These frames have e very good record for longevity over here in the UK..maybe it's the damp weather that holds the epoxy bonding together ! I haven;t heard of any breaking, but one of my sons rides a 24" cyclo-cross frame that belonged to the UK National Champion and was heavily used for a couple of seasons. It's very long in the tooth now but still holding up well. The onl problem I have ever come across was one fork blade that become unbonded but just kept swivelling round in its socket. Couldn't get the thing to rebond it.
A lot has been written about the problems of work-hardening aluminium
alloy, and every one gets vexed when a frame very occasionally
snaps..but just how many steel frames do you get to hear of with
breakages..an awful lot. I used to import the Vitus Duralinox range
direct from Vitus, and got to know the PDG. M Dumas very well. In a
convesation with him at one of the Paris Shows , along with some other
French dealers I was complaining about the "creaking" noise that was
often heard around the bottom bracket area, particularly on large
frames. When asked how old the particular frames were I answered "Five
or six years"
One of the French retailers was astonished at my complaint explaining
that in France the lightweight retailers considered that Duralinox 979s
were "two year frames..then they are past their best..and you get a new
one" In the UK we still expect all our frames regardless of material to
last just as well as the 1930s Claud Butlers, Selbachs etc etc.
>From the late 80s I became the distributor in the UK for the wonderful
carbon-alloy bonded TVT frames, used by just about every T-d-F winner
for about six or seven years including Hinault Delgado, Lemond, Indurain
et c etc. In nearly 1000 frames I had only one debonded lug..and that
was on a 4-year-old frame which really had seen some heavy service. The
debond was not catastrophic and the frame did not fall apart..it just
felt slightly sloppy at the front end.
The cyclist took me to Court when I refused to return the frame without
payment after it had been rebonded, claiming it should not have come
unstuck. Despite the TVT being really worse for wear, scratched beyond
belief and displaying no sign of maintenance, I lost my case with the
Judge awarding an enduring 10-year warranty on the frame. I tried to
explain to him that one debond on a frame with about 18 joints ,
multiplied by nearly 1000 frames was in incredible testimony to the
quality of the construction.... but to no avail.
I know the meaning of "Caveat emptor" but didn't know the Latin for "seller beware"!
The former bos of TVT with whom I keep in touch, has told me that recent research into carbon composite tubes indicates that they get slightly stronger as they age.
Norris Lockley,,Settle UK..where "It's Raining Again"
PS Just realised Dale, that half of this contri was "Off-topic" Sorry I will not lapse again