howsteepisit

Sadly, my 20y/o Mercian steel steed has failed. It Cracked all the way around the top tube to the head tube lug. Although I am firmly in the Clyde family, my weight has varied during my ownership from 220 to 275, currently 255, the Mercian was made with Renyold 531 Special Touring. This puts me right on the cusp of weight limits for a modern carbon fiber road bike. So I've bit the bullet and ordered a Canyon Endurace SLX, full Ultegra. I am sad about the trusty steed Mercian end of life, but really excited about the new Canyon. I am a bit worried about the 24-spoke DT Swiss wheels though. Comments?

Polaris OBark

Sorry for your loss.

Those wheels might be fine, but a new wheel-set with 32 spokes in the rear might be in your future.

shelbyfv

"The permissible maximum overall weight comprising rider, luggage and bicycle should not exceed 120 kg." Cusp? You're gonna have to get a haircut and ride nekkid! Nice bike

howsteepisit

In that case I pity the fool who tries to catch a draft.

zandoval 

More details please...

It would seam that too much weight would crack the Down Tube to Head Tube lug. Either way it still sounds fixable. But also either way its a great excuse to get another bike... Bravo!

howsteepisit

I think it was a manufacturing defect not a weight issue. I had noticed a crack in the lug where the top tube was inserted a few years ago. The crack was from the edge of the lug to a cut out. I was not sure there was an issue, last Wednesday I found out I was totally wrong on that. Yes, it’s repairable but I do not think it’s worth the cost. Years ago I worked for a custom frame builder and could do the repair myself if I had tools, time and desire. But I really want a new bike and what a great excuse this is.

Polaris OBark

The concern is that Canyon may not warranty the frame if it breaks.

howsteepisit

If a certain ex-president can pass for 215, i can pass for 220. And for sure I have my weight going in the correct direction having gone from 270+ to 257 this year.

Polaris OBark

And a new bike will help. I am scared to get carbon and am 185 lbs.

My kid cracked his Canyon frame, twice, when under 150 lbs.

No sane person believes anything he says, BTW.

Eric F 

I weigh the same as you. I have 100% confidence in all 5 of my CF bikes, including road, gravel, and MTBs. 2 of the 5 are 20+ years old. I had the same confidence in them when I weighed 200+. The only frames I've ever broken have been aluminum.

What kind of riding does you kid do?

jadmt

I just bought a Canyon cf8 disc and I am 208-210 lbs in shoes and shorts and by the time you do a couple of water bottles and spare tube/pump etc I would be a bit nervous on an SL or Slx even the standard cf frame seems pretty feathery and probably not but seems a bit fragile (I have been yelling at it a lot to toughen it up tho). I wonder if Canyon is setting the 120kg because of the wheels or the frame?

Polaris OBark

Similar to you.

The only frame I have broken was a steel frame 1987 Bianchi, and I was probably about 175 lbs back then (1988 or so).

The kid that broke the Canyon mountain frame a couple of times rides aggressive enduro, but I think in his case there were flaws in their frame (they did a recall after his first, and told us where to look for the second).

unterhausen

At least with Canyon they never see you to think to ask your weight. I doubt a bike shop would worry about warrantying a frame either though.

Colorado Kid

Carbon Fiber will not solve your problem! On a bicycle, CF is fragile stuff. How fragile? A few years ago one of the bigger teams were in the tour, in a Time Trial no less. All was going well until one of the team members hit a small pothole . The rim folded in half and the person went down HARD taking the entire team with him!!!! (They were doing 30+mph at the time. Can you say OUCH!!!) It doesn't take a lot to make CF fail. Stick with Alum. or Steel.

indyfabz

Comparing the catastrophic failure of a lightweight carbon wheel designed for racing at the highest level during a race at the highest level to the possibility of a carbon frame cracking under normal riding conditions seem like a more than a little bit of a stretch.

BTW...I had two aluminum Colnagos crack on me when I was in the 200 lb. range.

Bearonabike

Get them with a 4-cross spoke pattern, helps.

Bearonabike

howsteepisit

Bummer. C.F. Bike holding up fine and is a real pleasure to ride.

bikingshearer 

I also weigh 255+/-. I personally would not ride a wheel with fewer than 32 spokes. I have absolutely no scientific data to back up my luddite leanings, but I go with my leanings regardless.

I doubt that a 24-spoke wheel would collapse under me or you. However, I have seen 24-spoke wheels deform enough after a single spoke breakage to render the wheel unrideable. That is not the case with a 32- or 36- spoke wheel - just open up the brake's quick release enough to clear the now-wobbly wheel and ride home.

Sorry to hear about the demise of your Mercian. I concur that it was unlikely to have been caused by your weight (unless you routinely ride off curbs or go hunting for potholes). But I am speaking from the unique position of knowing next to nothing about metallurgy, so my opinion is worth exactly what you are paying for it.

Enjoy the new bike.

DMC707

I doubt anybody would request him go to the clinic for a weigh in.

Who knows give it three or four months and the OP may be well under two Fiddy. New bikes are fun to put miles on

Polaris OBark

No need. He's posted the information on the internet.

(FWIW, Canyon serviced a warranty 2 or 3 times on a bike I purchased, and never asked how much I, or the kid who rode the bike, weighs. Two aluminum chain-stay cracks and one carbon-frame-associated rear shock mount. He weighed in at 145 lbs.)

frdfandc

In my time in bike shops, more often than not it's how the rider rides the bike. I've ridden with some fairly large clydes over the years, and most failures was due to how the bike was ridden. I was just around 200 lbs when I built some lightweight wheels for my mountain bike. Other than a small tension adjustment after several rides, never had a wheel get damaged. I've always been easy on bikes and parts.

unterhausen

I still want to see pics of the failed Mercian.

I would say OP is being unreasonable, but I wouldn't really consider a titanium bike, because my teledyne titan broke when I was a teenager. Should have bought a paramount, but it wasn't light enough.