Hi, the aluminium frame on my Ribble Winter Trainer cracked in two, two years after purchase. This was not the result of a collision or crash of any sort, but simply happened during a long ride.
When I got the bike I found it gave me severe back ache, as the frame seems to have been too small for me (the danger in buying online, I think). My local bike shop solved this by increasing the 30mm of spacers, between the frame and the handlebars, to 80mm.
Ribble say that the crack has been caused by these extra spacers putting extra pressure on the frame.
My bike shop has responded by consulting 8 different fork manufacturers and found no suggestion that stem heights could result in frame failure.
Who is likely to be right, Ribble or my local bike shop?
(Note, I have never had a collision on the bike. However I have come off it twice. The first time, in summer 2012 in a local park, it resulted in a mashed bike fork. The second time, in December 2013 - 6 weeks before the crack - I came off at 5mph on black ice)
When I got the bike I found it gave me severe back ache, as the frame seems to have been too small for me (the danger in buying online, I think). My local bike shop solved this by increasing the 30mm of spacers, between the frame and the handlebars, to 80mm.
Ribble say that the crack has been caused by these extra spacers putting extra pressure on the frame.
My bike shop has responded by consulting 8 different fork manufacturers and found no suggestion that stem heights could result in frame failure.
Who is likely to be right, Ribble or my local bike shop?
(Note, I have never had a collision on the bike. However I have come off it twice. The first time, in summer 2012 in a local park, it resulted in a mashed bike fork. The second time, in December 2013 - 6 weeks before the crack - I came off at 5mph on black ice)