I've been holding off on reviewing Spyder Composites until I actually received my frame back from them, but after reading the other review, I think I need to throw my hat in the ring and make sure consumers know that this was not an isolated incident.
First, I emailed Spyder Composites, both through the in-browser messaging system on their website and with my personal account. This would have been mid August, 2012. After several days with no response, I decided to give them a call.
Phone was answered with "Spyder Composites." I let them know that I wanted to get a bike repaired, explained the damage to the frame, and was looking for any information they could give me. I got a response "Yeah, it'll be $180. Just print out one of the forms on our website and ship it with the frame."
I was a little surprised by the casualness of the instructions, but went ahead with it. Frame stripped, boxed up, and sent out. I sent some simple instructions on the form they asked to have included, including a request to be contacted if they had a new estimate or ETA for me. FedEx tracking shows it arriving at Spyder Composites on August 21st.
A week later, I'd heard nothing. I emailed on the 29th, asking if they'd even received my bike, let alone started work, and got no response. I called them on Aug 31st and was told that the bike was there (phew) and they'd sanded the affected area. Hmm.
To make a long story short, it's now October 24th, and I don't have the frame back. I've called 3 or 4 times since the beginning of September, always to hear that they'd made marginal progress but needed to add a layer of carbon or paint or clear coat, etc. On Sept 28th, after calling and getting a response of "having it done this weekend," I received an invoice from Spyder in my personal email. I paid it promptly, and on Sept 30th I got a "Payment Received" email from Spyder.
That's the last contact I've had with Spyder. More than three weeks later I've got no shipping confirmation or tracking number, and no phone call saying "Sorry, but we had to postpone for X reason."
For all I know, Spyder is the greatest carbon frame repair company on the planet. For all I know, they've taught my frame to speak Flemish in these last two months. But I know without a doubt if they don't address their shortcomings when it comes to basic customer service, my bike could pedal itself when I receive it and I would still be hugely dissatisfied with this experience. read more