Crack in titanium top tube

[Res09c5t]

Hi, I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the brand
until I talk to the manufacturer) that I just discovered a
crack in the top tube about 1.5 inches from the head tube.
The crack is not at the weld. If you imagine viewing this
tube from the rear, the crack goes from about 2 o'clock to 7
o'clock. This seems strange to me, I've always heard about
cracks at the welds but never in the body of the tube. The
bike hasn't been crashed. I do weigh about 270. After
finding it, I rode it around the block to see what it was
like loaded and the crack opened and closed as I pedalled.

Any thoughts? Am I too heavy for titanium? My general
impression is that titanium was strong.

Thanks. Sorry if I'm rambling a little but I'm kind of in
shock over this. Lyle

 

[S O R N I]

res09c5t wrote:
> Hi, I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the brand
> until I talk to the manufacturer) that I just discovered a
> crack in the top tube about 1.5 inches from the head tube.
> The crack is not at the weld. If you imagine viewing this
> tube from the rear, the crack goes from about 2 o'clock to
> 7 o'clock. This seems strange to me, I've always heard
> about cracks at the welds but never in the body of the
> tube. The bike hasn't been crashed. I do weigh about 270.
> After finding it, I rode it around the block to see what
> it was like loaded and the crack opened and closed as I
> pedalled.
>
> Any thoughts? Am I too heavy for titanium? My general
> impression is that titanium was strong.
>
> Thanks. Sorry if I'm rambling a little but I'm kind of in
> shock over this. Lyle

Stuff happens.

Bill "if it's under warranty they should take care of you"
S.

 

[Richard Brockie]

res09c5t wrote:

> Hi, I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the brand
> until I talk to the manufacturer) that I just discovered a
> crack in the top tube about 1.5 inches from the head tube.
> The crack is not at the weld. If you imagine viewing this
> tube from the rear, the crack goes from about 2 o'clock to
> 7 o'clock.

I suspect that this is a butted frame, failing at the
butting. Should be an easy warranty case assuming that you
are the original owner of the bike. Take it to your dealer
and they should sort you out.

> This seems strange to me, I've always heard about cracks
> at the welds but never in the body of the tube. The bike
> hasn't been crashed. I do weigh about 270. After finding
> it, I rode it around the block to see what it was like
> loaded and the crack opened and closed as I pedalled.
>
> Any thoughts? Am I too heavy for titanium? My general
> impression is that titanium was strong.
>
> Thanks. Sorry if I'm rambling a little but I'm kind of in
> shock over this. Lyle

--
R.

<> Richard Brockie "Categorical statements <> The tall
blond one. always cause trouble." <>
[email protected]

 

[Nate Woodhams]

res09c5t wrote:

> Hi, I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the brand
> until I talk to the manufacturer) that I just discovered a
> crack in the top tube about 1.5 inches from the head tube.
> The crack is not at the weld. If you imagine viewing this
> tube from the rear, the crack goes from about 2 o'clock to
> 7 o'clock. This seems strange to me, I've always heard
> about cracks at the welds but never in the body of the
> tube. The bike hasn't been crashed. I do weigh about 270.
> After finding it, I rode it around the block to see what
> it was like loaded and the crack opened and closed as I
> pedalled.
>
> Any thoughts? Am I too heavy for titanium? My general
> impression is that titanium was strong.
>
> Thanks. Sorry if I'm rambling a little but I'm kind of in
> shock over this. Lyle
>

Hi Lyle,

I had a Litespeed frame crack at the weld near the
dropouts last summer. Litespeed was pretty good about
getting it fixed and shipping it back to me. The whole
process took 5 weeks. I have been riding the frame 100+
miles a week ever since with no problems (there is life
after a frame failure).

The Litespeed rep said they can replace any tube except for
the seatube.

Good luck.

-NW

 

[Peter Cole]

"res09c5t" <[email protected]> wrote

> I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the brand until
> I talk to the manufacturer) that I just discovered a crack
> in the top tube about 1.5 inches from the head tube.

> Any thoughts? Am I too heavy for titanium? My general
> impression is that titanium was strong.

The important thing is "specific strength", or strength-to-
weight. In that regard, Ti, Al, steel, and CF are roughly
equal. It's not a matter of Ti being strong enough for you,
but whether that particular frame design is. That's if the
failure was a design-related failure and not just a
manufacturing flaw. Some makers push the limit in some
frames, they usually publish a weight
limit. Just because a frame is Ti doesn't mean it has more
margin for overload than any other. Of course, any
frame, of any material, can fail from a defect.

 

[Tom Sherman]

Nate Woodhams wrote:

> ... The Litespeed rep said they can replace any tube
> except for the seatube....

Because replacing the seat tube requires so much labor that
it is less expensive for them to replace the whole frame?

