Aluminum Frame Failures

GoldenMotor.com

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
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Moosylvania
Put well over 8K miles on a Walmart aluminum framed Point Beach. Loved that bike! The frame did crack after hitting the same pot hole for the second time but I doubt any bicycle frame would have fared well given how hard I hit. (is on the way to work and was forced in both times)

I wouldn't suggest an aluminum frame for down hill racing or ruff riders. But was fine for normal street riding for more then a few years.
 

Stinky Finger

Member
Jul 26, 2010
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0
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Leicester, New York
Thank you for the replies, fellas.
I'm kinda on the fence about whether or not to soup up my Roller. I pretty much like it just a the way it is. Only mod I've done is to swap out the bars, the stock bars went on my daughters Kulana because she didn't like the beach bars it had, awkward fit so we swapped and I love the Roller with the longer bars. Perfect, should be stock on every Roller IMHO.
We ride on the weekends a lot and I do want to keep a stock peddle bike so I'm leaning towards building with steel under me arse and leaving the Roller as is.

Dan I hear you man. Reminds me of something from years ago I did. The same nasty pothole everyday on my way to work thing. It wasn't getting fixed. I went out and fixed the thing myself. Got tired of calling the town maintenance lackeys and just went out at night when traffic was slow and put Quikcrete fence post mix in it. Cost me about ten bucks- end of headache. I had a little kids wading pool still behind the shed from when my kids were small, perfect disposable mixing tub. Tossed it up into the back of the truck, in went three bags of mix, garden hose/shovel shuffle boogie and five minutes later I was there slinging it on site. Done deal.
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
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Moosylvania
That is mighty cool of you to have done that.

That kinda "if not me, who? If not now, when?" sorta thinking and doing is in short supply IMHO. I really do believe that a whole lotta bad in the world could be fixed with a very little bit of good. Just like that.

I kinda think you answered your own question and should motorize a bike you specifically would like as a MB. At first it will seem like a great expence but if it will bring ya more joy, big time worth it. I tried doing the math once. But based on 2 smoker kit price and living 6,000 miles on a $150 bike, worked out to some thing like .5 cents a mile for months and months of fun. Dunno, just saying.

Lots of great used bikes for sale too. Clist, tag sales. Can find some awesome ones and/or parts to build one at the dump.

Post lots of pics!


.flg.
 

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
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Indianapolis
I don't know enough about the Roller to speak for it specifically. But I have observed that there are aluminum frame failures and also steel frame failures. There are strong, solid aluminum frames and lighter, less solid aluminum frames. There are strong solid steel frames, and lighter (and in some cases - more cheaply made) steel frames. I'm beginning to see that, if done right and used for the right purpose, a good frame is a good frame regardless of the the choice of metal.

Aluminum or steel, just keep in mind that you are about to bolt an engine onto it. Examine your frame with that in mind.
 
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