’m confident it’s welded

So good news from a customer service perspective they have replaced it with an Arkose D2. Not sure I like the tiagra hydro brakes as much as the TRPs and the gearing is a bit wierd/dont have the geared hub anymore, but the bike is a little lighter and still ticks all the boxes I set out to tick before C2W so I'm generally happy. They swapped the bits across and have put better spacers on my mudguards which was nice for a 'free' service...

Shame you couldnt get a hub gear system but sounds like a smart bike you will hopefully enjoy!