Originally Posted by
ctxguide.com
11 more years, how do you know? Is this based on the type of aluminum? I read that 6061-T8 is used for baseball bats and that T6 is just a hair shy of T8 (has something to do with lithium). In other words does the 6061-T6 last longer than most aluminum frames?
My friend's bike failed catastrophically after just 8; although I do not know what type of aluminum was being used.
The folks at GT said that I should hang my frame up and get a new one, but this could be just marketing.
I did just order a steel frame (Voodoo), which will be a sweet sweet ride, but when I want to kick ass, I prefer the GT Zaskar (perfect geometry and engineering).
I said 11 more years based on the fact that you've made it this far. If you were taking 10 foot drops and doing all sorts of crazy stuff on this bike, it'd already be broken. The fact that it's not tells me that it's probably ridden in a relatively sane manner. If you keep under a certain stress level, an aluminum frame will give you a very long life, but not infinite. It will eventually break. When that time comes is anyone's guess.
As unterhausen said, the 'T' designation is just a heat-treat call-out. 6061 designates the chemical composition of the aluminum. The actual makeup of the metal doesn't mean squat by itself. It's a combination of the material properties, loads and the tube sizing that determine how long it will last.
The people at GT have no more of an idea on the life left in the bike than I do. Keep a close eye on it and ride it until it dies. Get that Voodoo built up and enjoy it as well.