I think the warantee problem is that the crack/split/dent/ding is not a manufacturing fault, and probably not caused by normal use.
Although I don't know how or when it happended a close inspection seems to suggest that something gave it a bit of a knock, could have been in my garage, could have been while outside a cafe, could have been by squirrls. I don't know really. But its fair that specilized dont what to hand out a completly free replacement.
I'm going to see if I can get one in a funky white world champ colours.
H
See ya tomorrow.