--
Tom Sherman - Quad Cities (Illinois Side)

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

res-<< I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the brand
until I talk to the manufacturer) that I just discovered a
crack in the top tube about 1.5 inches from the head tube.
>><BR><BR> << Any thoughts? Am I too heavy for titanium? My
general impression is that titanium was strong >><BR><BR>

It is, but the frameset should be matched to you and your
needs and it must be well constructed. There are a lot of ti
framesets out there that are not made well, many with very
common names. I think a well made ti frameset should never
break, crack or otherwise fail if made well.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali
costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Dan R H]

I cracked my pre-Litespeed Merlin down by the BB. I'm 200.
Damn, I loved that bike. Got a replacement frame from
MerLite, had it 9 months, sold it and am now totally happy
with my 5900...

Dan R H

"res09c5t" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi, I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the brand
> until I talk to the manufacturer) that I just discovered a
> crack in the top tube about 1.5 inches from the head tube.
> The crack is not at the weld. If you imagine viewing this
> tube from the rear, the crack goes from about 2 o'clock to
> 7 o'clock. This seems strange to me, I've always heard
> about cracks at the welds but never in the body of the
> tube. The bike hasn't been crashed. I do weigh about 270.
> After finding it, I rode it around the block to see what
> it was like loaded and the crack opened and closed as I
> pedalled.
>
> Any thoughts? Am I too heavy for titanium? My general
> impression is that titanium was strong.
>
> Thanks. Sorry if I'm rambling a little but I'm kind of in
> shock over
this.
> Lyle

 

[Nate Woodhams]

Tom Sherman wrote:
> Nate Woodhams wrote:
>
>> ... The Litespeed rep said they can replace any tube
>> except for the seatube....
>
>
> Because replacing the seat tube requires so much labor
> that it is less expensive for them to replace the
> whole frame?
>

That was my assumption. About half of the welds are on the
seat tube.

-Nate

 

[Stein Ballangru]

* Qui si parla Campagnolo
> res-<< I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the
> brand until I talk to the manufacturer) that I just
> discovered a crack in the top tube about 1.5 inches from
> the head tube. >><BR><BR> << Any thoughts? Am I too heavy
> for titanium? My general impression is that titanium was
> strong >><BR><BR>
>
>
> It is, but the frameset should be matched to you and your
> needs and it must be well constructed. There are a lot of
> ti framesets out there that are not made well, many with
> very common names. I think a well made ti frameset should
> never break, crack or otherwise fail if made well.

Nor should any well made frame which is used for it's
intended purpose. Right?

Stein

--
--
Lbhe erfvfgnapr gb grzcgngvba vf gbb jrnx. Lbh jvyy arire
orpbzr n wrqv!

 

[Rudge]

Just wondering, Is the top tube round or has it been
manufactured with an oval or teardrop cross section?

 

[Werehatrack]

On Sun, 04 Apr 2004 00:03:56 GMT, "res09c5t"
<[email protected]> may have said:

>Hi, I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the brand
>until I talk to the manufacturer) that I just discovered a
>crack in the top tube about 1.5 inches from the head tube.
>The crack is not at the weld. If you imagine viewing this
>tube from the rear, the crack goes from about 2 o'clock to
>7 o'clock. This seems strange to me, I've always heard
>about cracks at the welds but never in the body of the
>tube. The bike hasn't been crashed. I do weigh about 270.
>After finding it, I rode it around the block to see what it
>was like loaded and the crack opened and closed as I
>pedalled.
>
>Any thoughts? Am I too heavy for titanium? My general
>impression is that titanium was strong.
>
>Thanks. Sorry if I'm rambling a little but I'm kind of in
>shock over this.

At 270 lbs, it's my opinion that virtually any performance-
oriented bike will be stressed beyond its likely design
limits. Frames in that class are designed around the idea
that they'll be used by competitive athletes, and the
profile for that group is a bit lighter than you.

Personally, I think I'd go with a conventional steel frame
instead; it will weigh a bit more, but given the total mass
of the system, an additional couple of pounds in the tubing
will make little difference in the overall results.

Certainly, I'd say it's worthwhile to talk to the frame's
manufacturer, and I suspect that the tube (or frame) will
get replaced.

And then, of course, ride!

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[Andrew Martin]

"res09c5t" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi, I've got a titanium frame (I won't mention the brand
> until I talk to the manufacturer) that I just discovered a
> crack in the top tube about 1.5 inches from the head tube.
> The crack is not at the weld. If you imagine viewing this
> tube from the rear, the crack goes from about 2 o'clock to
> 7 o'clock. This seems strange to me, I've always heard
> about cracks at the welds but never in the body of the
> tube. The bike hasn't been crashed. I do weigh about 270.
> After finding it, I rode it around the block to see what
> it was like loaded and the crack opened and closed as I
> pedalled.
>
> Any thoughts? Am I too heavy for titanium? My general
> impression is that titanium was strong.
>
> Thanks. Sorry if I'm rambling a little but I'm kind of in
> shock over this. Lyle

This isn't all that unusual. We've got a local racer who had
a small crack in a downtube. Didn't think much of it, but
doing hill repeats the next day - the crack split down the
tub about 9 inches until it broke off at the bottle cage.
Craziest bike frame failure I've ever seen. His shop still
has the frame.