Hi, Larry.
It does sound
Hi, Larry.
It does sound doubtful that the shop will do anything to make it right, especially since the frame is in your hands now. I'm not saying the shop is unethical, but they could just as easily say that you cut the boom, or the prior owner did. Once the Vendetta left the shop, the deal was done...typically.
If it makes you feel any better, it's not unheard of for Vendettas to go under the knife, rather hacksaw or angle grinder. I remember seeing one of Maria Parker's RAAM Vendettas with the disc brake tabs cut off. My first thought was "why would you do that?!" but understanding that in a race, aerodynamics and weight take precedence over aesthetics.
With that said, you can take comfort in knowing that a little "customization" is good enough for a RAAM winner and if your efforts to extend the slot keeps the boom from slipping, no one will ever know but you. And when you're flying down the road, doesn't the bike disappear beneath you anyway? It is all about the ride, after all.
BUT...
If you can't get over the fact that someone butchered your beloved Vendetta, you could always wait to see if a boom becomes available. The Vendetta is built and sold as a frameset, as you know. It's akin to Specialized's concept of a "module" with bikes like the Shiv and Venge, if you ask me; the frame, fork, and cockpit are packaged as a unified component. However, Cruzbike's manufacturing is obviously on a much smaller scale and it would not make good business sense to keep spares lying about. I would imagine in case of a warranty-related issue, the entire frame would be replaced, but that's just my guess. Obviously, a mechanic's mistake would void a warranty sooner than it would render a replacement frameset. At that point, it is between the customer and the shop to seek a mutually-fair resolution.
Another option would be to have a custom boom fabricated. The cost would likely be tremendous, and you would have to give up your Vendetta for the duration of the fabrication process. Add to that that Mr. Tolhurst has engineered this component to work in a specific configuration with specific forces, it's not likely that you'd benefit from the cost of having a custom boom made for you.
I'm thinking you wouldn't want to go that route. Strike that from the record.
It's easy to say because it's not my bike, but as long as you get the boom slipping issue resolved, I would just ride and enjoy and know that this "mistake" is something that gives your Vendetta a little extra character.
FWIW, plenty of us would love to have your Vendetta as it is.
