Rebirth of the Dos Niner! (Yes, a slight change to the topic title.)
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Author Topic: Rebirth of the Dos Niner! (Yes, a slight change to the topic title.)  (Read 2005 times)
fishnchips
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« on: March 24, 2008, 11:57:36 PM »
I knew this day would come; you can't be 240+lbs and riding a SS bike 800 miles in the Wiss and expect it to last forever.

Dos Niner broke in half on an uphill at about 2mph. I was standing and cranking and I thought the rear wheel had collapsed. But the frame had ripped in two at the weld of the chainstays and the BB. I was extremely lucky it wasn't a speedy down hill.

It was a used frame so not sure Salsa can replace it, though they may give a discount upgrade. I didn't want to put so many miles on it but I really loved the bike and my other bikes have been out of commission. Actually right now I'm bikeless, but I'll figure something out soon.

I was riding with my buddy Mike yesterday and we ran into Miko from Abington Wheelwright. I was showing off the bike and he said, "you are never going to break that frame, it's super strong, etc..."  Soon after it happened I called Mike and said, You remember what Miko said yesterday? Well, guess what? It's a little bit ironic!

Dmitri has been trying to find a strong SS chain and I was yabbing about how I've been riding the same drive chain for the last 800 miles with zero problems. SRAMS SS chain has a weird quicklink which is a tiny bit thicker than the rest of the chain and sometimes I could hear it hit the tensioner guide. The last couple of days I could hear it a lot, and when the bike ripped it in half I looked down and noticed that the one side of the quick link was not there; basically nothing was holding that link onto the rest of the chain. And yet after 800 miles, it still hadn't worn or failed! 

The frame though is another story... I'll post pictures in a bit. 

« Last Edit: April 11, 2008, 11:37:27 PM by fishnchips » Logged
Kelly
Dmitri
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« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2008, 07:20:09 AM »
Two words...
Redline... Monocog...

Can't beat $450 for a complete bike, and I seriously doubt you'd break it
http://www.sagecycles.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BK06RL2901

And you can just move over the fork and the lighter wheels from Dos-Niner, as well as other nice parts.

Alternatively, Salsa KM frame could be had for cheap too, given that you have every bit and piece and just need a frame that might be the way to go as well.

dz

PS Another thing to keep in mind, is that aluminum has fatigue life. I don't think it just sheered like that in one second, I would bet some money that it's been failing in that spot for a little while, developing micro and minor cracking. Just goes to show, that we all should be inspecting your frames and components regularly and closely.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2008, 08:18:20 AM by Dmitri » Logged
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Rico
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« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2008, 09:20:37 AM »
This.....................thread........................is......................useless....................without............................pics................................... Grin
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Chuck U
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« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2008, 10:19:28 AM »
I was gonna vote Surly Karate Monkey frame...

Salsa and Surly are both owned by QBP.  Salsa tends to be the lightweight division, surly the bomber.   Don't think you could break it.

D, I've seen the Redline's break at the headtube on MTBR (I know, I know...JRA)!   I'd probably stay away from the Jamis too, they are built light...even the steel one.

<...From what I've heard.....>

I think it was the weight of the bell that broke it though...   Grin
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fishnchips
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« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2008, 10:39:06 AM »
Rico, have some respect. Your like the paparazzi taking pics of Princess Diana in the back of the wrecked car!  Grin

I'll try to get some pictures at the end of the day; I'll have time; I won't be riding!

Unfortunately I really liked the softtail, and if there was one thing I thought the Dos Niner was missing, it was full suspension!

For the rigid SS masochists it may be hard to comprehend, but I really like the idea of Full Suspension 29er SS. With that tensioner I made it work on my first FS SS 26" bike, and I'm hoping it will on a 29er FS too.

The Dos Niner though really let me capture a bit of the nimble control that a lot of SS riders appreciate, while still offering comfort.  Both the Curtlo Epic and Ventana El Rey seem to be steel 29er softtails, but they are custom bikes beyond my budget.

I could go with a hardtail frame and a Thudbuster seatpost, which is not my first choice. Or I get another Dos Niner just for racing, inspect it daily, and loose 80 pounds.

DZ, I heard my crank making noise this season and I inspected the frame; all was fine. But the last couple of days I was hearing more creaks on my right side down stoke. I figured it was the crank again but in retrospect I no doubt had a crack forming in the right chainstay. I didn't feel any more flex than usual in the BB area though.
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Rico
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« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2008, 11:00:15 AM »
Quote from: fishnchips on March 25, 2008, 10:39:06 AM
Rico, have some respect. Your like the paparazzi taking pics of Princess Diana in the back of the wrecked car!  Grin


I apologize, later this evening I will go outside and gently play Taps on a trumpet.
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« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2008, 06:20:41 PM »
Hey man, that totally sucks. At least you're alright, eh? Good luck and hopefully you'll be getting a new frame soon!
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fishnchips
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« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2008, 06:41:03 PM »
here ya go
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Kelly
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« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2008, 07:40:13 PM »

That sucks

Eventually some bikes break!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNwmpLPhoHw

K
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bonkers
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« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2008, 07:52:43 PM »
Quote from: Kman on March 25, 2008, 07:40:13 PM

That sucks

Eventually some bikes break!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNwmpLPhoHw

K

DAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMNNN........
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« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2008, 07:55:01 PM »
that sucks man!
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Chuck U
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« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2008, 08:09:01 PM »
Is that another crack around the front of the seat tube joint too?

