I noticed the creaking sound on my way home the other night, and thought something was off just a little. I was trackstanding at a light, waiting for green, and stood on the pedals hard when the light changed. I heard this horrible tearing sound. Not only did the downtube rip, but the whole bottom bracket assembly tore apart as well. You cans see the grease inside of the bottom bracket shell.
This is an early '80s steel Fuji Finest. I loved the old girl.
Looks like it's time for a new frame - probably a Sputnik.
*Edit - I'm attaching a second pic - this one is a better view of the break in the downtube.

it is pretty nuts to see the bottom bracket shell crack like that. usually breaks are right at the joint of a lug/tube or just on the tube. it looks like the seat tube joint must have started cracking first and the thing just split

Wow. That is intense and I can't wrap my head around how it ever happened. Condolences... take it as proof that your strength is superhuman.

Oh, and it's great to see good old shants posting.

Unfortunate name. He he he.. glad you are okay. That is one gnarly rip.

You sir, are super human. Thats steel man! STEEL!
sorry man that sucks, at least now you have a little project on your hands

You aren't a clydesdale by chance, are you?

I'm 6'3, 195. Big, but not that big. I don't really do a lot of skidding either (I have a front brake), but I suppose years of heavy use can start to mess with a frame. I bought it used about 5 years ago; who knows how it was used before that.

+1. Metal fatigue is a fact of life. I imagine your frame is pretty big since you're 6'3", and the guy that had it before you and the guy before that were probably big dudes too. Plus, those long tubes make nice levers. I doubt you could find many 52cm frames with a failure like that while my friend who is 6'3" has had a number of frames that have failed.

Anyway, condolences. I wanted to cry when I bent my Peugeot's fork, and it's was a piece of ****.

cot damn! nice rip.

maybe it had internal rust.

Dude, I came into this thread assuming this was going into the BFSSFG Digest, but I congratulate you that you've beasted through some frame. Bragging rights ahoy.

glad it didn't happen while you were moving at speed!

could it be years of a freeze/thaw cycle that weakened it? i live in a *cold* place and often wonder if years of temperature swings from -40 to +30c affects the ol' frame integrity.

Sure anything is possible. I assume it really just the time you put on it. Weighting, unweighting. All stressing to that part of the frame.

The creaking was most likely the beginning of crack, right at the lug. Then when you applied quick strong force the crack just kept growing and it when it hit what looks like a strong weld, cut into the downtube.

I had a 1984 Centurion crack thru seat tube just above the BB while standing up to make a left turn at intersection. It was a very sad day.

I put 7504mi on that frame after converted to fixed. Previously, even though old, it couldn't have had more than 2000mi on it, my dad bought it new and it was garaged most of it's life.

I replaced with a Sputnik.

Al

Welcome to the club!



80's Colnago, starting off from a trackstand at a light, just like you.

Intense.

yarf! enjoy your replacement.

Amazing how it cracked through the lug and tube. Good thing you weren't in the middle of a sprint.

That Colnago should be repaired a new tube will cost you 150$ big deal...

plus paint, and maybe shipping both ways, or at least a decent drive, depending on where you live. not saying you shouldn't do it, but it won't be cheap.