Condor Fratello - split in (steel) frame - advice appreciate

the_hundredth_idiot
the_hundredth_idiot Posts: 813
edited October 2009 in The workshop
Just noticed this morning as I as about to set off for work that there is a split on my downtube. :shock:

The split runs up the left side of the downtube from the BB, is about 8cm long and has a 1cm "L" at the top. The downtube on the Fratello isn't round - it's slightly squared off - and the split runs along the edge (if that makes sense).

I don't think this is a good sign! :roll: But just how ****ing bad is it and what could have caused it?

The bike is only about 9 months old - bought late October 2008. I had a small, very low speed spill in November 2008 which bent the rear derailleur hanger so I took it back to Condor to have that fixed - I don't see how that can have caused the split, particularly as it's on the other side to the side I fell on, and surely Condor would have spotted at the time if it had.

Also, I'm not an obsessive bike cleaner but it gets a clean every so often - I'm sure I'd have noticed it before now if it had been there as it's pretty obvious. So I'm guessing it's pretty new.

The bike has done about 1,500 miles on roads. The wheels are 24 spoke Campag Ventos and they've never been knocked out of true so it's not as if I've been bouncing over big potholes.

It feels to me like it must be a manufacturing flaw.

Is there a risk the frame could fail on me suddenly? Should I be wary of riding it? :?:

Shame my dad lives too far away to have alook at it - he is/was a metallurgist so would probably have an opinion on this.

I'm going to call Condor later today and raise it with them - but I wouldn't mind some views from you guys before I call them. Hopefully, they will be absolutely fine about repairing it under warranty but ... . Is a repair reasonable or should the frame be replaced?

I'm just a bit puzzled how this has happened. :cry:

Thanks in advance

THI
Never be tempted to race against a Barclays Cycle Hire bike. If you do, there are only two outcomes. Of these, by far the better is that you now have the scalp of a Boris Bike.

Comments

  • mudcovered
    mudcovered Posts: 725
    The Hundredth Idiot wrote:
    Is there a risk the frame could fail on me suddenly? Should I be wary of riding it? :?:
    Well yes. Although I rode an Alu framed Full suss mountain bike with a crack in the swing arm for a while (until I got it into the LBS for a warranty replacement). Having already broken the main frame on that bike I was really nervous riding with that crack (rode with it for all of 3 days once I knew it was there) but it was probably cracked longer than that as I rarely clean my MTB frames. Steel is supposed to be a bit more graceful about failing but with a visible crack paranoia is a good thing. Avoid riding it if you can.

    Mike
  • the_hundredth_idiot
    the_hundredth_idiot Posts: 813
    Thanks, mudcovered.

    I called Condor and dropped the bike in late morning for them to have a look at it. They were very happy to swap the frame over for a new one. Slight shame that they don't do red anymore (so I've plumped for "champagne") and it won't say "60th Anniversary" on it which I quite liked. Plus, it will take a month for the new frame to be built as they didn't have any of the right size and colour in stock - so I'll have to be on the old MTB for a while.

    But I can't fault Condor for their service - apologetic about the problem and immediately offered to replace the frame with no quibbles. Just the sort of service I would hope for and expect ... but I've had too many difficult conversations with utility companies and the like which tend to make me recoil at the thought of having to deal with "customer service".

    The guy I dealt with said it looked like a manufacturing fault. He also said it probably wasn't sensible to keep riding it! :shock: So glad I dropped it in as quick as I did.

    Big :thumbsup: for Condor from me. And when I go to pick up the "new" bike, I'll doubtless end up giving the credit card a battering by buying completely unnecessary but covetable clothing and other accessories.
    Never be tempted to race against a Barclays Cycle Hire bike. If you do, there are only two outcomes. Of these, by far the better is that you now have the scalp of a Boris Bike.
  • mudcovered
    mudcovered Posts: 725
    The Hundredth Idiot wrote:
    I
    The guy I dealt with said it looked like a manufacturing fault. He also said it probably wasn't sensible to keep riding it! :shock: So glad I dropped it in as quick as I did.

    Big :thumbsup: for Condor from me. And when I go to pick up the "new" bike, I'll doubtless end up giving the credit card a battering by buying completely unnecessary but covetable clothing and other accessories.
    Exactly the response you should have got which is always good to hear. My LBS were just as good about getting my Trek frame warrantied. Shame you have to wait for a new one but its unrealistic to expect an instant turn around on that sort of thing.

    Riding a bike with a known cracked frame would have been unpleasant so glad you took it in and got it sorted.

    Mike
  • Nick Harvey
    Nick Harvey Posts: 35
    I had a similar response when my seat tube cracked on my Condor Pista. They replaced the frame under warranty. That was a year ago. Its now back in with them to have it replaced again, so this will be frame number three. Crack appeared in same place.

    ...there is only so far good service can take them! I hope this will be the last time their frame brakes on me!
  • xauxi99
    xauxi99 Posts: 1
    Marked! I will come back to check this soon!thanks a lot.:-)
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  • pokak
    pokak Posts: 1
    The frame of my Condor Fratello split at the join of the seat tube and top tube after 2 and a bit years and 10000 km. Condor then told me than the supposedly lifetime frame warranty that the bike was sold with only applied to "custom" steel frames. They offered me a measly 200 quid refund instead. After much begging I managed to get slightly more, but this did not cover the cost of building my new bike.

    The bottom line is that these bikes are not well made, as shown by the pathetic 2 year frame warranty that they currently offer. Spend your cash elsewhere!
  • the_hundredth_idiot
    the_hundredth_idiot Posts: 813
    When Condor said it would take a month for the new bike to be built, they must have had a different definition of a month from mine. :(

    I chased them yesterday, they promised they would call back today with an update on timing but I haven't heard from them. Seems like the replacement frame is on the slow boat from China.

    And we're running dangerously low on nice weather. :?
    Never be tempted to race against a Barclays Cycle Hire bike. If you do, there are only two outcomes. Of these, by far the better is that you now have the scalp of a Boris Bike.
  • the_hundredth_idiot
    the_hundredth_idiot Posts: 813
    The bike is back, looking as good as new (probably because most of it is :lol: ).

    Haven't had much chance of a ride yet - just the journey home last night as (for complicated reasons) I'm on a different bike today - but it felt wonderfully taut - the new Swissstop brake pads I asked them to put on* were perfectly adjusted which came in handy for the scramble over Blackfriars Bridge :shock:

    Good service from Condor (despite the delays) - I'll just have to keep an eye on it in case it happens again.

    THI

    * my old ones were worn out so it seemed sensible for them to do that as the same time as building up the rest of the bike.
    Never be tempted to race against a Barclays Cycle Hire bike. If you do, there are only two outcomes. Of these, by far the better is that you now have the scalp of a Boris Bike.

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