A sad day - Broken frame - Replacement recommedations?
 

Hi folks,

Yesterday's ride was cut short when I felt the bike squirming around with that flat tire feeling. I looked down to check and saw the rear wheel - apparently wobbling miles out of true. On dismounting I gave the wheel a spin to check it - it looked true but loose. The next thing that occurred to me was that the QR had come undone and when I checked that and looked things over I saw what no-one wants to see. The rear dropout had broken clean through in the section leading to where it was brazed into the right side chainstay.

At this point, a degree of horror and panic set in, since I was a good 50min /14 miles out from home. I started walking, but that was no fun in cycling shoes so gingerly tried to saddle up and ride back. That took approx 2 hours and things were OK as long as gentle pressure on the pedals was maintained - this would hold the break together, otherwise things were decidedly insecure. The worst of it was seeing other cyclists look at me as if I was one of those sunday-afternooners doing 6-10 mph with all the gear but no fitness. Lucky though, that it gave way just before a fast downhill section and not during....

Anyhow - the frame is totally buggered. It is not worth repairing as it is an old plain gauge steel Peugeot "Carbolite" from a 10-speed that I bought second-hand about 7 years ago. Sad loss of an old friend really since although she was a little heavy, the bike was a really good fit. The most annoying part is that I had just lovingly stripped and repainted the frame - I'm surprised I did not notice any signs of the crack.

The good news is that most of the components are new, so I'm in the market for a nice new frame & forks to fit out. I'd be grateful for ideas in this department, up to a value of about £200 ( $350 US). I would be able to buy in the UK or US and would prefer conventional straight top tube design with mounts for down-tube shift levers.

Cheers,

Ed

Check out Orbea. Great frames priced well. I can't swear that they'll have anything you're interested in, but they're worth a look.

There are a whole bunch of UK frame-builders who make stock road frames. Make sure you get one with correct clearance for your brakes. Most are setup for short-reach calipers. If you want long-reach calipers you will have to make this clear. Ditto for threaded eyelets for mudguards and rack.
Thorn do some good value training-grade frames. Orbit can supply frames.
You may want to buy a seatpost with the frame, to ensure a good fit. Its also a good opportunity to convert to a 1 1/8 theadless headset, but avoid anything integrated.

www.chucksbikes.com has a handful of frames that would meet your price point.

In addition

www.GVHBIKES.com has a large inventory of frames and there are a few that also fall within your budget.

look also at www.probikekit.com they always have interesting frame specials.

I love Basso, and Performance has the Coral for approx $280.00 USD, after 20% discount. Pretty good deal IMO.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=3020

Just doesn't have downtube shifters.

I snapped a dropout coming out of a turn in a velodrome. My flesh fed that track that day. OOOHHHH!!! I can still feel that.

If I were you I would check out Thorn Bicycles.

A custom / semi-custom builder in the UK.

Does some lovely work in steel in road and cyclocross versions. Also is very well known for Audax frames.

http://www.sjscycles.com/thornbrochure.asp

Very nice bikes from what I remember.

Seems like a good welder could fix it up for very little cash, but it is a good reason to buy a new bike.

Thanks for the replies folks. I'll check out the places mentioned above. I had already found some places from magazine ads: SJS cycles (thanks Toomany) are quite promising, and also Ribble cycles, who have some nice "own brand" frames built from Dedacciai tubing.

Fixing is not really an option based on the age, value and crash history of the frame - it is time for new :)

Thanks again,

Cheers,

Ed

Quick update - I spoke to one of my favourite shops at the w/e and they turned up a possible solution in the form of a 2004 Kinesis Racelight frame + carbon fork for £200 - I'm unable to remember the model, but it is Al and had "hourglass" seatstays. I visited the shop during my lunch hour yesterday for a look (no pun intended ;)) and it seems like a great deal. Possibly a better bike than my current "good" bike. They are kind enough to hold onto it for a couple of weeks whilst I do some searching in LA.

Does anyone have anything to report regarding Kinesis products?

Cheers,

Ed

I just had a rear drop-out re-welded (steel) for 30 bucks! (Australian)

If I wanted the drop-out replaced, it would've cost me about $80