Road Cycling - When does stuff wear out?

I keep hearing that aluminum frames are only good for five years. I ride my bike a lot. I've got a Cannondale R600 and I've put 3500 miles on it since October.

The wrench at the LBS said that I'd have to start replacing gruppo components (Shimano 105) after about 18 months at the rate I ride.

FYI, I'm more of a spinner than a grinder, ride more flats than hills, and weigh about 200 lbs.

Peace,
Lou

You replace and/or upgrade "just as soon as moma will let you". otherwise the stuff will last for ever.

My '91 durace/paramount has teeh ground off the gears but everythings else is good and tight.

When I started to do research on what I wanted in a new touring bike I considered aluminium, but decided to go with steel, simply because it is real and can be repaired by halfwits if the need ever arises. But from what I have read, it sounds like the idea that aluminium wears out is a myth. Maybe a Bike Forum survey is in order.

Has anyone ever worn out his or her Aluminium Frame?

This web page is interesting to look at. http://www.damonrinard.com/EFBe/frame_fatigue_test.htm

Hi,

Last year, my cannondale 3.0 frame packed it in. I bought the bike in 1989, and put over 27,000 miles on it. It broke where the seat tube clamped around the seat post. This was a weak point that cannondale subsequently changed on later frames. Other than that one point, the frame was fine. During the years I rode that bike, my weight ranged from 175 to 200 pounds. I went through two gruppos, but neither was worn-out, I still use them on other bikes. I DID wear out one headset, and three bottom brackets, one rear hub, adn two rear rims.

BTW, cannondale replaced the frame with a brand new CAAD5 frame, with a carbon fork! That's what I call service!

Aluminum wearing out is certainly not a myth. I'm 6' 3" and 170 lbs. and I have broken TWO aluminum frames from fatigue -- both in less than a year and a half. One was a MTN bike and the other a road bike. These frames were both very very high quality (the mountain bike was made of Easton Elite tubing, and the road from Deda SC-6061 aka Scandium tubes) and not considered "lighweight only" frames.

Because the dammaging effects of frame torqing, deflection, and flexing, is something like a cubic function, you may put out around 300 watts and have a frame last forever, or you may put out 350 watts and have your frame break it in a year. Just an example.

Both times the frames broke in the chainstays near the bottom bracket.

- Maurizio

I am expecting (hoping) that the best riding bike I've ever had will last 5 years. It is one of the superlight aluminum types. I don't race it, but I don't baby it either. I plan on getting a titanium after that. Hopefully the titanium will have the same geometry and match some of the ride characteristics that I have now. Until then, I smile, I ride and I save money for the next ride.

Lou, I'm glad you brought up this topic since I replaced my 105 chainrings, cassette, chain, andshifters last week. I ride about the same amount as you do and I think that my left shifter wouldn't have broken had I replaced rings and cassette at 18 months rather than two years.

It was about 6 months ago when I noticed some problems coming on. Since I have been good about changing the chain regularly, I thought that I was basically in good shape. I mistakenly tried to deal with some of the problems that were starting by working with the cable tension. I think that that put too much stress on the STI shifters. Shifters are two pieces that you don't want to have break on you. They are expensive! However, the new 105s are really great looking and are better than my old ones ever were. My bike is really humming now: it feels so good to ride it:love:.

I guess I would agree with the wrench at your LBS. I wish I had read this 6 months ago, but then again I wouldn't have learned all I have from the replacements I have had to make.

Rich

I knew my aluminum frame had seen it's better days when I would climb or sprint and the gears would change by themselves. The frame was bending some much around the bottom bracket that the derailer cable would stretch. Bye, bye aluminum.

I ride my 'dale pretty much everywhere, including some fun excursions on dirt roads and such. That said, it's been fine under my 200 pound frame. There's some creaking going on, but it's the headset and bottom bracket, both of which could use replacing. It's a CAAD3 from '98. I want to replace it just to have a little better riding frame, but it's still in great shape. I've got almost 14,000 miles on it up to now.

So whats the ideal material for a lightweight road frame for a non-racer or is it a combo of materials?

It's a matter of opinion, nothing more, nothing less. Anymore, most of the materials that bikes are built out of can be built to be lightweight and durable. It all depends.

Here are the results of fatigue tests for some representative racing bike frames.
The results are worth looking at.

http://www.damonrinard.com/EFBe/frame_fatigue_test.htm

It's hard to say..I would say wait until the perscribed time by the LBS is up, and then decide whether the performance of you components have decreased to a point where you are no longer satisfied with them. I think 105 will last longer than 18 months with your riding, but if they aren't working as smoothly as you want them too, then replace.

Frame wise, its hard to say..Al will start flexing after a few years, but you won't really notice because its like a kid growing up, you never notice them getting bigger. But if you go away for awhile, and then come back you DO notice. A Cannondale dealer once told me that dales have the longest lasting Al frames you'll find, because of the big tubes or something like that. I'd say 5-7 years would be a decent tour of service for an Al frame.

Originally posted by Maurizio
Aluminum wearing out is certainly not a myth. I'm 6' 3" and 170 lbs. and I have broken TWO aluminum frames from fatigue -- both in less than a year and a half. One was a MTN bike and the other a road bike. These frames were both very very high quality (the mountain bike was made of Easton Elite tubing, and the road from Deda SC-6061 aka Scandium tubes) and not considered "lighweight only" frames.

Because the dammaging effects of frame torqing, deflection, and flexing, is something like a cubic function, you may put out around 300 watts and have a frame last forever, or you may put out 350 watts and have your frame break it in a year. Just an example.

Both times the frames broke in the chainstays near the bottom bracket.

- Maurizio

A friend of mine that races cat 2 breaks his frames in the same place!! He has broken so many Specialized frames that they(Specialized) has a nickname for him..The crusher. He breaks the MTB frames mostly.

I can't imagine myself breaking a frame..But I'm pretty small compared to you or my friend.

Your weight,frame size and the way a person rides will make a difference on how long a frame lasts.Take all of this and the same frame,could be 5-20 years.