"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - 9 year old Al bike, safe?

I'm looking at a used TT bike on ebay that is 9 years old. I know/have heard that Aluminum has a fatigue life and I'm wondering if that may be an issue here. It looks like this bike was ridden, not stored in a garage for a decade, but it is a TT bike and thus maybe didn't get too much use.

Price isn't so much of an issue. Even if it's free, I don't want to buy a frame that's going to crack/break in the first few seasons that I own it.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
B.

completely unsafe.

that's why i train on my 15+ year old c'dale during the winter. i like living dangerously.

i've heard of 50,000 miles on an al frame. if a TT bike has that many miles on it, the owner has more problems than a cracked bike.

Everything has a fatigue life.
Don't tell anyone in BF planes are made of aluminum.

I see guys on 20 yr old Cannondales every day.

Use the "fatigue life" angle to get a good price, tons of people believe that crap.

Just make sure to check around the bb shell welds for cracks. I've fatigued a steel frame there (warrantied, welded too hot).

If that area looks good, and any crash sites look ok, the frame is fine.

Sounds good, thank you.

I snapped a pair of 4 year old Aluminum bars last month, so I'm a bit shy on the older Al, but this frame sounds like it should be okay.

B.

Aluminum tends to get pretty brittle as it ages.

Aluminum tends to get pretty brittle as it ages.

like an 88 year old woman's hip.

Just make sure to check around the bb shell welds for cracks. I've fatigued a steel frame there (warrantied, welded too hot).

If that area looks good, and any crash sites look ok, the frame is fine.

Damage on an aluminum bike like a dent or gouge is a bigger concern than on a steel bike but if there's no damage there's no concern with an older aluminum frame. The bike's on eBay though and he probably can't do that good of an inspection.

Damage or cracks in the bottom bracket or dropouts of course are dangerous with any frame material.

I did my homework on the frame, and it turns out that it has 650C wheels. bleh. Thanks for the help though.

On that note, if anybody is thinking about selling a Cervelo P3 Alu/P3SL or P2SL in a size 58, feel free to pm me.