Salvageable?

K. said:

So some time ago I had an "incident" on my beloved Raleigh I've had for
12 years, give or take. I pulled the bits off of it thinking it
couldn't be salvaged, but decided to see what is what. I'm supposed to
take it to my LBS whenever I remember to and they are going to take it
to a local manufacturer of bike trailers and such to get their opinion.
My question to the collective brains of amb is: What is the reality of
"fixing" an aluminum frame (partly al anyways...) or is the frame still
structurally sound given the dent is in the middle and not one of the
higher stress points? Photo links below:

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/500/249875/frame_001.jpg
http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/556/249875/frame_002.jpg

This bike is just my "general" XC type stuff and does not see anything
worthy of the dew crowd or anything, but consiering I am a "bit" more
than the average rider (6'3" @ 250) it does need to be sturdy. I have
thought I could build it up as an SS if it's useable (might as
well...), but more on that if and when...

Thank you, thank you very much.

Kraig...

I wouldn't trust it!

Matt

K. said:

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/500/249875/frame_001.jpg
http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/556/249875/frame_002.jpg

Buy some jam cuz that baby's toast.

(Good news is....you get to go SHOPPING!)

BS

Thats a huge crease/dent in the middle of the top tube which is under
compression in normal riding (the down tube which is under tension,
wouldn't be so bad). Its going to fold in half.
Hang it on the wall and remember the good times.
Steve.

"spademan o---[) *" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thats a huge crease/dent in the middle of the top tube which is under
compression in normal riding (the down tube which is under tension,
wouldn't be so bad). Its going to fold in half.
Hang it on the wall and remember the good times.
Steve.

personally i'd still ride it, it wouldnt completly fold, are u a big guy ?
it would probably slowly bend, drill a small hole and pull it out auto
style.

"spademan o---[) *" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thats a huge crease/dent in the middle of the top tube which is under
compression in normal riding (the down tube which is under tension,
wouldn't be so bad). Its going to fold in half.
Hang it on the wall and remember the good times.
Steve.

looking at that second pic, even i wouldnt ride that. sorry

Mitch Pollard (mitchpol) said:

personally i'd still ride it, it wouldnt completly fold, are u a big guy ?

In the OP, he said he was 250 lbs.

JD

K. said:

So some time ago I had an "incident" on my beloved Raleigh I've had for
12 years, give or take. I pulled the bits off of it thinking it
couldn't be salvaged, but decided to see what is what. I'm supposed to
take it to my LBS whenever I remember to and they are going to take it
to a local manufacturer of bike trailers and such to get their opinion.
My question to the collective brains of amb is: What is the reality of
"fixing" an aluminum frame (partly al anyways...) or is the frame still
structurally sound given the dent is in the middle and not one of the
higher stress points? Photo links below:

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/500/249875/frame_001.jpg
http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/556/249875/frame_002.jpg

This bike is just my "general" XC type stuff and does not see anything
worthy of the dew crowd or anything, but consiering I am a "bit" more
than the average rider (6'3" @ 250) it does need to be sturdy. I have
thought I could build it up as an SS if it's useable (might as
well...), but more on that if and when...

Thank you, thank you very much.

Kraig...

Bummer! I used to have the same frame, LX/XT, Mag 21 fork, those awful
Psycho tires.... If it makes you feel any better, mine was stolen
around 6 years ago. Much blood, sweat and tears were spilled on that
bike. GAH! I hope yours died with its boots on and not in a
trunk-crimping incident.
Anyhoo, that puppy is DEFINITELY retired from anything like trail use.
If you believe in the power of Chunk, MAYBE you could use it as an SS
townie, but at your size you're going to have to keep an eye on it and
expect it to fail at any time. Put on a easily spun-out gearing that
won't let you above 10mph, install flat pedals, avoid hills, and smile
as you plan for the worst (like, say, a possible core-sampling of your
stomach). Don't get out of the saddle unless you're springing clear.
Any future dealings with this bike such as this will be an
uncomfortable truce, and not only because the tube looks bent through
so the bike won't steer properly.
Have fun!

/s

So I tossed the bike in the car last night after making the posting
about it. The guys at the shop laughed heartily and we talked some
about realistic options (hat rack, door stop, etc). It served me well
for many years, miles and smiles. It survived my near complete lack of
finesse, skill and good judgement at times, yet it was no match for an
out of control tool rack one fateful day. All I can say is: lots of
porter, single malt, and horseplay in a garage *can* be dangerous
apparently. Who knew?

Maybe Santa will bring me a new Vulture hardtail for Christmas. My
wife said: "You can replace your Heckler (not broke, but...), the
Raleigh or buy that old Harley you've been looking at, but not all of
them." Do you think she meant two out of three would be OK? I've got
the room on my CC so it's gotta be OK, right?

Thanks for the thoughts and opinions folks.

Kraig...

