frame crack
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I am quite sure that you can have it fixed at a reasonable price. I just recently sent my Ti bike out to Desalvo cycles in Oregon to have disk bosses put on ($100). I dont know if he works with aluminum, but i am sure that there are some other guys out there who do.
If the rest of your bike is in good shape, consider buying a new frame, and swapping the parts over. Just make sure the new frame fits all the parts necessary.
Furthermore, you could fight with schwinn a bit more. If your frame is < 5 years old, then it may be covered by warentee, which means if schwinn cannot give you a suitable replacement part, they should give you a comparable new frame. Specialized did this for me in 1996.
-percious
There are issues with aluminum and being heat treated. I had a similar issue with a frame some time back and everyone (manufacturer, local frame builders, fabricator friend) told me to not mess with it. Can it be done? Yes. Should it be done? I don't think so. It's the down side of aluminum. You can do stuff like that with ti and steel frames easier than al frames.
I think percious' thought of hounding Schwinn is the best idea you have. Their waranty is not very long, but the rocket 88 is not that old and a crack near a pivot can easily be called their bad (whether or not it is). My friend that is a metal fabricator said he could make a new swingarm for me when I had my issue. I passed on that idea, but it could be possible (?). Good luck with this. Let us know how it works out.
K.
I think percious' thought of hounding Schwinn is the best idea you have. Their waranty is not very long, but the rocket 88 is not that old and a crack near a pivot can easily be called their bad (whether or not it is). My friend that is a metal fabricator said he could make a new swingarm for me when I had my issue. I passed on that idea, but it could be possible (?). Good luck with this. Let us know how it works out.
K.
If you don't have any luck with Schwinn you could try finding a good metal fabricator (not necessarily a bike mechanic) and ask them to help. There's at least one product (Alutite) that lets you solder aluminum at such low temperatures that it only has very minor impact (if any) on whatever else that has been done to the material. Epoxy glues like Araldit can also be made to bond very well with aluminum. It might be possible to manufacture something that fits around/over the crack and quite simply glue it in place.
I'd demand a new frame at cost. Seriously, if they cannot provide you the opportunity to buy a replacement - that makes your bike UNRIDEABLE then they have to give you something.
The frame is toast....once it's cracked, there is no absolute way to fix as new. Go for an Easton alum frame (they have been built for a host of so-called big name brands) like a Mangoat at about $350 for a new frame. They can be had at Biketech in Cali. These HT frames are exactly like Schwin, Salsa, etc. Better yet, go for a Cove Handjob. Again, unless you are a pro, who needs FS...HT all the way!!!!!!!!!
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