[CR] Torpado 4sale

(Example: Framebuilders:Mario Confente)

From: Steve Maus <maus5@sbcglobal.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:26:16 -0400
Thread-Index: Acmug2eNEiURzKXnQEyFYlA51h8Lzw==
Subject: [CR] Torpado 4sale


I can offer a single data point on Torpado, and it was memorable.

A customer for whom I was building a new frame in the '90's had a good-looking Torpado: Columbus SL tubing, chromed forks and rear dropouts, and a nice pearl paint job. It had a crack in the lower head lug which is why he was having the new frame built. He was a 130lb rider which made me wonder.

With his permission, I sectioned vertically through the head tube to discover why it cracked, and what a surprise: the miters were not even remotely shaped like the intended mating surfaces and had no points of contact, so the (pressed Prugnat S-4) lugs were left to carry all of the load. The point of greatest stress failed first, at the underside of the lug right in the crotch.

I have no idea if this was representative of the brand but it made quite an impression!

Steve Maus
Greenwood, IN USA