Aluminum Bike for a Big Guy?
 

Help before I kill a buddy. I recently came upon an Eddy Merckx aluminum road bike, 90s AluTeam model for really low price and gave the bike to a buddy. He is a former FB player and now weight around 260-270. Is this an accident waiting to happen? Maybe I should get this bike back and give him an old Italian steel frame bike before we both regret the gift?
thx

6'2" - 270lbs
2004 Trek 1200 (carbon fork)
All stock wheels.

Just a wheel true here and there. otherwise i love it.

I just buried my 2007 23inch Trek 7.5FX bike (aluminum frame) with a left broken chainstay. I weigh 245lbs. Fortunately, I found the cracked chainstay while repairing a flat tire and did not suffer a catastrophic failure while riding. No accidents or abuse. I commuted year round on the bike for 2.5 years with over 10,000 miles on it. I bought a 60cm Surly LHT frame and transfered all the components off the Trek. Steel is real!! My confidence in aluminum is shaken, but I'm not a metalurgist (sp?) or metal worker. Just my experience.

Ask Beanz about breaking bikes. Off the top of my head he broke a steel, a friend broke an aluminum, and another friend broke a carbon. If the frame is in good condition and well maintained it should last and not be a problem.

6'4" 250 lbs I've riddrn since new a 1989 Cannondale road frame, before the replaceable rear derailleur hanger. No failures as of yet to the frame. Broke 2 rear axles and a crank axle, fell over with thaqt one on a hill.

Bill

Close, I broke an aluminum at 220-230
Buddy broke a Derosa Steel at 210-220 lbs.
another buddy broke a ti bike at 155 !:eek:

I say ride it but keep an eye on any bike you ride.:thumb:


My 2005 Lemond. I put 13,000 miles in 2.5 years. I knew it was flexy from the start as it had small diameter tubing at the bottom bracket area. I RARELY stood on it knowing that it flexed too much under me. It snapped on a seated climb at the BB area. From the back of the seat tube then down andn around the downtube!:eek: My CAAD3 Cannondale is a 1998 with a bigger BB area and no problems but it had NO flex at all when I stand. SO I now concern myself with small dia tubing at the BB area. But that would be with any material

Sometimes it doesn't pay being a fatpony!:roflmao2:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...reme/broke.jpg