Originally Posted by Long Tom (Post 16137632)

Oh do they now.

We don't know the specifics of the OP's crash and likely neither does he, since was flying through the air and all..

Originally Posted by Long Tom (Post 16137632)

Oh do they now.

We don't know the specifics of the OP's crash and likely neither does he, since was flying through the air and all.. That (cheap, generic) top tube might have taken a direct 90-degree hit from something. To generalize from this wreck to "plastic sucks!" is blatantly opportunistic at best.

Originally Posted by Elvo (Post 16137406)

Yeah I've been riding a plastic bike for the past 5 years and it broke and I died 3 years ago

Originally Posted by TrojanHorse (Post 16137614)

How on earth are you able to abut those two events. Do you think that t-boning anytihng at THIRTY mph is an insignificant event?

On top of that, the OP is riding an open mold bike of dubious origin. Don't let that slow you down though. :lol:

Originally Posted by Bob Dopolina (Post 16136705)

I hope you're ok.

That look excessive based on the fact that it shattered in the middle of the top tube. I've t-boned stuff at greater speed and although I was bent and broken my bike was fine.

If the frame was going to fail I would expect to see a failure at the junctions between the top tube, down tube and head tube but not in the middle of a tube like that. Not at those speeds.

Originally Posted by caloso (Post 16137835)

The OP said 30-35 kph, not mph.

Originally Posted by Ray9 (Post 16138106)

Kph. is for girlie men. I only ride my bike in mph. :giver:

Originally Posted by surgeonstone (Post 16137358)

Plastic bikes suck. I know all the CF boys will come out and say it ain't so but this kind of failure is crazy. A bike riding buddy of mine works in a Cervelo shop and tells me every week a bike comes in with significant failure from insignificant events. He is appalled, more at how the owner seems to think this is ok. I have a Merlin Titanium CF bike, the tubes are CF and the junctures are Ti. I had a persistent rattling and with a careful inspection found the waterbottle cage cage bolts had torn out of the carbon fiber. Had it repaired and same thing occurred within a couple months. Now I'm wondering when this down tube defect will spread and catastrophically fail on me.
I have an Italian steel frame, Columbus Double butted, that I have been riding for 4 decades, several major crashes, many simple falls and it is still going strong with no problems.
I repeat, plastic bikes suck.

Originally Posted by ibikestickers (Post 16137515)

I ride an aluminum bike with a carbon fork. Neither has failed, but I've not been in a wreck with it. The question here is how many people that have been in the same kind of accident have experienced the same kind of damage? Is that type of damage only experienced with no-name Chinese frames, or do people on Cannondales, Treks, Specialized, etc. also have that happen? I'd probably disregard the anecdotes from anyone who hasn't experienced the same type of accident. On the other hand, if your bike folded into pieces like that while you were going 15 on a flat and hit a shallow pothole, I'd say it's definitely the frame.

Originally Posted by caloso (Post 16137841)

I was thinking the same thing. A few years ago I plowed into a curb at 18mph/30kph and it just snapped the head tube clean off:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18...vemeber025.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18...vemeber027.jpg

Originally Posted by Bob Dopolina (Post 16138924)

^^^ I'm not saying that this is the case but it's interesting that the brands in the two photos you chose to post are known to have fake Chinese frames floating around.

Everything breaks. If you want lightweight racing stuff then it isn't going to be as durable. If you want durability it isn't going to be as lightweight. Think F1 vs Hummer; Each has its place but comparing them is just silly.

Originally Posted by SpeshulEd (Post 16139252)

Hummer is a bad example here, those H2's break the minute they see dirt.

Originally Posted by Bob Dopolina (Post 16139261)

^^^ I have no idea.

I only mentioned it as it struck me as funny so I commented on it. The failure the OP experienced is a bit odd considering how and where the TT shattered.

Originally Posted by Looigi (Post 16136941)

Holy cow! ?

Originally Posted by surgeonstone (Post 16137811)

Tell me in 30 years how your bike is doing.

Originally Posted by wjclint (Post 16139274)

Thread Lesson: The plural of anecdote is not data.