Ouch...Bike broken in 3 pieces with pics!

Glad you are ok!

Thats the problem with aluminum - it just doesn't flex. It develops microcracks which propagate and weaken the metal enough to cause the part to simply fail.

IMO you'd be better off going with a cheaper frame $1295 for some AL tubing is an absolute ripoff, IMO.

 

Wow, you split the frame. I've never seen anything like that before. See if you can get a refund from the company.

 

wow - that's a story to never forget! Sure better to happen there than up in the hills off a ramp in the trees.

Let us know what the manufacturer does eh?

 

I'm always leery of Al in a cyclic loading application, as Al will always fatigue, unlike steel which only fatigues if the stress is more than half the ultimate strength. In other words Al will always have a finite life in such applications, and you just found it. Glad you're not hurt.

 

Brought to you by ALUMINUM,....the metal in every airplane flying over your head.

Not likely that you will get a refund when you admit on an open forum that you were jumping the bike off a 4 1/2 foot drop.

 

Ouch that's a bad break. Regardless of the age, I'd send it back to Azonic and see what they have to say about it, you might be able to get a new frame out of it. Back when I was doing trials biking (regular 4+ foot drops with a 200lb rider) I'd replace my frame every year and most of my parts. Never broke a frame but I have broke cranks, handlebars, stems, bottom braket, and of course levers, derrailuers, hangers, etc.

 

looks(ed) like a really nice bike. I would love to get back into it soon.

glad you're OK

Antony

 

How did you land? I'm puzzled how the frame could snap like that.

 

Time for some carbon fiber!

 

It failed due to fatigue. As said above, Aluminum weakens every time it bends (even if it bends such a small amount that you can't see it with your eyes).


The welded areas are all intact, because the gussets provide added strength. The thin-wall tubing used on the frame is not sufficient to withstand repeated flexing without leading to a failure the way it did here.

Steel is the best choice in terms of longevity in this application, but of course nobody wants a bike that heavy, so we make compromises

I wouldn't believe the "wow, never seen THAT before!" line from the dealer or factory. It's S.O.P. to claim any failure (especially a catastrophic one that could lead to a lawsuit) is the "very first time they've EVER seen anything like that!".

If they're smart they will fix it for you, free of charge.

 

Time to break out the big gun:
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+1!

 

Glad you're OK.

Having been in the bike biz, I'm guessing that the frame is MIC.

Nice King headset!

 

Ouch, that's always been my worst fear, good thing you didn't get hurt. I still ride a 11 year old Santa Cruz Heckler. (Aluminum frame) Btw, are you going to part the bike out? If so what size are your brakes & what would you take for them? I'm looking for a Hayes 160mm set.

 

All I have are cro-mo frames at the moment. City bike, freeride mountain bike and a BMX cruiser with a custom frame, all steel.

 

Isn't that what these bikes were engineered to do?

 

I don't think that any bike or motorcycle manufacturer is going to guarantee that their products will withstand such abuse. Legally speaking, they are probably only designed to roll down the road and absorb bumps with their suspension system, NOT fly off 4 1/2 foot drops.