koosbeer Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Good morning all First time poster. I am a commuter cyclist. I purchased a nice MTB second hand a few years ago. The bike has served me well for over 4000km over 2 years. This morning I broke the frame I need some advice on this:Can something like this be repaired? Is it even worth it to have it repaired? Do you know of someplace that can repair this in the Pretoria area?See the image for the damage. Its a GT Zaskar frame, large. Any advice would be appreciated.
V12man Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 If you bought that new - try a warrantee claim through the original dealer.
koosbeer Posted September 10, 2015 Author Posted September 10, 2015 Sadly not new. Bought it second hand. I have contacted the GT suppliers for some extra information and their replies are very quick. Very impressed with them so far. I just thought I would try the cycling community
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 OUCH! I'm sure it can be repaired, by someone who works with aluminium, and has the required welding rig. But personally I'd just go for a 2nd hand frame...
koosbeer Posted September 10, 2015 Author Posted September 10, 2015 Yeah thats what Im hearing from the GT guy as well. I looked on the classifieds for a 26" large frame (hardtail) and the options are extremely limited to none. The GT guy did get back to me and can get met a 2013 Mongoose Tyax Sport frame for R1500. Is that a good price? Is the frame a decent frame?
Super J Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Get a 2nd hand frame, but that can be repaired easily, you need to contact Pretoria steel works and ask who they recommend for TIG wielding or try Precision Auto Body, they also specialise in Alu repairs. There is a place in Silverton that also specialise in Alu and Ti wielding but I can honestly not think of the name... Fix it and slowly build it up as a spare.....
koosbeer Posted September 10, 2015 Author Posted September 10, 2015 @SuperJ: Thats very good advise. I was looking at getting the Zaskar frame repaired and keeping it as a spare. I will look around for Alu and Ti wielding guys. Any thoughts on that Mongoose frame i mentioned itv quality and pricing?
Falco Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 The GT guy did get back to me and can get met a 2013 Mongoose Tyax Sport frame for R1500. Is that a good price? Is the frame a decent frame? I had a Mongoose Tyax years ago before I changed to road bikes, I'm not a weight weenie and I rode that thing to death, couldn't break it. Then gave it to my gardener, he's still riding it. It's heavy though.
koosbeer Posted September 10, 2015 Author Posted September 10, 2015 Im also not a "weight weenie" as you call it. I used to ride Bouwer Broers bicycles years back and only got the nice second hand bike because I broke my old bike axle. I like the higher quality components because they work better for me. Im a big guy and I need the bike to stop when Im going down the hill When you say heavy do you mean "i bought it at macro" heavy or "heavy for an aluminium frame" heavy? As long as the frame is strong. Thats what I need at the moment.Thanks for the feedback. Im just not sure about the price. Is it a good price? can I get something better for the same price or cheaper?
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Im also not a "weight weenie" as you call it. I used to ride Bouwer Broers bicycles years back and only got the nice second hand bike because I broke my old bike axle. I like the higher quality components because they work better for me. Im a big guy and I need the bike to stop when Im going down the hill When you say heavy do you mean "i bought it at macro" heavy or "heavy for an aluminium frame" heavy? As long as the frame is strong. Thats what I need at the moment.Thanks for the feedback. Im just not sure about the price. Is it a good price? can I get something better for the same price or cheaper?They're strong. Very strong. Just heavy for an alu bike. And it's not at all a bad price.
Falco Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 When you say heavy do you mean "i bought it at macro" heavy or "heavy for an aluminium frame" heavy? Heavy for an aluminium frame. Well it seemed that way to me anyway, but as I said, I'm a roadie, it's not my field of expertise.
koosbeer Posted September 10, 2015 Author Posted September 10, 2015 Thank you all for the feedback. I appreciate it.
NotSoBigBen Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 I am by no means an expert but in my experience, I have had 2 Alu frames repaired over the years and in both cases they cracked again close to the welded area not so long after. 1 of them was welded by some alu experts at a workshop at Rand Airport that were considered the best at the time I was told ...... FWIW I have had way way more success with carbon repairs
David Marshall Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Don't try to weld it. Unless you can find someone with equipment to weld aeroplane stress fractures it will crack again adjacent to the new weld. Just not worth it.
NotSoBigBen Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Don't try to weld it. Unless you can find someone with equipment to weld aeroplane stress fractures it will crack again adjacent to the new weld. Just not worth it. As per my post David even those plane welders are not guaranteed?
Andymann Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 I know someone who has a large 26" GT Zaskar bike gathering dust in his garage - but it's a carbon frame. He might want to sell it.....
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.