New steel frame showed up bent af

repair by a proper place (Vaz, BJ etc) might be uneconomical

I'm sure Mario could repair it for less than the cost of a new frame. It's free as-is, probably get it fixed and powdercoated for ~£300, and you can choose your colour.

For cheaper ( but probably not as good as the guy who used to run Armourtex) Rodman Bros in Tottenham are cool, and have lots of colours. I use them all the time for furniture.

I'm sure Mario could repair it for less than the cost of a new frame. It's free as-is, probably get it fixed and powdercoated for ~£300,

Oh definitely .

I just think £300 for a repaired frame with no warranty is still quite a lot though.

I say strip the paint from the bent tubes and check for cracks. You could take it to someone who has the tools to bend it back and if it cracks it cracks. If it looks ok I'm sure you could get some money for it and if not I'd bet it's just the seat stay that needs replacing which shouldn't be too pricey. Here's Ellis Briggs' price list https://www.ellisbriggscycles.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Frameshop-Pricelist-Oct-18.pdf

Looks to me it could bent back to the original position with careful clamping and some leverage.
I'd just try to get it straight for not much and ride it. No point on sinking loads in repairing a cheap Surly.

Thanks for all the input everyone. Here's an update for those now invested...

Full refund for bike and shipping has arrived from the retailer.

Retailed said it would cost them 275usd to ship it back, so can I please just bin it for them.

Absolutely, sure I can!

Now DHL are trying to get me to pay the 120 odd quid for import tax, but obviously after an argument they'll waive that.

I phoned round a few bike shops and got some recommendations for frame builders. Someone at Brixton Cycles recommended a builder called Verohna Frameworks which, it transpires, are in Hither Green. Right round the corner. Spoke to the guy and he's gonna have a look on Monday.

I don't mind paying good money to have it corrected, because as some have said I'd still be in the green. Who cares if I don't have a frame warranty, I didn't pay for the frame!

I was really hoping the repair would be a bending job though, I'd be disappointed to have to dip and respray such a beautiful frame...

Will update again on Monday

Surly's aren't cheap to us normals you know. To me a 600 quid frameset is enormously expensive. But point taken - you're a baller and you have better bikes than me

This is interesting, looks like replacing half the rear triangle would be like 2-300 quid... And that's before the respray

I think the repairs at Varonha are likely to be ~200 quid before paint but they are the go to for repairs in London

Ok thanks for that. I haven't had a respray in years. What does that cost these days?

Nah man I have pretty working class bikes. The thing is I'd rather get another if you're paying half the value of a new one to get that rolling.

600 quid frameset is enormously expensive.

It certainly is for a Surly. A new rear triangle could be an opportunity to improve upon the orignal frame and have vertical dropouts though.

You may or may not know this already but 'Mario Vaz' is, effectively, the same thing as 'Varonha' Frameworks. I believe his brother Winston is more the framebuilder and Mario does the paintwork. Both super nice guys and also I think 'on here' but not often these days.

Aha yes it was Winston that I spoke to

A conversation with Kevin Winter may be a good idea. As an actual engineer, as well as a frame builder of 30 years experience, he may be better able to assess things than many frame builders

My straggler came off a Plane like this in 2017. I bent it back myself with no proper tools and I’ve ridden it 3000 miles since. Granted it was a little less bent than yours.

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Interesting, how did you do it?

Well it was only the drive side that was bent, where the tubing is pinched to make space for the chainrings. There was no paint damage so I thought it was probably ok. I just stood on the good side and pulled it back up.

It wasn’t a pleasant experience but because I hadn’t photographed the damage in the airport in Kazakhstan and I wasn’t gonna get any money back for it. Which in itself is a good lesson - check your bike bag is all good before you go through customs!

See I think I could do the same, but there is a slight crack in the paint so I'd be worried that it was damaged inside...

More interesting though, what were you doing in Kazakhstan with you bike

obviously after an argument they'll waive that.

Why should DHL suck up £120 on your behalf? You'd probably need to claim relief from HMRC yourself.

If you don't pay £120 to DHL, I'd expect that you'd face debt collectors, followed by a claim in the country court against you (assuming DHL have already paid import duty & VAT on your behalf on the frame & postage costs).

If the cost of the bike has been refunded, together with the shipping costs the price is zero, so zero vat etc. I guess would be the argument. I would think the handling charge would still be valid, but in the circumstances should be waved.

This can’t be the first time this has happened. There must be a process for these situations.

Because DHL trashed the frame...

Yeah fair. Sheldon Brown has an article on "cold setting" frames that may be of use. It's more about how to re-space your back end for different wheel widths.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

If the only alternative is getting the back end replaced, it sounds worth a try before doing that!

As for Kazakhstan, I went on a riding trip there from Bishkek, round the south side of Issyk Kul and into Almaty from there. Those were the days eh.

Who trashed it is between the various couriers and the retailer - unless you engaged DHL yourself, of course.

Who paid import duty & VAT is between DHL and you

They may well accept that it is all their fault, and take it on the chin. But they may say it's still up to you to

As @housecathst states, this can't be the first time that this has happened, and there may well be a process for it, either through DHL themselves, or via various HMRC forms.

As I understand it, the VAT is payable on the value of the goods at time of sending, not receipt.

I'm only speculating, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is not as obvious as you seem to suggest.

And if you do decide to repair and sell the frame, I rather expect that there would be duty and vat payable, even if it is trashed right now.

Well, what can I say. I'm glad it's not you I have to convince! Clearly if you had your way I'd have to pay the duty.

It seems really obvious to me though that if DHL trashed the frame, it would be unreasonable of them to ask me to cover duty for it.

I'll be sure to let you know

RE Import duty, probably worth a read

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/refunds-and-waivers-on-customs-debt