Today, I took my (recalled) T1 out for a 20 mile ride, frame didn't break.

While moving my water bottle from the cage on the downtube, I thought to myself:

what if I re-enforce the weak downtube with a bracket between the two water bottle cage mounts?

Say a 1/4" thick steel plate in L-shape, or even a steel triangle (in orange) that mounts between the two bottle mounts.

It may not support much weight, but it's better than no reinforcement.

Rudimentary picture of concept:



If you look at the pictures of the failed frames, both failed at the same spot: clean snap/break of the aluminum downtube just above the cross member (step-thru tube, just below the headtube junction.





By installing a steel bracket/plate, steel don't snap/break like aluminum, at least it will bend before breaking into two pieces.

Steel bracket/plate will spread the stress forces along the aluminum frame tubes between two water bottle mounts, instead of the stress concentrated at the aluminum tubing between the cross member (step-thru tube) & the junction of the headtube.

Mounting points for a steel bracket are already on the frame, as water bottle cage mounts.