2017 Trek Fuel EX carbon - crappy ISCG tab workmanship - Other owners opinions

[mrx78u]

Hi,

Just want to check whether anyone else has noticed this on 2017 carbon treks, basically crappy workmanship from the factory, looks like the ISCG tab was installed after frame painting then ground down by a 5 year old with a die grinder, at first it looks like dropped chain damage but there's no marks to any of the surrounding material and it's never dropped a chain since delivery. Not real happy with this on a 6.5k bike, but wanted to check whether I just got a friday afternoon special or they're all like this. Local shop doesn't have any carbons ones I can compare with.



Great bike to ride but between the shit performance of the bontrager dropper, crappy workmanship and creaky everything, I don't think i'll ever love this bike.

 

[John U]

I haven't had the cranks off my 2015 9.8 but I've given that area fairly close inspection and all the paint looks to be in tact. Not sure if that's any help.

 

[Ivan]

Hey Mate,

You might get a better response posting this in the 2017 Fuel owners thread on MTBR. http://forums.mtbr.com/trek/2017-fuel-ex-official-post-1015937.html

One of the benefits you should get from buying from a big brand like Trek is great after sales support. If your dropper is playing up and things are creaking, get your shop to sort it out or if they won't write to Trek Australia. These brands are competing with factory direct brands like Canyon and YT, and the only way they will retain customers is through good after sales support.

 

[mrx78u]

Hey Mate,

You might get a better response posting this in the 2017 Fuel owners thread on MTBR. http://forums.mtbr.com/trek/2017-fuel-ex-official-post-1015937.html

One of the benefits you should get from buying from a big brand like Trek is great after sales support. If your dropper is playing up and things are creaking, get your shop to sort it out or if they won't write to Trek Australia. These brands are competing with factory direct brands like Canyon and YT, and the only way they will retain customers is through good after sales support.

Thanks. Yeah you're probably right about the MTBR thread but RB is usually my go to. Re: customer support, you're right but I want to check whether this is normal before I go busting my LBS's chops about it, took a fair bit of convincing to get them to send my dropper off for repair under warranty as it is and I really don't want to get myself into a crying wolf situation in case of future issues.

Cheers.

 

[notime]

I'm on a new 9.9. Just checked out the tab, it definitely has a lack of paint around the edge like yours but it all looks nice other than that. Mines creak free so far and the dropper, other than a bit more play than I'd like has been spot on.

 

[mrx78u]

I'm on a new 9.9. Just checked out the tab, it definitely has a lack of paint around the edge like yours but it all looks nice other than that. Mines creak free so far and the dropper, other than a bit more play than I'd like has been spot on.

Thanks for looking, much appreciated. Re: Dropper. Mine initially had a faulty cartridge which was replaced under warranty (Apparently they cost about $60 fyi) but in addition to that, as mine is a 9.8 and has 2x11, so i have the thumb switch rather than the under bar remote for the dropper as per your 9.9, it needs a fairly hefty amount of effort to actuate (compared to my mid range KS dropzone i've had for years), will be going 1x and getting a wolftooth remote soon anyway. And yeah it has a few mm of play too, more than my old KS.

 

[SDA]

I've got the Fuel Ex 9 and the paint is all good.

I did need to go over the bike when I got it and check all the bolts. The creaking you are hearing could be coming from the suspension linkage bolts. I read on mtbr that a few people's Fuel's turned up with bolts not full tensioned.

I had the same issues with the dropper post (plus a few more). Thankfully the shop I bought the bike from looked after me and I have since moved on to a Fox Transfer.

It's a frustrating process but keep speaking to the shop you bought it from. If they aren't helping maybe call Trek?