Imminent frame disintegration?

[jimmer]

Dear All,

In an uncharacteristic spasm of responsible bike ownership, I decided to clean the Catalyst after monkeying around in the grinding paste that passes for mud in Cannock Chase.

Beneath the grime I noticed the cracks, pictured below, in the paint work at the joint between the brake bosses and the seatstays.

Notwithstanding that brakes are the exclusive preserve of spinelessly overcautious namby-pambies, should I be concerned?

The cracks seem to open slightly when thumb pressure is applied on the end of the boss, but no bare metal is evident, it appears that the paint skin alone is moving.

The RHS crack seems to be filled with rust.

I am running Avid Ultimate with a hefty Aluminium brake booster that effectively resists seatstay splay.

Should I remove the paint to check whether the joint is compromised, invoke the lifetime frame warranty or learn to relish the frisson of uncertainty as to whether the brakes will tear off mid descent sending me barrelling into Stafford General, from whence few emerge unbagged?

Yours, James

[julk]

James,
I think contacting SJS about this could be a good idea, and possibly lifespan enhancing.
Julian.

[Danneaux]

Jimmer!

Ohhhhhhh...oh.

To my eyes, this.does.not.look.good.

On the other hand, it may simply be the paint has cracked and that's it. <-- That would be truly Great News in the scheme of things.

I would suggest sending the link for your post here to Thorn and asking what they think. They will be able to give you a good idea as to whether it needs closer examination. That would be a good first step, then take it from there.

Depending on what they have to say, then perhaps it would be a good idea to remove the paint from those specific areas, at least to treat the rust with a product like Ospho to stop it in its tracks, then prime and repaint. I would hold off till Thorn can at least see the photos, as they will show the problem au naturelle, without intervention and should give them the best idea of what's going on.

I am so sorry this has happened, and caused such worry and concern. Of course, there is a Bigger Lesson here that should not be lost on any of us: Don't clean your bike. Obviously, all sorts of Bad Things can happen.  

In sympathy and empathy,

Dan.

[jimmer]

Dear All,

Many thanks for the advice.

I decided to take it rather than further my experiments with cantilevered chainstay support of the rear wheel.

I sent photos of the damage to SJSC and the following morning received a reply from Andy Blance asking for pictures of the cracks with the paint removed. These were sent and again within a day he confirmed the cracking and informed me that there was a direct replacement available.

The bike was purchased in February 2007. The disappointment at frame failure in such a time span is lessened by the unequivocal, respectful honouring of the warranty.

That there is still a Catalyst frame, in my size and colour, in stock is a huge relief. I'm not too proud to admit that I lost sleep over the possibility that a direct replacement may not be available. I am greatly attached to the bike as my primary means of utility transport and for XC trails riding. I couldn’t see any of the current offerings quite doing everything that the Catalyst could.

Andy asked that I send the cracked sections of seat stay for analysis. Cutting into the old thing did raise the tiniest lump to the throat.

The new frame arrived on Tuesday and was Waxoyled and built up in rigid forked, single speed, mud guarded, commuting guise forthwith.

Now all that remains of my original bike are the Rohloff, stem, handlebars and seat post.

I thought I’d share this further testament to Thorn’s truly wonderful customer care so you can feel deeper satisfaction at the wise decision you've made to buy from such a great company.

Summer’s over and I start back at school tomorrow. The new frame will make the ride in a little less dismal.

Yours, James

[Danneaux]

James!

What wonderful news; I do so appreciate hearing the "the rest of the story" and learning of such a wonderful outcome for you and your Catalyst.

Truly, it does not now surprise me; Thorn have done a wonderful job of customer support and -- yes! -- they surely do honor their warranty.

Warranties are like any insurance policy...we tend to zone-out a bit about them when buying the objects of our desire, and only when things go pear-shaped (as they can with any product) do they come to mind. In reality, this is a vital part of the purchase, and so often we are disappointed to find warranties are just weasel-words on paper.

Not so for Thorn. They truly mean what they say about warranty coverage, and this makes purchasing a Thorn an easy choice. Their failure rate is so low they can afford to back every bike frame (the very heart of the bike) they sell new in this way. If some flaw in the frame does appear -- even years later -- they are there for the original buyer, johnny-on-the-spot with coverage from new. This kind of coverage just does not happen so often in today's world where profit is the bottom line, but it happens in Thorn's world, where the customer can confidently count on backup in that very rare event of flaw or failure. For me, it makes buying a Thorn the only choice.

So glad to hear you're "back in the saddle again", James, and so pleased to hear of the wonderful outcome. Congratulations to you, and kudos again to Thorn!

All the best,

Dan.