FAQs

Below is a list of answers to common questions regarding Frame Cycles and the FR-1 Bike Saddle. If you can't find an answer to your query in the list below, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

 

Durability

Cork is a natural material and, as such, its appearance gradually changes over time. Some of the changes you may notice include:

1. You may notice your saddle develops a dark patina, if used frequently in wet and muddy conditions. This can be cleaned off by wiping the saddle with a wood floor cleaner or similar product.

2. With regular usage, you will notice the base colour of the cork gradually becomes paler. This is due to exposure to sunlight - which affects all wooden products when used outdoors. Your saddle’s performance will be unaffected by the gradual change of colour.

 

Comfort

The initial batch of FR-1 Saddles has been made using a firm grade of reconstituted cork. This means it is harder than many foam saddles on the market, and similar hardness to a leather saddle.

If you find leather saddles to be too hard then it is likely you will find the current batch of FR-1 saddles too hard as well. In time we will be releasing variants in different grades of cork - there is more information about that here.

As with leather saddles there is some degree of break in time with the FR-1 cork saddle. We have found that within 2 weeks most riders find it starts to soften.

 

Shipping, duty and VAT

At the moment we are operating with tight margins, and, as such, are required to charge shipping on international orders. The shipping rates we have are set at £15 for shipping to the EU and £25 for shipping to the rest of the world including the US. These shipping fees will be applied to your purchase at checkout. In the event that we find an item is cheaper to ship than we anticipated, we will refund the balance to the customer's order.

For orders outside of the UK, you may be required to pay duty or taxes by your local customs office. In our experience this tends to be around £15-20. If you find that the duty you are being charged seems extortionate, please get in touch and we will happily refund the cost of duty from your order.

We will dispatch items within 1-2 working days of receiving the order. For orders in the UK, this means that you should receive your order within 2-4 working days of purchasing.

For orders outside the UK, although we will dispatch within 1-2 working days, there is a chance that your item will be held by your local customs authority for a period prior to being released for delivery. We are working at improving the speed at which our orders go through customs. If you have any questions regarding the likely delivery time to your country, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

 

Warranty and servicing

If the cork part of your saddle becomes damaged, it can be ground down and remoulded. If damage occurs within three years of your purchase, then simply send your saddle back to us and we will replace the cork free of charge. If damage occurs after the end of the three year warranty then we will repair and service your saddle at cost price. To arrange to have your saddle serviced, simply email us at hello@framecycles.com.

 

Returns

If for any reason you are unhappy with your product, you may return it to us and receive a full refund. Please let us know within 30 days of receiving the product that you are unhappy with it and you wish to return it.

If a fault occurs in your product within 3 years of purchase, then this is covered by our 3 year warranty and can be repaired by us for free. Should a fault occur after then end of the 3 year warranty, then we can repair your product at cost price.