Ritchey "Break-Away" bike -- opinions?

I was just looking at Ritchey's new folding bike:

http://www.ritcheylogic.com/babmain.htm

It's an appealing idea, but that downtube/BB junction doesn't look too solid to me, despite claims
of being 5x stronger than a normal welded joint. Any ideas?

Matt O.

 

Matt O'Toole wrote:
> I was just looking at Ritchey's new folding bike:
>
> http://www.ritcheylogic.com/babmain.htm
>
> It's an appealing idea, but that downtube/BB junction doesn't look too solid to me, despite claims
> of being 5x stronger than a normal welded joint. Any ideas?
>
> Matt O.
>
>

I'd rather have S&S couplings on my bike - definitely stronger than the metal it replaces (they have
pictures showing the metal failing during stress tests and the couplings unscathed), super solid,
failry light (even lighter if you dish out for the titanium ones!), low profile, and fairly well
proven. Plus, they can be retrofitted.

Jon Bond

 

Jonathan Bond <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I'd rather have S&S couplings on my bike - definitely stronger than the metal it replaces (they
> have pictures showing the metal failing during stress tests and the couplings unscathed), super
> solid, failry light (even lighter if you dish out for the titanium ones!), low profile, and fairly
> well proven. Plus, they can be retrofitted.

I won't argue the merits of a frame with S&S couplers - I own one that I am very happy with - BUT
you can't overlook the fact that the Breakaway is a production frame that's likely to be half to 2/3
the price of a custom coupled frame.