Frame break in Dahon 2003 model "Boardwalk 6" folding bicycle

[Tom Worthington]

The steel frame of my Dahon "Boardwalk 6", 6 speed 20" 2003 model
folding bicycle broke in half yesterday. At the time I was riding it at
a bicycle path road crossing in Canberra. Fortunately there was no
on-coming traffic and my helmet and clothing protected me from serious
injury.

The tubular steel frame broke approximately 40mm ahead of the hinge in
the middle of the bicycle. There was some rust visible in the underside
of the fracture, which suggests that the frame has started to fail some
days or weeks before the break. It would be prudent for anyone with one
of these bicycles to check for cracking in the underside of the frame
at this point.

As I have previously praised this bicycle on-line (to the point where
some people thought I was marketing them), I thought it appropriate to
bring this problem to people's attention. I still have a 16" Dahon
which I am confident in using. I will also send the details to the
manufacturer and the sales outlet for the bicycle.

Photos at <http://www.tomw.net.au/2005/bbb.html>.


Tom Worthington FACS HLM
Director, Tomw Communications Pty Ltd ABN: 17 088 714 309
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 http://www.tomw.net.au/

 

[jim beam]

Tom Worthington wrote:
> The steel frame of my Dahon "Boardwalk 6", 6 speed 20" 2003 model
> folding bicycle broke in half yesterday. At the time I was riding it at
> a bicycle path road crossing in Canberra. Fortunately there was no
> on-coming traffic and my helmet and clothing protected me from serious
> injury.
>
> The tubular steel frame broke approximately 40mm ahead of the hinge in
> the middle of the bicycle. There was some rust visible in the underside
> of the fracture, which suggests that the frame has started to fail some
> days or weeks before the break. It would be prudent for anyone with one
> of these bicycles to check for cracking in the underside of the frame
> at this point.
>
> As I have previously praised this bicycle on-line (to the point where
> some people thought I was marketing them), I thought it appropriate to
> bring this problem to people's attention. I still have a 16" Dahon
> which I am confident in using. I will also send the details to the
> manufacturer and the sales outlet for the bicycle.
>
> Photos at <http://www.tomw.net.au/2005/bbb.html>.
>
>
> Tom Worthington FACS HLM
> Director, Tomw Communications Pty Ltd ABN: 17 088 714 309
> PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 http://www.tomw.net.au/
>
there's a number of dings & scratches on that frame that clearly preceed
the break. any of these can be fatigue initiators, so try to avoid the
treatment that causes these in the future.

regarding the break itself, there is rust clearly visible on the
fracture surface. as you say, that indicates that a crack has been
present for some time and it would almost certianly have been visible
prior to fracture. regular inspection of structural components is as
essential to a bike as checking tire pressure.

 

[SteveA]

The steel frame of my Dahon "Boardwalk 6", 6 speed 20" 2003 model
folding bicycle broke in half yesterday. At the time I was riding it at
a bicycle path road crossing in Canberra. Fortunately there was no
on-coming traffic and my helmet and clothing protected me from serious
injury.

The tubular steel frame broke approximately 40mm ahead of the hinge in
the middle of the bicycle. There was some rust visible in the underside
of the fracture, which suggests that the frame has started to fail some
days or weeks before the break. It would be prudent for anyone with one
of these bicycles to check for cracking in the underside of the frame
at this point.

As I have previously praised this bicycle on-line (to the point where
some people thought I was marketing them), I thought it appropriate to
bring this problem to people's attention. I still have a 16" Dahon
which I am confident in using. I will also send the details to the
manufacturer and the sales outlet for the bicycle.

Photos at <http://www.tomw.net.au/2005/bbb.html>.


Tom Worthington FACS HLM
Director, Tomw Communications Pty Ltd ABN: 17 088 714 309
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 http://www.tomw.net.au/

Tom,

that's a bit drastic.

glad to hear you are OK though


SteveA
(who is an old mate of your old mate Stephen C)