Looks like I need a new mtb
 

I broke my 10 year old mtb today. Luckily, I had stopped to add a layer and heard the crunching as I started riding again. I had just finished a climb and was starting a fast descent. A short walk home followed the discovery.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...n53/mtb001.jpg

An interesting catastrophic break totally along the weld. Never know, they might warranty it even after ten years. The weld was obviously stronger than the adjoining material and had probably weakened that area in the beginning. Doesn't look like JB Weld is going to help you much with this one.

It never hurts to ask the manufacturer and when you do tell them you are trying to figure out what you are going to get next and see what they suggest in their line. They might just help you out with an offer you can't refuse.

I'd be tempted to send these pictures to the manufacturer also. Most don't like to see this sort of failure.

I think it's broken.

Why did you walk it home...a nice slow pace would get you there : )
Glad you did not start that fast downhill...

+1 Even with my limited mechanical knowledge I could have called this one correctly:D

Glad you saw this before you started the downhill.

Well, at least this qualifies as actual need, rather than merely a very strong and heavily rationalized want. :)

Be sure to take it to the LBS and say "I was just riding along..." :lol:.

A little bit (okay, a lot) of duct tape should have you up and riding in no time.

My 1971 Nishiki Competition, a brazed lugged frame, broke at precisely the same spot -- in my case, the seat tube lug broke away from the bottom bracket shell. Whenever the rider stands on the cranks, or even pushes hard while seated, this part of the frame is under extreme stress, and a triple chainring's longer crankshaft exacerbates the problem. One can very easily limp safely home with this type of failure (been there ... done that) -- just stick it in a low gear and spin the cranks.

Best idea yet!

I can't see the pic from work (firewall) to see what kind of MTB you need to replace, but I just bought a frame like this one (from this seller):

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-MTB-Columbus...QQcmdZViewItem

I bought an upgraded (next model year) that has better routing for V Brakes and has curved seat stays for $15 extra.

I brought it to the LBS to install a headeet and BB, and they were impressed by how light it is, and one of the co-owners looked at it and said he wants to learn to weld like that... and he builds custom frames. So the frame/fork defintitely seems worth the price if you want to go hardtail/rigid fork.

I have found a few other references to the frame in MTB forums etc that show that other buyers are impressed by the bike as well.

Of course, you can ignore this if you have a different style, or have your heart set on a new bike instead of a new frame. :)

That's a heck of a deal, but I do want full suspension. All of the other parts are pretty old, too, except the crankset. There has to be metal fatigue in those parts, they've taken a pounding. I could get a frame and build something for less severe duty, but I have 4 other bikes already.

Kinda hard to see the problem; can you set your camera to macro and get a little closer? Yuk! Yuk!
Watch out you don't fall into that chasm.

I can't believe your bike lasted 10 years... wow!

I had an older bike, I think I had it 5 - 6 years and on a ride (and of course I was the farthest point out from my car) I tried to crank up a steep hill and it blew apart! Of course that bike was kindof cheap but I rode it to death. Had to walk 4 miles to the nearest road, dragging this heap of scrap metal along with me.

I'm hoping the new bike (much more expensive) also give me 5 - 6 years.

Anyway have fun shopping!

Bought the Kona Explosif in 94 so perhaps it is time to get a new bike. It's only done around 20,000 miles- and that was in the first 5 years of its life. But then my Frame has a lifetime warranty.

Sorry to see your faithful steed broke. It's fun getting new ones though! What kind of bike was it?

What? You don't carry a welding kit in your seatpack ?

But seriously, glad you weren't hurt before you noticed it.

Yeah, Pam, 10 years. I did spend most of my time on the road bike, though.
It's a K2, the last year of Proflex.
Louis, maybe some JB Weld?

Are you kidding? Other than my new MTB, two of my bikes are 16 years old and one is 28 years old. I would be shocked if one of them broke. Of course, they are steel. :p

Given that it took big john only 10 years to break his frame, I suppose I should not complain about going 20 years and 40k miles with the Nishiki. :)

It's my fourth frame broken. I had a nice Nishiki steel hardtail and the chainstay sheared in front of the dropout. I really liked that frame. A few years of pounding is all it could take.
I had a Trek 660 that cracked around the bottom bracket after 15,000 miles. I wasn't too crazy about that bike, so no big deal as Trek gave me store credit toward a Landshark. A friend still has that Landshark, from 1990.

Sounds like you need something burly. This one should do it; I'll sell it to you right after I get done using it at Sea Otter :D.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...l/IMG_0691.jpg

I can't see the pic. Is it a DH bike? I was thinking more XC.