Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - The end of a Frame...mourning a loss

Last night as I cleaned off my frame from a rainy ride I noticed a nice hairline crack running from the bottom bracket out into the chainstay on the drive side. The bike is AL Easton tubing, so I doubt there is much I can do about it except replace the frame. This makes me kind of sad. I purchased the bike in 2005, a Jake the Snake cyclocross bike that was to become my commuting/LD bike. We have had an enjoyable 10,000 miles together, and I have changed everything on this bike except the seat-post, head-set, handlebars and frame. It is now undeniably MY bike. An AL frame cyclocross bike with a 30-sp campy drivetrain, a SON hub and a brooks saddle. I still have my breezer and my xtracycle, but this was by far my favorite bike. It is a pretty good friend, and I'm sad to see it go.

I will take it to the LBS to see if maybe I'm wrong and its just a scratch or something fixable, but I think this is just irrational hope, so I'm very bummed. I guess I need to start thinking about a new frame, but I'm just not ready for that.

Have any of you had bikes that gave up the ghost after years of faithful service? I'd like to hear stories of how you dealt with the loss of a good bike that you really have dialed into your riding style.

Sorry to hear of your loss. The upside is that you can now consider a new frame or entire bike without guilt ;).

Michael

20 months, 20,881 miles, Noticed a creak from the saddle.
This is what it was.
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/20m%2020881%20miles/CRKFeltfr.jpg
Felt Warranty is giving me a new frame.

Ahhh aluminum. :innocent:

The only bikes I've lost have been through theft - and it's been 28 years since that last happened. Then again, I spread my miles around between bicycles, and I don't have any that have Aluminum frames. Personal prejudice.

DogBoy - if there's any consolation - replacing it with the same frame will cost a lot less than when you got it new. You have several viable options here, so maybe it's an opportunity in disguise.

Are you going to try and get a carbon one ?

A car help me pretzel my 30-year old Motobecane last winter. It was like family, y'know? Replaced it with a CF Roubaix. Never looked back. Woulda never known how good a bike could be. Good time to move up/on/forward, or whatever. It's an opportunity, not a loss.

I was thinking Steel/Ti. I'm a big boy at 240 lbs. I'm guessing this is a major contributor to my current situation. I have more $ now than I did back then, and I know what I want out of a bike. I'm thinking of biting the bullet and going custom and being done for MANY years, not this 4 year lifespan stuff. I'm still mostly being sad right now. I'm now on the breezer set up for winter riding a bit earlier than I had planned. :(

What part of the country are you in? There are a number of custom builder who know how to do randonneuses properly. Possibly there's one nearby.


I was thinking Steel/Ti. I'm a big boy at 240 lbs. I'm guessing this is a major contributor to my current situation. I have more $ now than I did back then, and I know what I want out of a bike. I'm thinking of biting the bullet and going custom and being done for MANY years, not this 4 year lifespan stuff. I'm still mostly being sad right now. I'm now on the breezer set up for winter riding a bit earlier than I had planned. :(

The frame probably has a lifetime warranty.

Otherwise, it's a hunk of metal. It carries no magic properties and is not a receptacle for memories; the geometry probably hasn't even changed in the last few years. Just replace it and go on your next tour.