Calfee prep/paint - Pathetic

[scpknees]

I just want everyone to know what could happen if you choose Calfee to paint your frames and what your dealing with if your not happy with the results. As most know already calfee has been in the carbon business the past 20 years, so they should know how to approach any situation with carbon frames. Well apparently this is not always the case. I decided I wanted to have my Look 585 painted white and decided after talking with look usa who suggested i would be better off having someone stateside paint it to avoid the shipping cost of sending the frameset to france. I wanted a company to paint my frame that had experience dealing with carbon. That would be calfee. I Paid $52 to ship it to them and another $549 to prep,paint,ship back, so for $600 I get a frame with noticable flaws with the prep work on the seatstays along with a sloppy paint job. On one of the seatstays you can see where the surface tapers down on one area instead of a nice even flat surface. just below the taper there is a line(high spot)going down the middle of the seatstay. There is a run up by the seat lug, thin spots in the paint. lint under the clearcoat. A bubble in the paint with visible carbon showing. I sent the frame back once to have them fix the flaws and they still didn't get it right. I contact them again and im told"if i find the quality of their work to be less than my standards i should send my paint work to jim at cyclart" That was coming from craig calfee himself.Im sure craig didn't do any of the work or even see my frame at all.The crew working for him made me out to be a thorn that couldn't be pleased.so now im out $600 and stuck with a frame I no longer want and will never buy a carbon frame again for that matter. Im sure many people out there have good things to say about calfee and thats fine. This is a negative and don't need to hear anyone in their defense. This is not acceptable. Just know this if you don't like their work. Too bad. you lost your hard earned money, had your frame ruined( yes ruined because im not investing anymore money to make it right). On top of all this im worried if i do future damage to my frame who else does carbon repairs stateside. I would rather trash my frame than give the business to calfee. What's wrong with expecting quality work, quality craftsmanship.

[Pete Serotta]

Let me suggest you send a letter and some pictures to CRAIG highlighting the problems. Additionally CALFEE has a Forum on their web site that you might want to post to also.

Hope you can get it resolved. PETE

[ecl2k]

whiny baby, how does a less than perfect paint job ruin a frame? Any perfect paint will be not so perfect after a few rides anyway.

If you are such a perfectionist you should have sent it to someone with a reputation for impeccable paint jobs like joe bell or cyclart and many others.

[BumbleBeeDave]

This is on the Serotta forum because? . . .

BBD

[ergott]

If it's my size you can send it to me. I'll even pay the shipping.

[Lifelover]

If you want any sympathy you need to include pics.

If you can't take pics that capture the problems than it must not be that bad.


I'll gladly cover shipping cost if you want to send me the frame, seeing that it's ruined anyway.

[Blue Jays]

CyclArt you say? Oh, boy.

[happycampyer]

Not to hijack the thread, but I bought a dealer "demo" Ottrott that was originally painted in the now-discontinued "inferno" paint scheme, which wasn't my taste. So I sent it back to Serotta for a complete repaint/refinish, which I think cost about the same as Calfee charged scpkness. I recall a thread a while back criticizing the cost of a repaint at Serotta, but the paint, ti refinish, detailing, etc. was absolutely flawless--worth every penny (to me, at least).

scpkness,

Sorry to hear about you bad experience with Calfee--it seems way out of the ordinary. As Pete suggested, I would recommend trying to contact Craig directly.

[avalonracing]

whiny baby, how does a less than perfect paint job ruin a frame? Any perfect paint will be not so perfect after a few rides anyway.

If you are such a perfectionist you should have sent it to someone with a reputation for impeccable paint jobs like joe bell or cyclart and many others.

I don't know... for 6 bills one should expect to get a pretty good job done. Hell, for any price it should be done well because if you can't paint a frame well you probably shouldn't be charging for it.

[rcnute]

One paragraph.

I just can't read it.

[Blue Jays]

"...One paragraph. I just can't read it..."

Ask, and ye shall receive!

"...I just want everyone to know what could happen if you choose Calfee to paint your frames and what you're dealing with if you're not happy with the results. As most know, Calfee has been in the carbon business the past 20 years, so they should know how to approach any situation with carbon frames. This is not always the case.

I wanted to have my Look 585 painted white and LOOK USA suggested I would be better off having someone stateside paint it to avoid shipping cost to France. I wanted a company to paint my frame that had experience dealing with carbon. That would be Calfee. I paid $52.00 shipping and another $549.00 for prep, paint, and return shipping.

