Cervelo Saga Part 3 - VWD

Background since last post... I have been sorting out a bottom bracket issue with the Cervelo S5 for about 8 months. My mechanic at Irvine Bicycles in Irvine California is a rockstar and has really gone to war over this for me. 

Fast forward - I live in Japan now and Cervelo has sent me ANOTHER frame. This is number 3. Refer to previous blogs for background.  I pressed my mechanic and cervelo to sort it out on there end and make this right. And they did just that! I received a VWD version of the S5 frame as an apology for all of this craziness.

From what I gather this is NOT normal and I have talked to other S5 owners and they have no issues.

The problem became complex because the frame arrived 2 days after I left the country for Japan. My brother and friend came to the rescue and the frame is now with me in Japan!

As frustrating as all this has been I need give my shop and mechanic Brian credit and thanks for being so great.  I owe some credit to a cervelo for standing behind their product as well. Race frames are finicky but at least they stand behind their product. I don't know if I could say the same for everyone else.

So next step is get this frame built in Japan. I have been referred to a Cervelo dealer (their are not many) and a trusted mechanic so I will report back after the build.

Special thanks to my brother for connecting the dots and to my good friend for dragging the frame with him and visiting me in Japan.

Thank you again Irvine Bicycles and my mechanic Brian for being such a rockstar. If you need a top end mechanic and shop these are your people in Southern California!

Cheers!

It took a second...

Quick update and follow up...

TSA held my luggage for inspection. 

I arrived in Narita, Japan and as anyone would do I found my way through customs and went to collect everything that I brought with me.  I wa surprised to find all of my cases off the belt and waiting for me. Wha??? A really friendly Japanese representative from Narita asked if I had all my stuff. I counted everything and I was a case short. Then she asked my last name. I confirmed and she told me that my case had been held in LAX without explanation. However, it was cleared by TSA and would be on a plane tomorrow. Apparently it was held for further inspection... After I left the country. Wtf?

Long story short, Japan apologized for what LAX did, said it happens far too often, and they would ship it to my house for free.  They tracked my case from LAX to Narita and called me the next day to tell me it arrived safely that evening and is en route the next day.

It took 3 or 4 days total to see my case again. But to my shock it was never opened of inspected. Locks were still closed and once I opened it I realized quickly everything was completely untouched. I never got an official explanation for what happened. I guess it never made it on the flight. LAX officially blamed TSA but that is all Narita ever knew. 

Moral of this whole rant is that TSA or LAX really sucks at their job. When people travel they are super stressed to begin with. When you move out of the country and spend months planing what you need to pack and have it left behind because TSA / LAX is incompetent it is really a punch to the face. Japan / Narita came through like heros and accepted responsibility for LA's incompetence.

Thank you Narita for personally seeing to the resolution. LAX / TSA please stop effing everyone over.

... End rant...