Interesting soft tail design for alum......
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Dmitri
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« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2008, 09:53:44 PM »
Good point Chuck... I didn't even think of that... Soft tail in alum?! WTF!!! Alum has fatigue and cannot bend too many times, so they put it into softail where it is supposed to bend?!?! No pivot...
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Lust4singletrack
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« Reply #13 on: March 25, 2008, 10:20:14 PM »
I think it may be scandium. If that makes a difference.
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Tom Coyle
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« Reply #14 on: March 25, 2008, 10:26:35 PM »
Quote from: Dmitri on March 25, 2008, 09:53:44 PM
Alum has fatigue and cannot bend too many times....

This is true.  Think about this a lot next time you fly and have a window seat by the wing...   Shocked
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fishnchips
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« Reply #15 on: March 26, 2008, 12:00:19 AM »
I think scandium is alloyed with aluminum and makes it flexible and weldable. The flatter parts of the chanstays are design to flex with the suspension and I don't think they were the problem. The problem was the force of my foot on the crank and BB. In the previous two days I had climbed 3 different sections I'd never before made on an SS.
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Kelly
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« Reply #16 on: March 26, 2008, 11:16:53 AM »
Interesting, if odd design.
http://bp3.blogger.com/_vQP-DMkG-5Y/Rm0mDMvsPcI/AAAAAAAAAhg/lGCh1dyzCvc/s1600-h/g-ted29erblue.jpg

it's "soft-tail-ish" but just might be strong enough

dz
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Chuck U
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« Reply #17 on: March 26, 2008, 01:01:18 PM »
If we are going for soft tail...and fatigue life, then I'm voting for this http://www.jonesbikes.com/update/designtech/3d.html  Obviously   Grin
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fishnchips
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« Reply #18 on: March 26, 2008, 01:38:48 PM »
those are some whicked designs. Keep 'em coming!
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Kelly
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« Reply #19 on: March 26, 2008, 09:54:29 PM »
So basically what you're saying Jesse is that you ripped the frame apart with your sheer power. Pretty impressive...especially for the guy who was the first to respond to the girls ride.
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Tom Coyle
fishnchips
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« Reply #20 on: March 26, 2008, 10:53:09 PM »
Well there wasn't anybody else riding the bike, but I'd have to say it was a combination of sheer girth and power.  Shocked

Your bars are now looking like valiant antlers atop a fresh kill  Grin

hmmm, maybe the frame was hit by a ricochet over by Wises Mill?
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Kelly
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« Reply #21 on: March 28, 2008, 07:39:41 PM »
The ventana el rey is AL, not steel - not custom either.  $pendy though.  Just get a ti Moots YBB and be done with the bike carnage.  Big boys have big bike bills.  Marin's doing a steel hardtail 29er singlespeed - ebb, switchable drops and cable stops should you want to switch to a 1x9 - put an Albert Bold Ti seat post on there and you've most of the bump abatement of your softtail.  I think your tenants rent just went up.
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« Reply #22 on: March 29, 2008, 10:26:21 AM »
Sorry to hear about your bike Jess. If you are still in the market for a soft tail, maybe have a look at the Castellano Fango. Pretty cool chainstays, but it seems a bit on the lightweight side is you are brutal with your bikes.

http://www.castellanodesigns.com/fango.html

You already mentioned the Curto - I think Curtlo or Moots are probably your best bet for a 'burly' soft tail. Curtlo will be able to give you a custom steel tube set which will hopefully address the problem you had with the Salsa. Plus, it will probably be half the cost of the Moots.

I think I read somewhere that Walt (of Waltworks fame) thought soft tails were a bad idea - can't remember his reasoning though. With that in mind, here's a few more ideas, most already suggested above:

Hardtai + Ti seatpost, although I prefer the Eriksen Ti seatposts Wink

Hardtail + high volume tubless/low psi would probably get you in the range of plush offered by a soft tail.

Hardtail + thudbuster, a friend is running one with good success so far.

Good luck!
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Lust4singletrack
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« Reply #23 on: March 29, 2008, 05:01:34 PM »
Jess I've said this to you many times. Buy a beefy freeride bike. Kona's, like the Coiler for example, are a good start since they're bomb proof. Come to the dark side.

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Tom Coyle
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« Reply #24 on: March 29, 2008, 07:48:18 PM »
IIRC Max has an xl Santa Cruz Heckler frame looking for a good home - should fit you ok.  You won't hurt it.  Single pivot and super versatile in how it can be built up.
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fishnchips
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« Reply #25 on: March 29, 2008, 08:16:48 PM »
thanks for everybody's input. Some great ideas and and lots to consider. I'm going to send off pictures tomorrow and perhaps Salsa will take pity. Meanwhile I'm going to try Dmitri's rigid on Monday and see if I can live at least with a hardtail.

Karl, Sadly I still don't have tenants which means my bike budget doesn't exist. So for the moment I'm taking my only option which is to get the the Specialized Enduro running again. How's a singlespeed Enduro sound!
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« Reply #26 on: March 29, 2008, 10:02:13 PM »
Good advice on the Heckler. Max has been tryin to unload that thing forever. Great bike! That would be perfect....you know, when you get some tenants.