Need a new Frame (1 Viewer)

[2mbb]

My 2005 Santa Cruz Blur XC frame gave out this weekend. The frame cracked just above the bottom bracket. I have owned the bike since new (purchased in December 2005). I don't think I have thrashed the bike and have not had any major crashes. According to the Santa Cruz website, frames have a five year warantee. I sent them an email earlier this week to see what they can do or recommend, but I thought I would check here for other suggestions.

The components on the bike (mostly XT, 26" wheels w/ disc brakes) are in good working order and I would like to reuse those on what-ever my next ride is. Are there any suggestions what a suitable replacement frame would be? Aside from this failure, I have been really happy with the bike.

I mostly ride fire roads and some limited single track in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[MANUCHAO]

hopefully they will give you some sort of discount towards a replacement frame...

My Ellsworth broke in three places after 10 years of heavy use.. I scored the same frame on ebay for $300 a few years back and still riding it without any issues...

 

[Tigerstripe40]

Ouch! Bummer!

Alot of manufacturers warranty the frames for 5 years and then will do a prorated crash replacement deal. See if SantaCruz will do that.

If not, there are a ton of other companies that want your business.

I want to build up an All Mountain bike, and I have been eyeing a DW link frame. Pivot and Turner make some nice frames. The Giant Maestro suspension design is pretty close to the DW Link (in fact, they got sued by David Weagle because it was too close).

 

[gilamonster]

That sucks, but it's always fun to have a reason to get a new frame! I'd look into Turner 5-spot-if you want to stay with 26" wheels. They are discontinuing that line so they are selling frames pretty cheap.

 

[Jetboy]

Depending on what your budget is and what you want:

http://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_STOR20.cgi?Action=Details&ProdID=2709

Or a chinese carbon hard tail for $300 can be an excellent frame.

No reason to pay for a name brand frame - they aren't any better (obviously by your experience). They are all made in just a couple factories.

 

[gregnash]

Think it all depends on what you are doing and what you want to spend. If you mainly ride fireroad then why get another FS? I live in the Tahoe area and ride a steel 29r hardtail and love it, started out on a Rocky Mountain Element 5.0 that was my brothers and then moved to my Inbred when I had finished building it. Love the bike and the steel is like no other bike I have ridden.

How old are all the components on your current rig? May be worthwhile to upgrade a few things.
But for the sake of recommendations I would have to say that the Giant Maestro system has really impressed me with all the FS I have ridden/tried, if you want to stick with that. But if with what you are doing I would suggest going with a carbon hardtail frame (check the On-One Whippet) that has a similar geometry to your current ride.

 

[2mbb]

Thanks for the recommendations so far...Santa Cruz has gotten back to me and they will offer me a new frame at a discount. I'm still waiting to see what that is.

I was hoping to use as many of my old components as possible. A friend of mine recently went from the Blur to a SC 29er hardtail and he does like it. But I don't want to drop the money on new wheels. Although I really have not investigated whether I can get 29" rims that will work with my current hubs. I do have the means to build wheels.

In the mean time, I'm considering putting cross tires on an old bianchi axis I have to stay on the trails. Our lack of winter rain will suck this summer, but right now it's hard to be off the mountain bike--cool temperatures and dry trails.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

If you're over 175 lbs I'd strongly caution against a carbon frame or getting a 29er.

I've about 240 ride ready and I've bent over several 29er bike wheels (everything from cheap to high end). I'm on my 4th set of wheels with the 29er. Currently, I am running some Stans Dlow EX rims with 13 ga straight spokes, Hadley hub in the rear, a Hope hub in the front. Both are 36 hole rims. So far I haven't bent any rims. Of course, my primary discipline is Downhill so I ride the 29er(hard tail) pretty aggressively.

Carbon I suppose is great for Road Bikes, or for bikes where you're not seeing many rocks. I've seen multiple carbon mountain bike frames fail spectacularly. Check out http://www.bustedcarbon.com/

 

[2mbb]

Thanks. Over the eight years I rode the Blur I topped out at 205lbs. But now I am down to a more reasonable (for my size) 160lbs. But I don't want to worry (much) about a frame failure, especially under load and/or getting hurt. I'm pretty sure the initial crack on my Blur occurred during the previous ride, and the frame got me through most of the next ride before I really realized that it was broken! I know, I should pay better attention. But my sense is that metal hangs in there better than carbon once compromised.

 

[gregnash]

To answer your question about hubs... yes your hubs will work with 29er wheels. You dont necessarily need anything "29er" specific other than a frame, fork, wheels, the rest is all personal preference and/or hype.

