[rola643]

I can't even begin to explain how sick I feel right now.....I'm the proud owner of a totally worthless frame now. The chainstay and seatstay are carbon fiber mush, the rear deraileur is a mangled mess and a couple of spokes got hurt.

15 miles into what was supposed to have been a nice 60 miler the last weekend before my first century of the year.

Guess I'll be putting some SRAM stuff that I was getting ready to sell back on my Roubiax so I have something to ride for now...

 

[LarryM]

What a bummer! What happened? Did the stays break while you were JRA?

edit: just looked at the photo more closely ... did the derailleur hanger let go?

 

[Industry_Hack]

Not to be insensitive, but this is why I'm not a fan of carbon fiber. I've done plenty of research on Trek's OCLV process, and written quite a bit about it - they're one of the best at working with carbon fiber. But it still fails. And even if it was due to operator error, I'm pretty sure a steel or aluminum frame would not have been rendered inoperable by whatever happened.

 

[SprocketGirl]

i am crying for you.... that is awful. have you checked about warranty? our local Trek dealer has gotten some heavily ridden mtb frames warrantied.

what actually happened?

 

[Hazy]

That bites bro. Anything learned, that you can relay to a newbie or just wam bam outta the blue type of mess??

Hope it gets taken care of by Trek.

 

[rola643]

Well... we were climbing a hill and I went to shift from the big ring to the small ring and out of the blue it would not shift, no indication as in hard shifts etc. just would not go back to the small ring, really weird. Anyway my partner slowed to see what I had fallen off the pace so fast and I was showing him "Look it won't shift" went through the motions of attempting to make the shift a few times and it never even tried to move and then BAM my sh$% locked up and I about ate the the bars...I was dazed trying to figure out what just happend. As far as I can tell the rear deraileur hanger must have snapped and let it wrap around into everything.

Just got back from the LBS purchasing new cables and chain pins so I can put my old Specialized Roubiax back together. I almost sold a SRAM set I had been holding onto and now I'm glad I still have it, at least it's something to ride.

 

[nh_district]

Oh man, that sucks! Sorry to hear about it.

 

[ben]

Yeah that sucks big time. At least you didn't get hurt and you do have a back up to ride.

 

[Nigal]

So is the whole frame toast then?

 

[SprocketGirl]

i am so sorry to hear... that sucks...

 

[Xela]

Damn, Rola! I think I'm going to drive up there and buy you a beer. I can't believe Trek wouldn't warranty that. I strongly suggest giving them a call directly on Monday.

 

[M_Wales]

Sorry about your ride. That really sucks.

 

[rola643]

Xela, I'll take that beer ! I haven't even had a chance to get it back to the shop yet. They have been good to me so far so I'm holding out hope. I called and told them what happened and I was riding with one of the mechanics from the shop. I've just been busy getting parts to get my Roubiax back together so I can keep riding!

Hack, believe me when I say one of first thoughts was I wish this was ti..Moma even said get a ti bike on the next one

Sprocketgirl, Hazy, Nh, Larry, Don, everybody thanks for the condolences on the loss of a fine frame

Nigal, yup the frame aint worth 2 cents as it sets...junk, a trophy to be mounted in the garage wall now

If Trek doesn't warranty it I'm stuck with the Roubiax for a while. All my extra cash has gone to new steps, railings, fences and yet another AC unit next week so I'm pretty tapped out for now...

Break time is over and I need to get back to the garage, grab another cold one and chillax while watching the Richmond racing and trying to finish the other bike.

 

[rola643]

The total continues to climb..Putting the finishing touches on my Roubiax and transferring parts discovered a bent chain...a brand new SRAM PC1071. Put it on and got everything set and started checking the shifting and there was a horrible skip took a bit to figure that one out but once I saw what it was it was plain as day. Also discovered the rear wheel was bent or at least needs new spokes and trued at a minimum. So far the cost has been 1. A frame 2. Rear deraileur 3. wheel and spokes 4. chain 5. lost riding time and frustration (which in my opinion cost more than anything...)

Took the stripped down frame back yesterday and the manager was talking about a repair. Waiting for the Trek rep that does the claims (at least in this area, not sure how that all works) to look it over and see what he has to say. Fingers, toes and legs crossed for a positive result (at least in my favor) from his "investigation".

 

[bmohan55]

Trying to figure out how that happened (as I am sure you are!). Maybe you pick up some trash on the road which pulled out the drop-out and cause the derailleur to wrap around and break the chainstay & seatstay??

Had that happen while mountainbiking once and althought the chainstay wasn't damaged it was a very long walk back to the trailhead.

 

[baj32161]

Hey man I am sorry about your Trek. I hope the warranty covers that. As Industry Hack stated, I also have reservations about CF. Your post does not change my mind, unfortunately. I hope it gets resolved in your favour.

I hope you enjoy thise beers.

Cheers,

Brian J.

 

[thespokesman]

I'll be burring intents for your bike later.
RIP
rola's bike

 

[rola643]

Well.... I heard, indirectly, from the Trek rep today and I can say at this point I am PISSED! I want to talk to him face to face before I say to much but at this moment I am one FU%$ing pissed customer!

 

[Industry_Hack]

So you were trying to shift to the small chainring when the rear derailleur quit?

 

[rola643]

So you were trying to shift to the small chainring when the rear derailleur quit?

Yup. I was on the 26 on the cassette and because the cable had "slipped" through the clamp on the front derailer I was stuck not being able to shift back to the small chain ring. I have had issues with that happening 2 other times. Both times it was taken back to the LBS. I had even asked about changing the cable. It has a coating on it that is black. It is shinny for a 1/4" or so were the cable has slipped through the clamp.

For that very reason, I am being told Trek will not warranty my frame because it was a mis-adjusted derailer. The funny part of that is I ALWAYS take it back to the shop for adjustments. I make NO adjustments on the derailers. I don't know how to prove that since adjustments are free and in and out of the shop with no record of it...

Now I'm no the most experienced rider, less than 5 years riding, but when a dreailer is in need of adjustment it's been my experience there are indications like being very difficult to get into the big chain ring, for example, and skipping gears on the rear cassette or the autoshift when you click once it goes into gear and then back to the previous gear. None of these symptoms were present the day of the ride. The bike was shifting like butter!

Maybe I'm not looking at this right but I can't see how what happened is my fault( esp since I could not shift so it's not even like a missed shift that would have thrown the chain) and not a failure of whatever you want to call, the derailer hanger, the cable I had asked about changing, whatever.

I really want to talk to the rep face to face and have him explain to me how he came to his conclusion as well as be able to explain what I understand to have happened...since I was there and all.

I am concerned since I was riding with one of the mechanics from the shop, who happens to be a good friend as well, and I would have thought since he was there and saw what, when and where happened it would add credence. Instead what I have gotten from the second I walked in the door of the shop with my carbon junk was "Yup you're fu^%$ buddy" attitude. NO ONE even asked what or how it happened.

I'm really getting the feeling of being screwed.

Is my perspective on this really that skewed ?