Good question, that passed through my mind a few times, i dont have an answer. I would love to see a few pictures.

if im a good person, does that mean i get to keep the frame? i really love the frame and i was so excited and now it's just a heartbreak more than anything else and i feel stupid.

i know $50 isnt a lot but then its more than i have to spare. i've also done a lot of stupid things (fixing up my honda civic AHHH) that wasted a lot of money

i cant wait... i was actually thinking about catching the next train home LOL

[off topic] Congrats on the 100th post! [/offtopic]

lol thanks joe!

i must've posted 20 times alone on this thread

Nah, just 14... 20 is atleast a day away...

Cut the frame to steal the bike? Doubtful unless it was pimped out with high end parts - which I'm guessing wasn't the case. The factory probably chopped the frame so no one would get a free frame and/or no one would ride a frame that had a defect in it.

There are legitimate reasons for chopping a frame
https://forums13.consumerreview.com/c...20@.ef685b0/10

I'd still be leary of the frame being weak because of welding the aluminum with a lack of heat treating.

i took a couple pics the last last weekend and just this weekend i have already started working on it.

i still wonder what's wrong with the frame to have it get chopped in the first place?

i too am kind of worried about the weld on the toptube and am currently trying to find someone who can TIG weld, anyone know any resources or any idea of cost?

well here are the pics i promised

another shot

wish someone could host these...

anyway here is the fork and a shot of the welds...

couldn't be a rockhopper with the weld and the cable-holders... stumpjumper? (but those didnt come in Al until a bit later)... could be a SkunkWorks from back in the day huh?

can someone help me please?

Dude, you need to get rid of the frame. I would not persue this anymore. That frame is not good, the structural rigidity of the frame was gone once it was cut and welded.

You need to give it up.

Coffee shop/Barhopping bike. Otherwise you're asking for trouble.

okay... well thanks for all the comments and insight.

im just gonna build it up and ride it, and i'll let you know when it does break or fail on me. actually i was thinking of not welding, but fabbing up some carbon weaves to reenforce that area, which in theory will strengthen the frame quite a bit. we'll see how everything turns out, and if its still junk then i'll just pick up a new frame and still have all the parts for a complete build.

I really want to know if the police have a bicycle serial # data base? I truly think that bicycle theft is probably pretty low on the priority list for the police. But let me know what you find out. Personally I would paint it and ride it. Everyone that has been pulled over by the police and had the serial # ran thru the computer raise your hand. Paranoia will destroy ya. But if you do find out that it is stolen and you turn it in, a lot of times policy is if it isnt claimed in a certain period of time it is yours. What to do, what to do? Oh well just a few things to ponder. good luck.

King Ajo

I have registered all of my bikes with the local police

i've actually had my other lbs run the serial # with specialized 1) to determine whether this bike was registered and 2) to determine exactly what model it is. i suppose i could check with the local police and run the serial again, by now i already see it as being my junk project. we'll see what's up, i'm going back home this weekend.

You are foolish to ride that frame. It's been severely compromised by an un-heat-treated weld in a place where the tubing is thin to start with. Quit while you're ahead. $50 won't go very far to repair chipped teeth (or worse) if/when the frame fails.

And FWIW, "stolen" is the first thing I thought of when I heard the top tube had been cut. Yes, the cut could be pried open far enough to get a U-lock through.

I forgot to mention it, but that fork is under recall as well. Stanchions fall out of the crown.

hehe, well it's always to say "i told you so!" so just gimme a few weeks

really though, i think this weekend i will get the bike either registered or the serial ran, then we'll go from there.

thanks for the concern

you know, you might as well grit down and spend money on a new frame, almost every post to this thread has implied that the frame is unsafe. Personally I would not try to save a little money by putting myself at risk, just get a new frame. it's not worth it.