Have anyone ever snapped or cracked an alloy frame just by riding?

[Heisenberg]

yep, snapped a redline at the seattube/bb junction.

[Hindmost]

Originally Posted by dustyrider

I have snapped a few aluminum mtb frames...

Can you provide a few more details? Are you particularly hard on bikes or heavy or simply ride them into the ground? It just seems a little unusual.

[smead]

I had heard of many alloy Felt frames cracking, had a friend with a felt fixed gear and he went through 4 in as many years (cracked at the seattube junction).

I have used an '03 Allez pro for training in the off season for the last 14 years on my mostly bumpy roads and it just keeps coming back for more

[dustyrider]

Originally Posted by Hindmost

Can you provide a few more details? Are you particularly hard on bikes or heavy or simply ride them into the ground? It just seems a little unusual.

In my experience it isn’t all that unusual. Though I’m sure some would say the type of riding one does, has more of an effect on frame life then how the bike is made. I’ve personally seen my fair share of mtb frames fail from across the spectrum of builders and riders and can say it doesn’t seem to matter. All things being equal there are bikes that break and bikes that don’t....why some do and some don’t... I don’t know?

My own personal experience of thrashing an aluminum hardtail for years without fail and breaking an aluminum full suspension bike on it’s maiden voyage makes me think aluminum bikes may not last forever, but maybe they last long enough!

[Ralph]

I have a friend with a 54 CM Cannondale CAAD 4, that must have 75,000 miles on it. No problems of any kind other than replacing head set bearings. Paint still good even....and this bike has been used in all conditions. Just to say something nice about aluminum's durability.

[BobC]

Yes. 3 of them
Trek 2300 at the chainstay (Trek did warranty it)
Fuji Pro at the chainstay
Giant beer can at the seat tube (after 500 miles)

None of the crashed, just ridden hard. Wouldn't ride aluminum again if you paid me (2 of them were shop sponsored race team bikes)

[merckx]

This is not rocket surgery. A 1000g Orbea Starship will have kittens well before a 1600g Pegoretti Fina Estampa. We make a choice of bleeding edge, or longevity.

[BagelMaster]

The friend who got me into cycling had his CAAD12 chainstay snap behind the BB. He's a big and powerful guy, 6'5" at least, and 250 -- but it could have been a defect. Cannondale warrantied it without question and sent him a brand new, current year bike.

[Hellgate]

My buddy's Cdale did.

[zmalwo]

Originally Posted by Hellgate

My buddy's Cdale did.

On the top tube? that's an odd place for an alloy bike to break.

[zmalwo]

Now it makes me curious, How many people have cracked or snapped a steel frame before then? I heard steel is alot more resistant to repeated stress and haven't seen alot of steel failure online either...

[earlfoss]

I had one of those aluminium Giant ONCE team frames. The drive side chainstay sheared in half close to the dropout while I was literally JRA. All of a sudden I had suspension!

Giant replaced the frame immediately with no questions asked, which led me to believe it was a common problem.

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by zmalwo

Now it makes me curious, How many people have cracked or snapped a steel frame before then? I heard steel is alot more resistant to repeated stress and haven't seen alot of steel failure online either...

I broke a steel frame at a rear dropout once. Of course it was a 50lb old 1960's era bike that I killed in the early 80's after repeated jumps of around 6 ft or so. The dropout was the stamped kind so no surprise. Otherwise the only frame I've killed is a Trek Madone 4.5 C.F. one. Stiff link by a bad mechanic broke the RD which swung around and shattered the seat stay.

[zambenini]

I cracked a very very light Easton Elite tubed Sycip MTB at the seat cluster. It's still rideable but better safe than sorry. Very fine hairline in the weld. I was shocked how long it made it and how hard I rode it before that happened on such a bleeping light bike. A sweet ride.

[jamesdak]

I honestly wouldn't worry too much about any frame from a top company failing. In fact I just picked up my first 20+ year old NOS aluminum frame to build up. Usually I'm a vintage steel guy but I'll be building up a yellow mid 90's Vitus Argal soon. Right now I'm planning on using the new Ultegra R8000 I got for a great price here in the classifieds.