Just riding along...

[bike4ever]

I sell Gary Fisher bikes. We have not had any bikes effected by "bad aluminum".

[melissam]

Oh no!!! Looks like all the holly bushes, world traveling and time zone shifting has taken its toll on your bike.

Hopefully you'll be able to get it fixed under warranty. You bought this bike in the UK, right? I hope you'll be able to work with a shop in NZ to take care of this.

By the way, I'm waiting to hear the story of the breakage. After the holly bush, you have a reputation to uphold, my dear!

-- Melissa

[SadieKate]

I am getting very cautious about reading threads that DirtDiva starts. Ouch.

Interestingly, she used fewer words to describe this outing.

[DirtDiva]

It's all in the title. Not a holly bush for kilometres. Was out with a couple of mates for a regular weekly after-work blat around a very easy, completely non-technical loop. Felt the saddle slip and thought perhaps I hadn't done the seat post collar up tightly enough. Felt it slip again with a definite backward tilt this time and figured it must be the saddle rail clamp instead. Got off and scratched my head when I saw that both were secure. Then I saw the big crack and just gawped for a while. I guess it's a long-term fatigue thing that has resulted in catastrophic failure. Thank goodness for the lifetime frame warrantee.

[melissam]

Holy metal fatigue, Batman!

DirtDiva, I'm glad you're OK. That could have been disastrous if it had happened during some of your more death-defying stunts.

How long will it take to get a replacement frame?

[spokewench]

That's a weird failure right above the weld! Just curious, is your seatpost long enough? Sometimes when it is too short, it will cause a failure in the bike frame in that area? Just want to be sure if you get a new bike, that it does not happen again - if that was the cause

spoke

[bike4ever]

spokewench - If it's a stock seatpost, it should be plenty long. I just checked a 17.5" model - it has a 350mm post in it.

[smilingcat]

It's all in the title. Not a holly bush for kilometres. Was out with a couple of mates for a regular weekly after-work blat around a very easy, completely non-technical loop. Felt the saddle slip and thought perhaps I hadn't done the seat post collar up tightly enough. Felt it slip again with a definite backward tilt this time and figured it must be the saddle rail clamp instead. Got off and scratched my head when I saw that both were secure. Then I saw the big crack and just gawped for a while. I guess it's a long-term fatigue thing that has resulted in catastrophic failure. Thank goodness for the lifetime frame warrantee.

You're so non-chalant about the whole affair. I would have freaked...

The bike is an aluminum frame. And they do have to temper them to get it strong; but when welded, they lose their temper and makes them weak. That is what I was reading about 6005? aluminum. It can be retempered in welded area so perhaps the frame builder didn't adequately retemper the area.

Anyway, I'm really glad you didn't get hurt. I hope you didn't ride like that back to your house or your car.

Smilingcat