What the fuck???? Frame just snapped

[NAM]

This just happened suddenly (and for no obvious reason) going almost 30mph downhill causing me to lose control and almost wipe out into the back of some parked cars- fighting for some control I then almost slammed into fast moving traffic but controlled it and managed to stay straight and upright- I didn't actually realise what had happened until a good few miles later when I noticed the clunking and strange movement every time I went over any kind of bump. What the fuck??? I ride ~10miles a day (commuting on city roads) all year round and have done for the past 3 years but really??

 

[SMEagol]

Aluminium is memory retentive, titanium isn't, alloy frames can fracture over time if they've hit a few potholes. Lugs are a favourite weakpoint. Might even have been a bubble in the weld. Mountain bikes for competitive use are heavily gusseted or hydroformed to minimise this.

 

[bandit pilot]

Wank frame syndrome. :^

 

[It Cost How Much!?!]

Are you on the tubby side? :roll:

 

[s2000db]

Looks like a fatigue fracture, started at the bottom of the weld by the look of it...

 

[Vinyl Art]

A dab of No Nails will have that sorted, back it off with some gaffer tape for good measure.

 

[pmac]

I'm sure a local fabrication shop could grind that fractured weld out and TIG weld it. It might be policy to get them to put a small aluminium gusset between the two tubes, just to add a bit more strength

 

[jumpmonkey]

Might even have been a bubble in the weld.

Got to have been something like that.

Doing over 30 when it happened? You were so lucky the down-tube didn't go as well!

 

[pmac]

A bubble

 

[NAM]

Are you on the tubby side? :roll:

Yes but not excessively so, 12.5st

 

[s2000db]

Personally, I'd bin that, as the other welds in the frame will have been over stressed imo...

 

[NAM]

Got to have been something like that.Doing over 30 when it happened? You were so lucky the down-tube didn't go as well!

Yup. I appreciate that I was extremely lucky. I wasn't going over 30 I was just a bit excitable and exaggerating due to almost dying >25 though

Still a bit of an adrenaline buzz tbh

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Personally, I'd bin that, as the other welds in the frame will have been over stressed imo...

Oh yes- it's going in the bin

 

[bandit pilot]

A bubble

I think inclusion might be the term.

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Yup. I appreciate that I was extremely lucky. Still a bit of an adrenaline buzz tbh

Drama Queen.

 

[NAM]

A dab of No Nails will have that sorted, back it off with some gaffer tape for good measure.

:^ sellotape?

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I think inclusion might be the term.- - - Updated - - -

Drama Queen.

Guilteeeeee!

 

[pmac]

I think inclusion might be the term.

Nope,

"porosity" actually

 

[NAM]

Funny thing is I'd just spent the afternoon taking my time cleaning it thoroughly

 

[bandit pilot]

Funny thing is I'd just spent the afternoon taking my time cleaning it thoroughly

You weren't meant to wash the bloody welds off. :doh:

 

[NAM]

A couple of mates suggested that I should contact the manufacturer (I wouldn't have naturally thought of doing this)

The Ridgeback site says in their FAQ

"My six year old Ridgeback has got a crack in the frame. Will you replace it?

You’ll appreciate that it’s impossible for us to comment from this distance. Please progress the matter through your Ridgeback stockist who is best placed to assist with this type of issue. All frames are guaranteed for the life of the original owner, subject to usual conditions."

I e-mailed the shop I bought it from with a copy of the receipt and photos, description of usage history and my weight ;-) etc.... They've got back to me already and said to bring the bike in and they will get onto Ridgeback about it!

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You weren't meant to wash the bloody welds off. :doh:

Har har or as a mate said the dirt was probably holding it together

 

[s2000db]

Looks like a good result potentially....

That's the benefit of buying from a decent manufacturer.. :^