Anyone ever broken their frame?

[GTs58]

Unusual place for a break. I've seen the cantilever bars break loose from the down tube and have seen a Corvette 5 speed frame with a cracked down tube just below the cantilever tubing.

 

[bricycle]

sorry to hear. Can't believe she broke there....

 

[Tikibar]

Bottom bracket on my '35 motobike was broke when I got it. Welding place fixed it for $25. I'll have to repaint, but it's solid.

 

[Jeff54]

,

No jumping with this bike, although I did have it off road a little about 3 months ago.

. I do stand up quite a bit while riding and weigh about 265 lbs or so so I'm sure that doesn't help.

Would have never imagined a break like this. Yet, now that I see it, where it's broke, considering the weight, the arch points to the greatest forward load from the seat post which is right were it broke. I never considered the geometry and how that spot is absorbing and therefor flexing that tube so much before now.

Now, considering the miles you've put on it, your weight, simply flexing there, bouncing off curbs and such I bet Schwinn realized the weak point long ago. .

Obviously, this frame design does have a serious flaw that heavier people should take into consideration if they're going to be bouncing it off things such as the most common for most bikes; curbs. . Perhaps, adding a springer into your next might add more weight to the whole but would absorb the stress there, keep it from flexing on that vital load spot. .

And I can see why mound hopping Kunkers chose the straight bar verse the canti. I bet, back in the day, kids saw this break, either on the welds there or tube too.

Also, although I've never seen nor experienced the BB break, I can realize that, it's because, in most cases, especially, the most common; curb jumps, the rider is probably, usually, staying upright on pedals and crank, causing the weight to be distributed to the BB. While you were likely sitting on the seat when absorbing a shock in bumps, and or your BB is stronger than dope, sending the load to the broken spot. . After 100's and 100's of bumps this way, it was flexing back and forth until it failed.

 

[Moseph]

,

Would have never imagined a break like this. Yet, now that I see it, where it's broke, considering the weight, the arch points to the greatest forward load from the seat post which is right were it broke. I never considered the geometry and how that spot is absorbing and therefor flexing that tube so much before now.

Now, considering the miles you've put on it, your weight, simply flexing there, bouncing off curbs and such I bet Schwinn realized the weak point long ago. .

Obviously, this frame design does have a serious flaw that heavier people should take into consideration if they're going to be bouncing it off things such as the most common for most bikes; curbs. . Perhaps, adding a springer into your next might add more weight to the whole but would absorb the stress there, keep it from flexing on that vital load spot. .

And I can see why mound hopping Kunkers chose the straight bar verse the canti. I bet, back in the day, kids saw this break, either on the welds there or tube too.

Also, although I've never seen nor experienced the BB break, I can realize that, it's because, in most cases, especially, the most common; curb jumps, the rider is probably, usually, staying upright on pedals and crank, causing the weight to be distributed to the BB. While you were likely sitting on the seat when absorbing a shock in bumps, and or your BB is stronger than dope, sending the load to the broken spot. . After 100's and 100's of bumps this way, it was flexing back and forth until it failed.

Interesting view point, I never looked that far into but I think you're on to something

 

[bikewhorder]

Is it still under warranty?

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

looks like it is time to break out the welder and some tubing and build a chopper.

 

[rick whitehurst]

any rust around it? the welds there may have been collecting water over the years.

 

[Andrew Gorman]

I folded up a Girls Huffy going over four steps, but it did not break.

 

[Moseph]

any rust around it? the welds there may have been collecting water over the years.

I don't really think so. We're it broke is pretty much clean and shiny metal except for a little rust on one side so I figure it has been cracked for a little while.