K. said:

So I tossed the bike in the car last night after making the posting
about it. The guys at the shop laughed heartily and we talked some
about realistic options (hat rack, door stop, etc). It served me well
for many years, miles and smiles. It survived my near complete lack
of finesse, skill and good judgement at times, yet it was no match
for an out of control tool rack one fateful day. All I can say is:
lots of porter, single malt, and horseplay in a garage *can* be
dangerous apparently. Who knew?

Maybe Santa will bring me a new Vulture hardtail for Christmas. My
wife said: "You can replace your Heckler (not broke, but...), the
Raleigh or buy that old Harley you've been looking at, but not all of
them." Do you think she meant two out of three would be OK? I've got
the room on my CC so it's gotta be OK, right?

Thanks for the thoughts and opinions folks.

Kraig...

I'd ride it... then again I'm going to be riding a cracked and welded alu
frame... I'm not the poster child of bike safety.
--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Quoted message said:

K. said:

So some time ago I had an "incident" on my beloved Raleigh I've had for
12 years, give or take. I pulled the bits off of it thinking it
couldn't be salvaged, but decided to see what is what. I'm supposed to
take it to my LBS whenever I remember to and they are going to take it
to a local manufacturer of bike trailers and such to get their opinion.
My question to the collective brains of amb is: What is the reality of
"fixing" an aluminum frame (partly al anyways...) or is the frame still
structurally sound given the dent is in the middle and not one of the
higher stress points? Photo links below:

http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/500/249875/frame_001.jpg
http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/556/249875/frame_002.jpg

This bike is just my "general" XC type stuff and does not see anything
worthy of the dew crowd or anything, but consiering I am a "bit" more
than the average rider (6'3" @ 250) it does need to be sturdy. I have
thought I could build it up as an SS if it's useable (might as
well...), but more on that if and when...

Thank you, thank you very much.

Kraig...

Bummer! I used to have the same frame, LX/XT, Mag 21 fork, those awful
Psycho tires.... If it makes you feel any better, mine was stolen
around 6 years ago. Much blood, sweat and tears were spilled on that
bike. GAH! I hope yours died with its boots on and not in a
trunk-crimping incident.
Anyhoo, that puppy is DEFINITELY retired from anything like trail use.
If you believe in the power of Chunk, MAYBE you could use it as an SS
townie, but at your size you're going to have to keep an eye on it and
expect it to fail at any time. Put on a easily spun-out gearing that
won't let you above 10mph, install flat pedals, avoid hills, and smile
as you plan for the worst (like, say, a possible core-sampling of your
stomach). Don't get out of the saddle unless you're springing clear.
Any future dealings with this bike such as this will be an
uncomfortable truce, and not only because the tube looks bent through
so the bike won't steer properly.
Have fun!

/s

Replying to my own post:
I spoke to a guy with an old steel track frame that broke 2/3 of the
way down the seat tube. He clamped it with some plumbing device and
rode on his merry way without problems. Foolhardy perhaps, but....
I'm sure there's plenty of reasons why this should fail, like stress
risers and all those other terms bandied around that I have a layman's
understanding of. I wouldn't recommend using this metal clamp on
aluminum because you'll probably wind up crimping it further.
I AM, however, thinking that maybe there's a type of plumbing tape that
might support the damaged area. Actually, 'support' is the wrong word
as it probably won't support the structural integrity. It may, however,
keep a jagged edge from cutting into you.
It has been a while since my construction days, but I think we
misapplied something like this fairly regularly without costing lives.
Just a thought.
/s

PLEASE do everyone close to you and yourself a favor.
Get a new frame or a new bike.

Take an empty soda can with no dents i the sied and gently put a cinder
block on it. Then put a dent in the sied of the can and lay the cinder
block on it again. Watch what happens and decide if you can trust that
frame.

B. Good

greasy snipe said:

Take an empty soda can with no dents i the sied and gently put a cinder
block on it. Then put a dent in the sied of the can and lay the cinder
block on it again. Watch what happens and decide if you can trust that
frame.

B. Good

Hey who let logic guy on the group?
;-)

Shawn

"Shawn" <sdotcurry@bresnananotherdotnet> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

greasy snipe said:

Take an empty soda can with no dents i the sied and gently put a cinder
block on it. Then put a dent in the sied of the can and lay the cinder
block on it again. Watch what happens and decide if you can trust that
frame.

B. Good

Hey who let logic guy on the group?
;-)

Shawn

Nah - they nearly all turn up like that but it soon gets drummed out of 'em
by us lot ',;~}~

Shaun aRe

Mitch Pollard (mitchpol) said:

personally i'd still ride it, it wouldnt completly fold, are u a big guy ?
it would probably slowly bend, drill a small hole and pull it out auto
style.

If you ask me thats asking for problems, its alu so it'll probably wait
til just the wrong moment then buckle. At that point you'll eat the
dirt or some other part of the bike thats now in the wrong location.

I'm with the 'Hang it on the wall' brigade. Why risk it? I might use it
to go to the shops on but nowt more.
J