What tiger says is right but I think that you can really extend the usable range of weigh for the carbon 29er to about 215lbs (depending on riding style and terrain of course). My brother is 150lbs ride ready and he loves his Whippet. He has said it is a freaking rocketship compared to his Titus CarbonX Racer and the geometry is the exact same (hence why he bought it).

From what you are explaining with your riding style I would first see what SC is offering you and then from there go with either their frame or switch to a hardtail. You will take a bit more of a beating with the hardtail but for the most part you will be able to do the same sort of riding and you will adjust your riding style to accommodate where necessary.

Personally, I have ridden the new Maestro system Giant 29ers (both trance and anthem) and love them! Seriously easy ride and the power transfer is great. However, everytime I think about purchasing one I then go for a ride on my Inbred and realize how much I love the bike, ride and basically everything about it. I have a friend who is a SCOTT rep and he rides one of their new 27.5 Genius's and I easily can do what he does (and he is a much more competent rider than I am). He was even surprised at how well my bike road when we switched at one point during our last ride for a short section.

Whatever you end up with, have fun and get out and ride! I know that I need to more than anything right now.

 

[phsycle]

I agree with gregnash about getting a hardtail over a full suspension. You can always get a Thudbuster to take away some sting. I would personally get a smooth, steel hardtail frame (Gunnar's are awesome), whether in 26 or 29 (or be the cool kid on the block and get a 27.5"). I would even say get a rigid fork, especially if you can handle the ride on a cross bike. All of my MTB's are rigid (after many years of FS). It's different kind of riding, but I really enjoy it.

 

[The Machinist]

If you get the chance, try to go test ride a new SC Blur TR. I was on the fence about getting a Blur TR or a Bronson but opted for the longer travel Bronson after test riding the two this weekend. (I used to ride a 2010 Scott Voltage FR so I wanted a little more travel to play with on the descent)

Just ordered my Bronson today, so I should have it by the end of the week!

 

[Ninja Cruiser100]

eBay is your friend. I picked up an airborne ti frame for $350 a few years back.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

I agree with gregnash about getting a hardtail over a full suspension. You can always get a Thudbuster to take away some sting. I would personally get a smooth, steel hardtail frame (Gunnar's are awesome), whether in 26 or 29 (or be the cool kid on the block and get a 27.5"). I would even say get a rigid fork, especially if you can handle the ride on a cross bike. All of my MTB's are rigid (after many years of FS). It's different kind of riding, but I really enjoy it.

I'm riding a Raleigh XXIX+G 29er that I got back in 2008 (it was a 2007 close out bike). I paid $750 for it and then upgraded the handlebar (Easton CNT), stem (thomson), and seatpost (moots). Rode that for a while. The stock wheels weren't sufficient enough for me.

It's one of the sweetest riding bikes I own (I have 5). I like it alot more than my Gary Fisher Mt Tam which is 12 lbs lighter...

 

[gregnash]

If you get the chance, try to go test ride a new SC Blur TR. I was on the fence about getting a Blur TR or a Bronson but opted for the longer travel Bronson after test riding the two this weekend. (I used to ride a 2010 Scott Voltage FR so I wanted a little more travel to play with on the descent)

Just ordered my Bronson today, so I should have it by the end of the week!

Finally got a bike huh!!!! Now we definitely have to set something up in Auburn!

 

[Jetboy]

I ride a ti frame as my daily driver because I put thousands of miles of city riding on it and I never have to think twice after a crash. I've personally seen a Trek madone road bike break apart.

OTOH, I've never seen nor heard of any of the low cost Chinese MTB frame failing. I suspect they are overbuilt. It's probably what I'll build next out of my current 29er ht to drop some weight.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

OTOH, I've never seen nor heard of any of the low cost Chinese MTB frame failing. I suspect they are overbuilt. It's probably what I'll build next out of my current 29er ht to drop some weight.

I've seend ti break as well. High end serotta's, litespeeds, moots, etc.

Cheap chinese carbon frames are probably better than most american carbon frames. The chinese make more carbon fiber than anybody, and with few exceptions like Trek, most high end carbon frames are made in china. Most likely in the same factories by the same workers and Same materials...

 

[2mbb]

Thanks for all the input guys. This weekend my family were in SF for the day and my wife suggested we go to City Cycles on Steiner. They had a 2013 Trek Superfly Carbon 29er (hardtail) on close out. So I bought it. It is less cash out of pocket then buying the discounted Santa Cruz frame plus upgraded parts I would need (fork, shock, rear hub, etc.). I will now clean up the old major pieces (fork, brakes, etc.) and see if I can sell them locally.

 

[gregnash]

Sweet dude.. I did ride a superfly and definitely a nice bike. The carbon does a good job of absorbtion but I like steel a bit better (plus no worries on a major crash).

Try MTBR for the sale of your parts, never know what you may get!!