Mountain Biking - Frame life

Hi all

I know this is a discussion maybe overly done here but i read some forums around and i got some questions. I was under the impression that bikes are quality items and dont just die like a cheap toaster after 3 yrs. Several guys on a UK forum swear that an allu frame has a mean-lifetime of 3-5 years max. Ok Ok if you jump something then its fair to be even less than 3 yrs of life on a frame. But cmon ....its not bloody plastic tubes and superglue, its well researched alloy tubes we are talking about... Bikes, (old ones) used to last a lifetime.... Is it a crap situation with modern frames or is it just some guys that snap frames easily and get these stories around?
I dont need a frame to last a lifetime for being my primary bike...but lets say in 5-7 years that i might wanna change bikes ...i would like to give my bike to a nephew or something...or just have it as a replacement bike.... and if in reality a frame only lasts 5 years max because its made of allu...then i am sorry but this sucks. Offroad bikes should endure off road riding (not hucking jumping or dropping though). I wonder....do motorcycle frames or cars made of allu snap as well? I get the impression that allu is more durable that advertised by some guys than swear about their 4130 jump frames.

Yannis.:beer:

I have found that if you buy from a reputable manu. and you do not abuse the bike it will last a very long time. I road a Carbon frame for 8 years that I used for drops, jumps xc and dh. The only reason I got ride of it is the manu. gave me a free up-grade on a trade for it.

All my alluminum frames but 2 have lasted me 5+ years. Yeah I do take very good care of my rigs by using frame protection when needed, regular maintinence and so forth. Most frames I see that guys are craking are either going huge or the don't take good care of thier bikes (i.e. just droping them on the ground, throwing them around etc.).

I and a few others I know of take as good of care of our mtb as you see some of the snob type rodies. yeah we beat the shyte out of them when riding but we always go over all the nuts and bolts after and keep them looking new.

:beer: :beer:

Fair enough my friend. I got a specialized aggro xc frame ht, i tend to treat it like a jewel ...cleaning ...repairing etc. Carbon protection patches at all the appropriate spots for cable rub etc. I ride it hard, but i tend not to take off at all...it seems that i am unable to takeoff the ground so i stick to it like a serpent. I believe that it will last ages . If it doesnt..then i ll go ti.

Math,

with the way you are riding it, it should last a very long time. I wouldn't worry bout it :)

Originally posted by dirtbikedude

I and a few others I know of take as good of care of our mtb as you see some of the snob type rodies.

It's funny you should mention this as it's always been my experience that the pure rodies (especially the snobby ones) tend to not be very equipment conscious. I've always found that MTBers are most likely to geek over their equipment with touring folks coming in second and then roadies and triathlon people coming in last. Mind you, this is a gross generalisation and you probably have to take into account the skew factour of those who wrench for a living.

it's always been my experience that the pure rodies (especially the snobby ones) tend to not be very equipment conscious. I've always found that MTBers are most likely to geek over their equipment with touring folks coming in second and then roadies and triathlon people coming in last.

Well around these parts, the rodies that are snobs tend to know everything there is about their bike and what works and does not. They also know how to wrench on them being that alot of them are privatier racers with no support and the ones that do not know how to wrench are always having the LBS check out their bikes if they feel something is amiss.

Touring riders, as a whole, always seem to take the best care of their bikes because, from what I see, do not want them to break down when they are in the middle of no where.

I guess it just depends on the attitude of the riders in any given area.

:beer: