Snapped chainstay on Langster - Yikes!
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IchBinMeinLiebsterFeind
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Originally Posted by Tapeworm21
Specialized is pretty good with warranties. I wouldn't sweat it too much, except you'll be out of a bike for a little while. Pretty crazy it snapped like that. I'm on my second Langster frame myself, only I crashed on mine.
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Originally Posted by Nullius
That's a common place for frame failure, I broke an old nishiki in the same spot.
I also snapped a Cannondale mountain bike chainstay right behind the BB (about 5 yrs ago).
I'm no clydesdale, but at 6'2" 195, I could be too much for aluminium.
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Originally Posted by blickblocks
Think Spec might want it for failure analysis? I heard tech companies do that with laptops that catch on fire and whatnot.
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Bah, I broke my Haro Group 1 BMX frame where the top of the rear triangle connected to the seat tube, that was impressive.
I guess bombing a BMX bike off 6' high walls onto asphalt several times a day wasn't a good idea?
I guess bombing a BMX bike off 6' high walls onto asphalt several times a day wasn't a good idea?
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I bet a big bike company like Specialized will cover it to keep the lawyers at bay, if for no other reason.
Glad you didn't crash!
Glad you didn't crash!
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IchBinMeinLiebsterFeind
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Originally Posted by dwainedibbly
Glad you didn't crash!
Thanks! The frame held together surprisingly well; The site of the break wasn't even obvious until I unbolted the wheel.
I rode it (gently and s-l-o-w-l-y, on the sidewalk ) 4 miles to get home.
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Originally Posted by C8H10N4O2
Yeah, I remember you...attacked by a rogue bush, no?
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Originally Posted by dobber
The frame should be able to handle the chain wrap. And a properly drilled hole shouldn't make the frame any weaker at that point.
I'd stay mum about the chain and just give SpecialEd the "I was just riding along" sob story.
I'd stay mum about the chain and just give SpecialEd the "I was just riding along" sob story.
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No doubt! But, like I said, I just posted to show the neat pix...wasn't really expecting a warranty replacement. However, I was expecting to hear from the "steel is real" crowd.
If they do replace it, it'll be nice. Otherwise, it was time for a new ride anyway.
If they do replace it, it'll be nice. Otherwise, it was time for a new ride anyway.
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You should mount it next to a can of EPO and a picture of yourself and sell it on eBay.
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Here are a few points:
1. Congratulations, you just invented the chain quick release! You can remove or swap chains without needing a chain cutter.
2. You have something in common with Lance Armstrong: youy both finished a ride with a broken chainstay. In his case he broke it in a crash, then really cranked on it, and won a Tour mountain stage. I wonder if a bike could be designed with only one chainstay.
3. It must have been an aluminum fatigue fracture. This has never happened on any of my steel bikes.
1. Congratulations, you just invented the chain quick release! You can remove or swap chains without needing a chain cutter.
2. You have something in common with Lance Armstrong: youy both finished a ride with a broken chainstay. In his case he broke it in a crash, then really cranked on it, and won a Tour mountain stage. I wonder if a bike could be designed with only one chainstay.
3. It must have been an aluminum fatigue fracture. This has never happened on any of my steel bikes.
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Originally Posted by ChromePista
3. It must have been an aluminum fatigue fracture. This has never happened on any of my steel bikes.
Oh god.
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Originally Posted by ChromePista
3. It must have been an aluminum fatigue fracture. This has never happened on any of my steel bikes.
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so what are you saying ?
the break is within millimeters of the weld and the joint is still sound.. how much smaller can a heat affected zone get ?
what went wrong ?
maybe it's just that aluminum isn't such a great material for this application
the break is within millimeters of the weld and the joint is still sound.. how much smaller can a heat affected zone get ?
what went wrong ?
maybe it's just that aluminum isn't such a great material for this application
Originally Posted by blu3d0g
refer to post by brooklynmachine. realize that the weakest point on any welded item (with the exception of a few alloys) is the area right next to a weld, called the heat affected zone. Add to this the fact that aluminum is a much less forgiving metal, since it is an excellent conductor, it's much easier to overheat than steel.
#42
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Originally Posted by coelcanth
maybe it's just that aluminum isn't such a great material for this application
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Here is an interesting article. You may not agree with it. It compares steel, titanium, aluminum, and carbon fiber as frame materials and concludes that aluminum is the worst due to low fatigue endurance and its being subject to catastrophic failure.
https://talu.com/materials.php
From the article:
"Aluminum has the worst fatigue endurance of the different metals commonly used in bicycle tubing. Therefore, aluminum bicycle frames are sometimes designed to be jarringly stiff in order to avoid fatigue failures and to give the aluminum frame an acceptable service life. So much material must be used that aluminum frames may not weigh less than steel ones. Aluminum is also subject to catastrophic failure, so extra material must be added to provide an adequate safety factor."
https://talu.com/materials.php
From the article:
"Aluminum has the worst fatigue endurance of the different metals commonly used in bicycle tubing. Therefore, aluminum bicycle frames are sometimes designed to be jarringly stiff in order to avoid fatigue failures and to give the aluminum frame an acceptable service life. So much material must be used that aluminum frames may not weigh less than steel ones. Aluminum is also subject to catastrophic failure, so extra material must be added to provide an adequate safety factor."
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Originally Posted by ChromePista
Aluminum is also subject to catastrophic failure, so extra material must be added to provide an adequate safety factor."
Steel frames still fatigue and snap. Ritchey made steel mountain bikes intended to last a single season of racing, back in the day. CroMo and the non air hardening Reynolds are pretty notorious for failure just next to the welds.
For a given weight of frame, you get more physical material to use if you build an alloy frame. So you can add heavier butting, or gussets without as much penalty.
But having said all that, I just like the ride of steel. It is much easier for boutique builders to work in, so all the interesting frames are steel.
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Originally Posted by coelcanth
so what are you saying ?
the break is within millimeters of the weld and the joint is still sound.. how much smaller can a heat affected zone get ?
what went wrong ?
maybe it's just that aluminum isn't such a great material for this application
the break is within millimeters of the weld and the joint is still sound.. how much smaller can a heat affected zone get ?
what went wrong ?
maybe it's just that aluminum isn't such a great material for this application
the heat affected zone is always there, and generally going to extend for a few millimeters on either side of the weld. if the weld is too hot though, the HAF zone will also be hotter, so you want to have a small and relatively cool HAF zone. There is always also the possibility of materials defects as well.
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Originally Posted by BrooklynMachine
...Luckily you have a lifetime warranty w/receipt. Who knows what paint you'll get though.
But, hey, free new bike!
Thanks for all the advice, guys.
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Originally Posted by ChromePista
So much material must be used that aluminum frames may not weigh less than steel ones. Aluminum is also subject to catastrophic failure, so extra material must be added to provide an adequate safety factor."
Cheers for the replacement frame. It was only fair from Spec...
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My buddies steel mtn bike broke in the exact same location. We were biking and his rear end felt soft, so he checked it and the frame was cracked exactly like yours. I'd even bet that there were some burrs acting as stress raisers that helped initiate the cracking process on your frame. Your frame without a doubt should be warrantied, just like my buddies mtn bike was warrantied.
#50
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another snapped langster frame
Powering up a hill, heard the now all-too-familiar *snap* of aluminum yielding to stress.
This time, above the TT. (I had 6" of seatpost in the tube)
Hopefully, the next warranty frame will not be RUST with cute li'l skulls.
This time, above the TT. (I had 6" of seatpost in the tube)
Hopefully, the next warranty frame will not be RUST with cute li'l skulls.