blackburn1973
Well-Known Member
I've been framed for crack ... Does that count? 
What Frame Have You Cracked?
- Thread starter soundz
- Start date
This is where somebody inevitably posts that Pinkbike video showing the C vs. AL failure testing at Santa Cruz
Dutch Frog
Member
cracked a steel bike in a head on collision with another bike, and that required a LOT of force. I was honestly surprised to see that there are more steel cracks than carbon ones I figured most steel problems come in the form of bends/dents! I also cracked a carbon superfly by loading into a truck the wrong way
one piece crank
Well-Known Member
Back in '89 I saw at least a dozen head tubes cracked right off the frame - Massanutten Hoo-Ha inaugural Downhill Race. Only a handful of riders even had suspension forks.
Today, could the absence of smoothness be a result of riding big wheels?
I still have 3 years to go on my Banshee's 10-year no crack warranty.
Today, could the absence of smoothness be a result of riding big wheels?
I still have 3 years to go on my Banshee's 10-year no crack warranty.
Frank
Sasquatch
this isn't Alaska dude.......
Fat Trout
Well-Known Member
Aluminum will have what is called fatigue failure. Like bending a paperclip back and forth until it breaks. A bad/poor/marginal design or a repeated overuse outside of design will add up and result in a break. It starts small and goes from there rapidly. Carbon is fragile but is not prone to fatigue failure and just takes a good whack or extreme stress in the right place. The fibers provide strength and a crack won't start and grow quite the same. When carbon goes it usually crumbles all at once like it was toilet paper.
Sorry...I'll go put my nerdy engineer self back in the closet now
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The Heckler
You bring new meaning to the term SUCK
YEAH, YOU GET BACK IN THERE.Sorry...I'll go put my nerdy engineer self back in the closet now
*he says while stepping back into his own nerdy engineer cave*
Broke a Stumpy at the seat stay, a Giant at the dropout... and just yesterday a customers kids BMX at the seat tube... I'm a dick!
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Ian F
Well-Known Member
People have been riding AL a lot longer than carbon. It's only in the last few years that carbon frames have become reasonably affordable.
My 2nd M1 came with a cracked headtube, but Intense fixed it under warranty. I've ovalized a couple of headtubes, but so far cracks have been limited to the shock-pivot area of my Yeti Lawwill DH-6. I went through a couple of swingarms for that bike.
jimf
Active Member
As a recent carbon convert all these expectations of carbon failure have me really nervous about buying one. I actually ordered an aluminum Bronson but was sent a carbon and was not charged any more for it so I took it. Now I am paranoid.
Also, why are people surprised at AL failures? Given a factor of time I would think all AL frames would let go, its just the nature of that metal in the bicycle application(ie keep it as thin as possible to reduce weight)
Also, why are people surprised at AL failures? Given a factor of time I would think all AL frames would let go, its just the nature of that metal in the bicycle application(ie keep it as thin as possible to reduce weight)
Dingo
Well-Known Member
Ah.. the sound those y22 made.. It was like a heard of buffaloes Very intimidating. Too bad those had the unified triangle.
- Hi I had a broken swingarm on my trance in allaire brought it home and put a piece of tube aluminum and tig welded over the crack and it has been fine ever since. I also dropped a top tube down 2 1/2 turned a large to a medium frame and went from 100 mm shock to a 120 mm.