For $600.00 I then got a frame with noticable prep work flaws on the seatstays along with a sloppy paintjob. On one of the seatstays one can see where the surface tapers on one area instead of a nice, even, and flat surface. Below the taper there is high spot to the middle of the seatstay. There is a run up by the seat lug, thin spots, and lint under the clearcoat. There is a bubble in the paint with visible carbon showing.

I returned the frame to them to fix the flaws and they still didn't get it right. I contacted them again and was told "If I find the quality of their work to be less than my standards, I should send my paintwork to Jim at CyclArt"

That was coming from Craig Calfee himself! I'm sure Craig didn't do any of the work or even see my frame. The crew working for him made me out to be a thorn that couldn't be pleased. Now I'm out about $600.00 and stuck with a frame I no longer want and will never buy a carbon frame again, for that matter. I'm sure many people have good things to say about Calfee and that's fine. This is a negative and I don't need to hear anyone in their defense.

This is not acceptable. Just know this if you don't like their work: Too bad!
You lost your hard-earned money, had your frame ruined, (yes, ruined) because I'm not investing more money to make it right. On top of all this, I'm worried if I do future damage to my frame who else does carbon repairs stateside? I would rather trash my frame than give the business to Calfee. What's wrong with expecting quality work and quality craftsmanship?..."Attempted to make it easier to read and comprehend! :D

[Charles M]

If it's my size you can send it to me. I'll even pay the shipping.


Send it to Eric anyway. And if it's not his size maybe it's mine!



Seriously, I would say that your issue would be well resolved at Calfee.


I know you don't want to hear it...

But I have aseen a fleet of very good repair and repaint jobs come from there.

I would be hard pressed to think they would not help you out if your requests are reasonable. Frankly they have a very good reputation for a reason.

[SoCalSteve]

Send it to Eric anyway. And if it's not his size maybe it's mine!



Seriously, I would say that your issue would be well resolved at Calfee.


I know you don't want to hear it...

But I have aseen a fleet of very good repair and repaint jobs come from there.

I would be hard pressed to think they would not help you out if your requests are reasonable. Frankly they have a very good reputation for a reason.

The voice of reason...

Thanks,

Steve

[Ahneida Ride]

Serotta paints bikes correctly ....

[William]

I'm pretty dang good with rattle cans.

Just sayin'



William

[soulspinner]

I don't know... for 6 bills one should expect to get a pretty good job done. Hell, for any price it should be done well because if you can't paint a frame well you probably shouldn't be charging for it.


Ya, give the guy a break. I had a frame painted by a local bddy shop. 150 dollars with tax and its not perfect, but its actually pretty nice. For 6 bills it ought to be darned good...

[Pete Serotta]

Craig said to send to him personally (pictures of the problem areas) and he will handle personally. craig@calfeedesign.com

have a good week. PETE

[TAW]

FWIW, I had a frame repaired by Calfee and it was excellently done. Can't imagine something that was unsatisfactory unless there were extenuating circumstances.

[ds97a]

Craig said to send to him personally (pictures of the problem areas) and he will handle personally. craig@calfeedesign.com

have a good week. PETE


Pete, that's great! Awesome!

[Ti Designs]

This is on the Serotta forum because? . .

Yeh, this should be on some forum full of OCD expensive bike owners. We here at the Serotta forum ride our bikes - who's with me on this???

[Dekonick]

Yeh, this should be on some forum full of OCD expensive bike owners. We here at the Serotta forum ride our bikes - who's with me on this???

Yeah...

I love my bikes, but do not worry about little nicks and scratches - they are, after all, meant to be used.

FWIW - 600 for a paint job should result in a nice outcome.

[Blue Jays]

"...Craig said to send to him personally (pictures of the problem areas) and he will handle personally..."Nice!

[mikki]

Nice!

I had my carbon fiber bike repaired and painted by Calfee last year before I bought my custom Holland. Although it took them much longer than I was told it would take, they did a fantastic job and the carbon was actually a higher quality than the rest of the bike!!

Thanks Pete...you are so good to step in to assist in this situation.

[39cross]

We here at the Serotta forum ride our bikes - who's with me on this???Yo, lead on dewd, I'm right behind you.

[martinrjensen]

[QUOTE=Dekonick]Yeah...

I love my bikes, but do not worry about little nicks and scratches - they are, after all, meant to be used.
QUOTE]
I do both. Worry about the nicks and scratches and ride it. Actually I don't worry about the nickes and scratches, I just do something about them.

[Blue Jays]

Another option is just clearcoating the carbon fiber.
It's still essentially paint and all, just not quite as noticeable should it get a stonechip.