i got a frame the other day from a garage sale and the guy said he took it straight from the specialized dumpster where they dispose of frames. the frame's toptube was cut and the guy welded it back together. the paint was all stripped and it's just bare aluminum. i was wondering if the frame is ok for riding or are there other reasons why a factory/company would chop a frame to discourage people from stealing it out from the dumpster? thanks

also, am i safe riding it bare or should i cover it up to prevent oxidation? dont want a rusted bike after a few months/years

My thought is that they chopped it and tossed it for a reason.
Could be something minor like threading was off,
or it could be something major like the welding machines
all took the day off. . .
Personally, I wouldn't ride it, but hey when it comes to
frame integrity I'm a wuss
You might have it checked out at LBS, and then if
ok it's paint it.

Marty

Aluminum generally needs to be heat treated after it is welded or else the material will be weak. I wouldn't ride it unless you are making a bar hopping cruiser out of it.

Has the frame ever been riden? I'd be less worried about mechanical defects if it were a few years old and had some miles on it.

There's a bunch of reasons why a company may dispose of the frame, and not all of them are bad, so as Marty said take it to the LBS (preferably somebody with experience with frame repairs if possible) and have them take a look at it.

As to the painting, aluminum is fairly sturdy and won't rust away the same way steel does. But it will oxidize and corode, but that takes a real long time, from my sailing days the boats have Al masts that are exposed to the elements for years (10-20-30+ years) with little problems (well the problems come from the people that put stuff on them, like stainless screws into Al). So it would certainly look better, but not a high priority. If you're real ambitious you could polish it up then clear coat it.

Andrew

thanks for the replies guys. actually the frame does look like it's got plenty of miles on it (early-mid 90's model) and there used to be red paint on it so im guessing it was painted from factory, if that helps. i may or may not take it to the lbs because i was planning on going ahead and building on it (only need brakes, i got other parts laying around).

The break in the frame is probably where the guy who stole it sawed through it to get the lock off.

"Dumpster outside the factory." Yeah, right.

Everything about this situation smells.

RichC

Good point...I didn't think of that

And then I realized...why in the world would a bike manufacturer waste perfectly good aluminum?

We recycle pop cans...why wouldn't they recylce the unneeded frame for the metal?

Thats exactly what i was thinking Rich... I would stay away from this one.

=[

what should i do then:confused:

put it back in the dumpster and forget about it

there really is nothing else i can do about it huh?

Nope.

If you already have the bike in your hands, I would check with the local police, to see if it was reported stolen. If it comes back clear, go ahead and build it up, but don’t ride it to hard or too far away from home.

BTW, I would think that most bike manufactures would inspect the bike before painting, just another hole in the previous owners story.

TFunk, just drop it back where you found it, it may be possible that you could take it in for repairs, and the shop runs the serial #? doesnt that sound parinoid?
Well what if....? Then you would get pinched for a hot frame, if buddy fed you a line on where he got it.

the bike probably was stolen(if it was stolen) almost a decade ago, and the paint is completely stripped (duh another obvious sign it was stolen)...

now i feel stupid. :confused:

i am such a newbie for not catching onto these clues *sigh*

i got it at a garage sale kinda near my house but not really. i do not know the exact location although i could take a look this weekend. i doubt i'd get my $50 back though. maybe i should look at the serial #(where can i find it??) when i take a look at the frame this weekend (the frame is at home, i am at college).

i didnt think $50 was even that good a deal for the thing, thats why i didnt suspect anything (like oh it's too good to be true). its not uncommon for people to sell bare frames with some extra "goodies" for $50-$75 especially older model bikes. i think i will try to run the # and find the owner and make him buy it from me for $50? is that fair???

the serial # should be on the bottom bracket...

if its not there on the seat tube?

if the serial # is gone, then something is really fishy...

so the serial # is etched on correct? under the bottom bracket? i'll have to wait til the weekend until i can get a chance to look. *hope there is a serial # there*... but if there isnt, what the **** can i do??? i really hate to throw away $50 just like that, and yet if it was stolen i don't want to hold onto it.

I am more concerned with what you said about the top tube being cut and "the guy" welding it back together. thats why i said to put it back in a dumpster and forget about it this bike doesnt sound tobe sound

I think you're screwed. Chalk one up to experience. But the theft and its repercussions are probably long past. If the serial number is still there on the underside of the BB shell, you might try tracing it through the local police, but it's probably not going to lead anywhere.

Don't get too bent out of shape. I've made a lot of mistakes that cost a lot more than $50. Don't get me started about that '69 Ford Falcon...

However, I would definitely get the opinion of an expert -- a framebuilder, say -- before trusting the rideability of the thing. Catastrophic frame failure in the middle of a sprint through a busy intersection would not be pretty.

RichC

would it be okay if i chuck the frame but keep the sugino cranks, profile boa stem, zoom 170 handlebar, and rockshox mag21 fork? is that $50 worh of parts? so that i dont feel ripped off for the frame?

anyway im gonna try not to think about it until the weekend, but here are two optimistic viewpoints:

if they can chop the frame, then that means they probably could've chopped the lock (at least certain types of locks) correct?

also even if they made a clean cut through the frame, is the frame really that flexible so that it can shift and make a gap big enough in order for a thick bulky lock to slide through? perhaps i will take pictures this weekend while i am at it?

what do you guys think of what i just said? am i just ****ting myself and convincing myself not to feel that bad, or do i have some valid points? again, serial # is probably the best answer. but thanks guys for all the insight and advice.

and regarding taking the bike to a shop for repairs... i do all of that myself or i get friends to help, so not to advocate shady frames, but i dont even take my legit store-bought bike to shops

yes i am doing a good job of making myself feel better. hoping for some good news on the weekend

Don't get too upset with yourself tFUnK. Like Rich said, we all make mistakes, and it's only 50 bucks.

These kind of people are scum-bag bottom feeders and are headed downward. You, on the other hand, seem like a nice person, in college, looking at a bright future. You win. They lose. :thumbup: