My Litespeed rant.

[x]

RE/
>Can you identify who makes and what kind of frames these "light frames" that fail in 3-5 years?
>When you say ridden frequently, what kind of yearly mileage are you talking about? What kind of
>riding do you do? Mtn? Road? Cyclocross?

Nobody asked, but I'll volunteer my EllsWorth Isis. Failed after a little more than 3k miles in
slightly less than a year...

Heavy-ish rider (210#), but this isn't even a titanium or even a particularly light frame...and my
idea of a big drop is going over a curb.

-----------------------
Pete Cresswell

 

[Dick Durbin]

[email protected] (Dietrich Wiegmann) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I wouldn't call it a fluke or blame the user's 'riding style' for the failure. I've had 3 frames
> fail in the last 8 years, one the same way as the original poster's - complete separation of the
> front end. My friends have had numerous failures as well. Light frames have very little design
> margin, and a significant number of them fail in 3-5 years if they're ridden frequently. It's not
> overloading or unreasonable treatment, it's fatigue.
>
> Fortunately for manufacturers, most frames aren't ridden frequently and are replaced with newer
> models every couple of years.

Take a look at the pictures. The failure appears to be a classic example of what happens when the
top and down tubes are weaked by a head-on collision with a solid object - like the ground - when
your weight is too far forward when catching big air and you land on the front wheel.

**** Durbin

 

[Dietrich Wiegma]

[email protected] (**** Durbin) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] (Dietrich Wiegmann) wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > I wouldn't call it a fluke or blame the user's 'riding style' for the failure. I've had 3 frames
> > fail in the last 8 years, one the same way as the original poster's - complete separation of the
> > front end. My friends have had numerous failures as well. Light frames have very little design
> > margin, and a significant number of them fail in 3-5 years if they're ridden frequently. It's
> > not overloading or unreasonable treatment, it's fatigue.
> >
> Take a look at the pictures. The failure appears to be a classic example of what happens when the
> top and down tubes are weaked by a head-on collision with a solid object - like the ground - when
> your weight is too far forward when catching big air and you land on the front wheel.
>
> **** Durbin

I did take a look at the pictures. That's how I knew what the failure looked like. My 'classic
example' looked just like it. Shiny metal where the fatigue crack started, and rough metal where the
crack suddenly perpetuated through the frame. It happened on a climb, but when a friend posted the
pic on MTBR, all the comments were in the same vein as yours.

Dietrich

 

[Dietrich Wiegma]

[email protected] (bfd) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] (Dietrich Wiegmann) wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>
> > I wouldn't call it a fluke or blame the user's 'riding style' for the failure. I've had 3 frames
> > fail in the last 8 years, one the same way as the original poster's - complete separation of the
> > front end. My friends have had numerous failures as well. Light frames have very little design
> > margin, and a significant number of them fail in 3-5 years if they're ridden frequently. It's
> > not overloading or unreasonable treatment, it's fatigue.
> >
> Can you identify who makes and what kind of frames these "light frames" that fail in 3-5 years?
> When you say ridden frequently, what kind of yearly mileage are you talking about? What kind of
> riding do you do? Mtn? Road? Cyclocross?

I broke Klein, Cannondale and custom Columbus Foco frames. I've seen Gary Fishers, Amps and more
Cannondales and Kleins broken as well. The one that the front end separated from was a Klein. I'm
170 lbs and I ride my XC mountain bike between 1500 and 2000 off road miles per year. Although I may
be somewhat unlucky, it's clear that a significant number of light aluminum frames break in fatigue
if they're used frequently for a few years. FWIW, a broken frame usually doesn't cause a crash.

Dietrich

 

[Stu]

aluminum if flexed, will always fail(sooner or later) steel on the other hand can be flexed within
certain limit and will never fail so buying a light aluminum frame you should know going in it isn't
going to last forever(l am not saying that a very light steel frame will either but atleast it has a
shot at it, if it isn't pushed to hard)

 

[Woogoogle]

OK, after viewing the frame, Litespeed sent me a new Pigsah frame, so thanks for everyone for
reading, and Litespeed for the limited lifetime warranty!