What am I doing wrong? Three bikes cracked this summer.
One is unlucky, two is a coincidence, three is a pattern.
I've found identical cracks in three frames this summer - my good titanium frame early summer, last week my aluminium fixed commuter and just now the hardly used titanium frame's replacement.
The cracks are all the same, a little way in from the dropout on the drive-side chainstay. They seem to start from the inside go roughly halfway around the tube.
These bikes are not light weight - straight gauge titanium and cheap heavy aluminium. I am about 83kg, and tend to spin rather than mash. I am probably not the easiest on my bikes - I see them as transport and tools to be used - but I am not reckless and do my best to avoid potholes. I have used a light pannier on all the bikes mostly just carrying a change of clothes for work.
My main cycling is a 20km each way commute across south London taking in Richmond part. Otherwise there are occasional jaunts into the Surrey Hill with my girlfriend. Nothing out of the ordinary. I don't race.
What can be causing this? Has anyone else had a frame crack in this way?
Is this an excuse to buy a Big Leg Emma?
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I've found identical cracks in three frames this summer - my good titanium frame early summer, last week my aluminium fixed commuter and just now the hardly used titanium frame's replacement.
The cracks are all the same, a little way in from the dropout on the drive-side chainstay. They seem to start from the inside go roughly halfway around the tube.
These bikes are not light weight - straight gauge titanium and cheap heavy aluminium. I am about 83kg, and tend to spin rather than mash. I am probably not the easiest on my bikes - I see them as transport and tools to be used - but I am not reckless and do my best to avoid potholes. I have used a light pannier on all the bikes mostly just carrying a change of clothes for work.
My main cycling is a 20km each way commute across south London taking in Richmond part. Otherwise there are occasional jaunts into the Surrey Hill with my girlfriend. Nothing out of the ordinary. I don't race.
What can be causing this? Has anyone else had a frame crack in this way?
Is this an excuse to buy a Big Leg Emma?
.
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Comments
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Is the crack always on the same side that you mount the pannier?Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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You sure it's not just a crack in the paint or anything? Seems odd for 3 frames to crack...0
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I use use the panniers on either side. Just depends on which on I pick up after they've both been used. I think for the last few weeks it's been the non-drive side though. The panniers rarely have any significant weight though - and certainly on the replacement ti frame it has only carried a change of clothes to and from work.
Yes I'm sure they are cracks! Big cracks, that you can see through. The ti frames aren't painted anyway. It is very odd to crack three frames - I'm a bit perplexed.0 -
Does anyone gave cause to want you dead? Have you ruled out foul play?0
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The good bike is never out of my sight (or locked in the flat). I think I can trust my girlfriend. (I've just asked and she say she it isn't her, so we can rule that out) :-)0
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Can you post a photo? Does sound very odd. But then the same 6 numbers jsut came up in the Bulgarian lottery within a couple of weeks, so coincidences happen.0
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My impressions:
1. The 2 Ti failures are NO coincidence - suspect manufacturing fault. Pictures would help.
2. The alumunium failure, in the same place might indicate normal fatigue cycle failure - how old is the frame?
Some 'googling' throws up these links,all interesting
http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-001/FAIL-041.html
http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-001/FAIL-063.html
http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=43
http://osdir.com/ml/culture.bicycle.bir ... 00045.html
The 'Park Tool' link covers wheel alignment issues which may have been a factor here.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom0 -
Thanks for the responses. I'll get photo's up when I can.
NervexProf : Thanks for the links. It looks from here that drive side drop out failure is one of the commonest ways for a frame to fail: http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-001/000.html Which is somewhat reassuring.
The aluminium frame is about 4 years old but has been ridden everyday with many thousand kilometres on it. I would be happy to put that down to normal wear and tear if it but the context of the other failures worries me a bit.
I'll be talking to manufacturer of the Ti frames today and see what they have to say.0 -
I've managed to crack through a steel frame on the driveside dropout, so I guess it must be a good place for cracks.0
