A
Alan
Guest
I had an interesting experience on the way home last night. The head/down tube lug on my tourer
broke. For the benefit of those who wonder what this feels like:
The handling got a wee bit 'soapy', a bit like a soft front tyre but the roadshock in the bars was
normal. funny...
About 1/8 mile later a slightly recessed stop **** cover in the road on a corner produces
significant shimmy, like an overloaded frontrack but smaller, faster and barely damped. Seemed odd,
contemplated this as I rode on.
1/8 - 1/4 mile on a manhole cover produces big shimmy, more like a heavy front end with soft tyre
but not damping at all, making the the bike hard to ride.
Stopped. Tyre fine, headset fine, rear carrier secure, nothing obviosly wrong (it was dark). Felt
unmistakeable frame flex as I got on and then spotted that the down and head tubes had gone their
separate ways.
Could have been a bit tricky if it had happened hammering down something rough and steep, but there
you are. That's what it feels like on normal roads.
Presumably this sort of thing is very rare or Dawes wouldn't offer lifetime guarantees on their
frames. I think it's time to have a wee word with them.
Alan.
broke. For the benefit of those who wonder what this feels like:
The handling got a wee bit 'soapy', a bit like a soft front tyre but the roadshock in the bars was
normal. funny...
About 1/8 mile later a slightly recessed stop **** cover in the road on a corner produces
significant shimmy, like an overloaded frontrack but smaller, faster and barely damped. Seemed odd,
contemplated this as I rode on.
1/8 - 1/4 mile on a manhole cover produces big shimmy, more like a heavy front end with soft tyre
but not damping at all, making the the bike hard to ride.
Stopped. Tyre fine, headset fine, rear carrier secure, nothing obviosly wrong (it was dark). Felt
unmistakeable frame flex as I got on and then spotted that the down and head tubes had gone their
separate ways.
Could have been a bit tricky if it had happened hammering down something rough and steep, but there
you are. That's what it feels like on normal roads.
Presumably this sort of thing is very rare or Dawes wouldn't offer lifetime guarantees on their
frames. I think it's time to have a wee word with them.
Alan.