Inspection is indeed a wise thing to do. I have Joe Bender-Zanoni to thank for catching a crack 1/3 of the way around the circumference of a ttt Superleggera bar that I was about to mount on a bike at the Cirque this past year. It looked superficially to be a scratch and that is what I took it to be. It was right at the engraving near the stem which had pretty obviously acted as a stress riser on that "tin foil" bar (no printed warning on this one). He saw it, ran a fingernail over it, and thankfully called it to my attention. Still have all of my teeth...
Charlie "Ecologist that has broken a few aluminum things over the years"
Young
Honeybrook, PA
>
> Dale, please forgive the "me too". but we oughta put this one to bed.
>
> Jerry is correct. Aluminum may oxidize a few microns, but unless you load
> it, it's good to go in a day or a decade. Now, the crazy light bars on
the
> other hand may be failing not from fatigue, but from a stress riser caused
> by the stem clamp.
>
> I prefer to be confident in my equipment, so I deburr the stem edges where
> the bar is clamped, a few moments with crocus cloth and the stem is ready
> for a bar. I'd bet far more bars have failed from improper installation
> than "fatigue". It is also prudent to inspect your bike periodically for
> cracks, bent parts etc. I'm at a triathlon this weekend, and assembled my
> buddies bikes last night. Given the condition they arrived in, I wouldn't
> have ridden either of them. They'll be safe Saturday, but each got a list
> of things to take care of over the winter.
>
> Regarding my background, I'm an engineer - Chem E. / Mechanical , but more
> importantly, am a practicing design engineer (medical devices). As such,
I
> try to stay passably current on failure modes and effects. Aluminum is
> employed in some of my work. Unless you are storing it in a corrosive
> atmosphere, I wouldn't be too concerned about aging.
>
> Sid Smith
> Currently enjoying very warm weather in Clermont, FL where he is about to
> engage in some very off topic activities.