Surprising Commute Home
10-20-09, 07:09 PM
#1
"Per Ardua ad Surly"
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Location: Kitchener, Ontario
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Surprising Commute Home
I was heading home tonight from work and passed over a set of railway tracks and felt something give way and the bike seemed a bit wobbly. I thought that perhaps the quick release on the rear wheel somehow got loose. I pulled over and tested the wheel and everything seemed fine. I then got on the bike again and rolled another 50 yards or so and it was still riding strangely. I then pulled over to the side of the road and ripped off the paniers determined to get to the bottom of the problem. One of the welds broke connected the chain stay to the rear drop out. I broke my Mongoose................
Can this be fixed or should I junk the bike and get a new one? I hate to part with it as it was my first decent bike and I still love riding it. A friend suggested getting the weld redone but I worry with the strain of the rack and paniers it will break it again plus the time to wait to get this work done. I also don't want to use either the Cross Check or the Bianchi to commute on. The Bianchi has open bearings, no braze ons for a rack or fenders. I am simply unwilling to leave the Cross Check locked up anywhere for any length of time.
Can this be fixed or should I junk the bike and get a new one? I hate to part with it as it was my first decent bike and I still love riding it. A friend suggested getting the weld redone but I worry with the strain of the rack and paniers it will break it again plus the time to wait to get this work done. I also don't want to use either the Cross Check or the Bianchi to commute on. The Bianchi has open bearings, no braze ons for a rack or fenders. I am simply unwilling to leave the Cross Check locked up anywhere for any length of time.
10-20-09, 11:08 PM
#6
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If it is chro-moly, yes it can be repaired. If it is aluminum, you could repair it, but you should not. Once aluminum fails once that is usually it for it. Especially in an high stress area like the chain stay.
10-21-09, 07:42 AM
#7
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Depends on what it costs to repair. For me, it "costs" going to the garage, cutting a couple of pieces of steel rod, firing up the torch and doing some brazing. Probably take about an hour. For others it may cost $100 to get someone to do the brazing for you.
The rod is because I would want to braze on reinforcing on either side of something that broke like that. Once that's done, the bike will be stronger than it was when new.
The rod is because I would want to braze on reinforcing on either side of something that broke like that. Once that's done, the bike will be stronger than it was when new.
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Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
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10-21-09, 11:12 AM
#8
"Per Ardua ad Surly"
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Yes, it's steel. The other calculation is some of the components are getting long in the tooth (need a new FD soon) and I am starting to wonder whether I should just salvage the relatively new wheels as spares and buy a new machine. A friend of a friend was a framebuilder and still has the equipment to repair it. I am already antsy to ride again and I had to drive work (which I postively loathed).
10-21-09, 11:42 AM
#9
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I don't know about the availability of used frames in your area, but I would probably try to find a used Trek or Specialized frame (or whole bike) from the 1980s / 90s and swap that in. A lot of work, but if you don't mind wrenching on bikes, it shouldn't be too hard, and the result shouldn't be too much of a theft target. Frankenstein bikes are fun!
10-21-09, 06:06 PM
#10
"Per Ardua ad Surly"
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I'm saved. A friend of mine has a Mongoose Hilltopper frame (one model up from the Sycamore) of a similar vintage that he is willing to part with. I will be getting the parts transferred over by the week end and will be back in business.
