A few new parts. Happy New Year!!!

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/a...y/DSC01606.jpg

Very nice. I would love to hear your thoughts on that fork. Not very common stateside it seems. Not that I have the cash for one at the moment, but maybe by the end of next summer...

what gearing are you running?

Disclaimer: I am not an engineer. Take this advice with a grain of salt.

I would suspect that a mountain bike is exposed to far more abuse than a typical airframe, especially compared to an airliner. The fatigue life is what you've got to worry about. If you love the bike and have the money, you could strip it and have the frame (re)heat treated.

I love the fork so far... that's after 2 rides though. It feels much nicer than my last suspension fork... a 2005 model. I was surprised at how stiff it was. I was really worried about pedaling and having that bouncing feeling in the front end when I stood up to pedal but it really wasn't bad at all. Definitely different but so far I think it makes life easier. Rough downhills are AWESOME compared to the rigid, obviously. I LOVE the lockout on the fork. By dropping the front end while the fork is locked out it really feels good climbing and its just like climbing on the rigid again. Only had to use it on one hill yesterday and the bike shot right up so I'm pretty happy about the lockout.

34x17 in the picture... switched back to 34x18 yesterday to see if it'd help me out at all with a slight knee problem.

I'm no engineer either, but when I watch an airplane wing start out level with me and and flex to where it's bowed upward to hold the plane up, I figure it's getting a heck of a lof of abuse.

I could easily be wrong, but I do know plenty of people riding 20+ year old aluminum bikes without problem.

Good point UK. I'd love to hear an actual engineer weigh in on this. (anyone?)

Yes please! My mountain bike is 10 years old so I'd like to know in the next 5 years or so :D

I doubt that my particular Pro-Flex has actually had much use prior to me buying it. I purchased it off a fellow collector and I doubt he did more than take it for the occasional ride down the riverbank beside his house.

After all some one in the past upgraded it to almost full XTR (the rear hub is XT).

I think the frame could be OK on the proflex it's everything else around it. All the other moving parts are what skeeer me.

The wing tip of a B52 flexes 14 feet. None have fallen off yet.

Updated pics with new new parts installed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...y/IMG_0160.jpg

It's not about the amount of flex and the forces caused when the wing/bike is flexed. It's all about stress cycles. Wings and bicycles are built to withstand the forces expected during normal use plus a factor of safety. As you do this over and over and over again it starts to fatigue the metal. With aluminum, or really just about any material the limiting factor is fatigue life. Once you've hit the number of cycles the material can withstand that's when you can start having problems.

I'd imagine the reason you don't see a lot of wings falling off of airplanes is that they're overbuilt to the point that the fatigue life is HUGELY (<-- engineering term) long. Bicycles don't have hundreds of peoples lives relying on them and bikers want to save weight so some strength/lifespan is sacrificed in order to build a lightweight frame that will hold up to normal use for a few years but eventually could break.

Having said that I'm sure there are lots of old aluminum frames riding around that have been well taken care of and last for years.

Interesting top tube...

Here's my On One Scandal.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2786/...b7e3356f69.jpg

Fisher and on one are really nice.

http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/100_3227.jpg

Just can't stop liking this bike.

it's ok....i'll not like it for you.

http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/100_3238.jpg

Chain, hose.

^^ And still that damn zipt-tie :D

Winter sneakers on the Five Spot. I'm freaking ready for spring already!
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j.../DSC_00042.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j.../DSC_00052.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j.../DSC_00082.jpg
Nokian Etreme 294 tires, they're heavy and make you slow as hell but you don't have to worry about falling when your on ice. Almost unridable here now, just plowing along the best I can...

Frantik, with newly updated rear link to give me 180mm, and 2010 Boxxer Race up front. Yes, it's an air shock in back. Get your panties unwadded and deal with it. I'm small, don't go huge on jumps/drops, and the DH runs around me tend to be short-ish.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1.../IMG_00822.jpg

Too bad the spots around here to put it to best use are snowed and iced in, and Diablo/Plattekill/Killington aren't going to be open for a while... Guess I'll just have to suffer riding the trail bikes. :)

:lol:...suffer

Left it there just for you. ;)

BTW, that zip-tie has a function. It's for marking how far to go with the saddle.

dannn....just a question:
why spend the money on a thomson seatpost if you're just gonna shove it that far down?
i would think that the strength of a thomson would be more beneficial with much more seatpost height....?