nm+

I've been doing the Northern Tier on my Trek 520. I started in Anacortes, WA a few months ago.
Lately I noticed a slight wobble in the rear of my bike. I thought a screw was loose, so i tightened them, or maybe my load wasn't balanced. It was annoying and I thought it was too much flex.
That was until Palmyra, NY. There I noticed some strange paint cracks on the paint on the seat tube between the seat stay and the top tube, radiating to the welds. I rode it very carefull, 15mi to Fairport, NY -- this was my last ride on that frame. I made it, where we discovered even worse cracks on the other side under the electrical tape I used to prevent the cable from damaging the paint. There are at least 4 cracks on my bike, and given that trek can't return a warranty very quickly, I'm screwed.
Now I'm looking at flights home from Rochester, 700 damn dollars. As far as I'm concerenbed trek can kiss my ass. This bike obviously wasn't up to the stress created by real touring. Granted I'm a big guy and I was carrying around a lot of stuff, but a bike like this should not break after 3 years and only 2 tours (and a lot of unloaded rides).
Any how, I'm in the market for a new frame, can anyone suggest something stronger? I realize that I'm probably gonna have to go custom and would rather switch my parts offmy 520 than buy new ones.
Also anyone in the market for a new 520 frame? I'm gonna have one soon.

vosyer

You've got lots of choices - and appears like lots of to think about it. I assume you have another bike at home and have time to look. I have two touring bikes built right that I am trying to decide for my solo Nothern Tier for 2008 - I built a retro Koga Miyata mountain bike from the late 80's - new running gear drop bars, barends, Surly racks. Mountain Bike geometry from this era are like custom touring bikes today and it looks and feels bullit proof - secondly a 1900 Waterford Adventure cycle which is getting a custom set of 40 hole Hugi's next month. Alittle or alot of money !Building up a new bike is the exciting part - sorry to hear about your mis-adventure doesn't make sense from what I know about Trek 520's though. MW

supcom

You're giving up???

Take your $700 and buy another bike. Get something cheap and mail home most of your stuff. For two weeks you could ride an xmart bike and throw it away at the finish. If you mailed home enough stuff, you could probably double your daily mileage, stay in motels instead of camp, and still come out ahead versus $700 airfare.

bhchdh 

How about finding a welder to patch the cracks ?

nm+

Eh, I don't wanna do that. I got the white mountains coming up with a whole lot of empty space. I need a bike I can trust. And honestly, I'm just so pissed off at the whole situation, I just wanna go home aqnd chill out with a beer or five.

vik 

Buy a Surly LHT - swap all your parts across, send your frame to Trek for replacement and keep riding. Have an extra beer each night to celebrate your new ride and sell the 520 on Ebay when you get a new replacement frame form wTreck.

nm+

You seen the wait on LHTs?
Also, I'm not convinced that the LHT is any more durable than the 520.
I swear I'm getting a bike welded out of 1 ton I beams.
In summary, Boooo Trek, Hooraay Beer!
Whatever I get, I need to get moving on what I get, I want to do a week or so tour this winter somewhere temparate. Get away from the ice and snow of Minnesota.

Saddleview

You could try Craigslist.org and pick something cheap to to finish the trip with. No?

Shemp

You'll probably kick yourself later for not finishing if you quit now based on an emotional reaction. I'd find a used road bike and a seat post rack, mail home most stuff and continue on credit card touring style. I understand the frustration, but don't stop now!

Saddleview

Here is an example of pressing on.

subigo

If I paid $1000+ for a damned touring bike, they better be quick with a replacement if my frame cracks... just sayin'.

nm+

Yeah, I wish.
I've already booked my flight home. Honestly, I've already done most of the rest of the route, so I don't feel like I'm missing much (New England bores me, too civilized to be really interesting, give me eastern Montana!). Really, buying a new bike to finish the tour just didn't work, i don't ahve time to find something that fits (I need to be home on the 22nd), and given my weird measurements, its an issue (6'4" with no legs). Plus, this is just the final mechanical to end everything. I'm on my third friggin wheel (resulting in interesting hitches), ran out of spokes in the middle of nowhere ND (did you know there are no bike shops between Minot and Fargo?), went through 4 tires, a billon tubes (par for the course), broke my damn air zounds, went through 3 computer mounts, 1 chain (not links), got food poisoning, broke my pump with a flat 5 miles from the nearest town, and have been able to keep a good mood about it. I had a lot of fun, and in some ways this is the best tour I've ever been on. But I just sort of took this as a sign that it was time to end. I said through all the problems that "unless the frame brakes, I'm not stopping." Well here it is.
On the upside I now have a bombproof selection of components.
What I really need is suggestions on a new frame in the long term. I can keep good humor about this, but second time is not the charm.

