Bent disc rotor

[deluz]

I finally got my Tarmac SL8 back with the warranty replacement fork.
When the fork arrived they asked me if I wanted them to install it.
Although I could have done it myself I said yes to avoid any possible issues.
I went into the shop to make sure they were going to cut the fork to the right height. There was no discussion of cost, my fault I didn’t ask.
When I picked up the bike they told me the cost was $265 which I thought was kind of high but I did not want to argue it and just paid and left with my bike.
Today I installed the new saddle and noticed the bike was really dirty with something that looks like it dripped down the bottom of the down tube, no big deal. Then I noticed a sound which was the front brake rotor bubbling the pads.
On closer inspection it looks like the rotor is bent and I am 100% sure it wasn’t like that when I dropped it off at the shop. I don’t really want to take it back as the mechanic there is super grumpy. I could buy a straightening tool and do it myself, but again I am concerned if something goes wrong then what? What would you do?

[ColonelJLloyd]

Ugh. That really sucks, man. I'm not in your shoes, but if I were I think I would straighten the rotor (you will need it eventually), clean the bike, and ride.

There are plenty of good rotor straigthening tools for cheap, but if you need it now I suspect you could make one that'll get the job done with a piece of wood and a circular saw.

[bikinchris]

Coming from a 40-year shop mechanic, grumpy mechanics really suck.

[Pegoready]

I’m thinking $265 for a fork install on a full internal frame sounds about right sadly.

[deluz]

I think I will just get the tool for $14.
I think it is low risk that I will mess it up.
Is it ok ride for a while with slight rubbing?

[rnhood]

Yes, get the tool, or just take it to another shop. Its not a big deal to straighten it.

[fa63]

Every disc brake bike owner should have a rotor truing tool, in my opinion It is pretty hard to mess it up; just don't go too ham-fisted on it.

Originally Posted by deluz

I think I will just get the tool for $14.
I think it is low risk that I will mess it up.
Is it ok ride for a while with slight rubbing?

[Jdm]

I agree that every disc brake owner should have a truing tool. It's easy to do after watching a youtube video. It usually involves gentle pressure just a few times.

[SlowPokePete]

I've tried to true a rotor with the Park tool.

Yes, you can make it better, but hard to make good as new.

Why not just get a new rotor?

SPP

[herb5998]

Some new rotors also show up not completely straight, pretty common at our shop.

Abbey makes a good rotor truing tool, Park one is heavier and works well. Paul also makes one that's easy to carry.

The question I have is, why are you paying for the fork installation on a warranty replacement?

Specialized should be covering installation cost direct to the shop if it's warranty work and they are a dealer. We did a few SL7 Fork replacements (ring of death before the updated compression plug), the big S covered the cost.

[Applesauce]

Originally Posted by Pegoready

I’m thinking $265 for a fork install on a full internal frame sounds about right sadly.

Agreed, all that internal hose BS is a nightmare. Your “warranty” fork likely required retaping your bars, for instance. Want it different? Demand Specialized make the LBS whole - not that the LBS work for free.

I would only add that they should have cleaned up after themselves. As for the bent rotor, just bend it back. I would strongly recommend using your fingers, not any kind of tool. Just push on the thing with your thumbs, gently and controlled. Unless it has a “kink” or sharp bend in it, that’s all any proper mechanic would do. A new rotor would likely not be any straighter.

[Dave]

I use an old crescent wrench to true rotors.

Yes, integrated bars with internal hoses are a pain. My Cervelo has separate bar and stem, but the hoses still route through the stem and into a very small space created with a D shaped steering tube. It's a bigger pain than integrated bars and a round steerer with hoses routed through a 1.5 inch bearing with lots of room.

[saab2000]

I don’t expect anyone to work for free either, but a warranty issue shouldn’t really involve cost to the customer beyond driving to and from a shop. The costs should be covered by the manufacturer and the shop needs to make sure they’re whole through that process.

As to the grumpy mechanic? I have no tolerance anymore for that kind of interaction and won’t darken the door of places that make me feel crappy for giving them business. Find a new shop.

[Turkle]

Disc rotors only take a couple minutes to true up. I have the Park tool and it's super heavy duty, and it's actually really easy to overdo it and bend the rotor too far. A light touch is really all you need.

I do it with a sheet of white paper on the ground, illuminated by a flashlight. It makes it really easy to see where the rotor is rubbing on the pads. Now that I have practice it goes pretty quickly.

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by fa63

Every disc brake bike owner should have a rotor truing tool, in my opinion It is pretty hard to mess it up; just don't go too ham-fisted on it.

Same just used mine on the Look when both arrived bent. A few tweaks with my park tool rotor tool and both were straight.