vosyer

Man you had a tough trip - I have never had all these issues at the same time. My issues are always wheels and you kept your humor through all of it. Sounds like you know what you want in running gear so you are most of the way on your rebuild. How about a Bruce Gordon or a Gunnar next time around. They are somewhat mainline but there are alot of small custom shops out there to choose from. As I stated looks of inexpensive retro solutions out even given your size.

vosyer

Man you had a tough trip - I have never had all these issues at the same time. My issues are always wheels and you kept your humor through all of it. Sounds like you know what you want in running gear so you are most of the way on your rebuild. How about a Bruce Gordon or a Gunnar next time around. They are somewhat mainline but there are alot of small custom shops out there to choose from. As I stated looks of inexpensive retro solutions out even given your size.

vosyer

Man you had a tough trip - I have never had all these issues at the same time. My issues are always wheels and you kept your humor through all of it. Sounds like you know what you want in running gear so you are most of the way on your rebuild. How about a Bruce Gordon or a Gunnar next time around. They are somewhat mainline but there are alot of small custom shops out there to choose from. As I stated looks of inexpensive retro solutions out even given your size.

vosyer

Man you had a tough trip - I have never had all these issues at the same time. My issues are always wheels and you kept your humor through all of it. Sounds like you know what you want in running gear so you are most of the way on your rebuild. How about a Bruce Gordon or a Gunnar next time around. They are somewhat mainline but there are alot of small custom shops out there to choose from. As I stated looks of inexpensive retro solutions out even given your size.

vosyer

Man you had a tough trip - I have never had all these issues at the same time. My issues are always wheels and you kept your humor through all of it. Sounds like you know what you want in running gear so you are most of the way on your rebuild. How about a Bruce Gordon or a Gunnar next time around. They are somewhat mainline but there are alot of small custom shops out there to choose from. As I stated looks of inexpensive retro solutions out even given your size.

vosyer

Man you had a tough trip - I have never had all these issues at the same time. My issues are always wheels and you kept your humor through all of it. Sounds like you know what you want in running gear so you are most of the way on your rebuild. How about a Bruce Gordon or a Gunnar next time around. They are somewhat mainline but there are alot of small custom shops out there to choose from. As I stated looks of inexpensive retro solutions out even given your size.

halfspeed

If you're bothered by the wait for an LHT, you're not going to be patient enough for a custom either. I don't know of anyone who sells unbuilt touring frames for immediate delivery.

nm+

You misunderstand, I was talking about buying one to finish this trip.
I can stand somehwat of a wait time, I have 2 other bikes at home, just none of em are good for touring anymore.

halfspeed

In that case your only limit is your budget.

Re-Cycle

Oh wow

nm+

Yeah, you see thats hard-core.
I'm the opposite of hard-core
What do people think of Steve Rex? He's somewhat local (my parents live in Sacramento), and I've heard general good things, but nothing specific.
Basically cost is a factor in that I'll pay for quality/durability, fit, and performance, but woukld pefer not to pay extra for a name. Given that I'm going to be transfering most of the parts from my 520, I'm probably willing to dump no more than $1500 on a full custom and quite a bit less on an off the shelf.

halfspeed

Most US based full custom builders =start= at $1500 and touring bikes with all the braze-ons can go way up from there. Mercian or Bob Jackson will build you a nice custom tourer in that range. For off the shelf, maybe Thorn or Bruce Gordon.

nm+

Yeah, a little research shows that thats a bit too low. I might be able to spring another hundred or three, assuming its solid.
Though rex will do TT OX for ~$1400 full custom (sans fork) fillet-brazed. However it would be nice to sva esome money with something off the rack, I like the idea of a bike that can be built with the stress I'll put on the bike in mind. It just seems that builders don't account for us clydes. All my bikes break at the seat-tube.