am I an animal?

[65swb45]

I bought my Bianchi roadbike new in 1995. I have always ridden it hard and heavy [I could bench press 400# with my legs by the time I was 14] I've done several double centuries with it, as well as the death ride known as the Climb to Kaiser. Probably put about 9000 miles on it in the 16 years I've had it.

On a flat ride last Saturday, I started feeling this clicking sound coming thru the frame that reminded me of the feeling you get when you crack a wheel bearing [like I said, I am hard on my bikes!] I got off the bike to inspect things, and I found this:

 

[65swb45]

I started disassembling the bike, with the intention of welding the frame myself. I went online a few minutes ago and discovered that pre 1997, Bianchi offered a lifetime warranty on their frames. I mentioned this to my wife, and 30 seconds later, she handed me the receipt from when I bought the bike! She's a keeper.

Wish me luck.

 

[MANUCHAO]

Woah..... I say that Bianchi has served yah well....
When did yah do the death ride?
Time for another bike...or yah going to fix this one?
Yes, you are.........
Good luck...
Hope yah get a new frame

 

[65swb45]

Tina stopped in at the Sports Chalet today where I purchased the bike. Boy were they surprised when she showed them the invoice and the warranty! They told her to have me bring the bike by and they 'would take care of it.' So, I guess I'm gonna put off welding on it...for now.

Trouble is, I don't think Bianchi even OFFERS a 63cm frame any more. And that frame was small for me from the get go. [My other road ride is a 68cm]

 

[77mustard40]

Wow. I've never seen a lug split like that. I don't think you will get the stiffness back by welding it up so hopefully they come through for you with a new frame. May have to sell the new one to get a frame size that works. I'm 63 cm c to c so I know the pain of sizing a decent bike. Good luck.

 

[kevcruiser]

Don't hold your breath on having the frame warrantied........I friend of mine tried to warranty a Bianchi frame after it started to rust. The company said he should not have been riding it in the rain and left him stranded. It would have to be the bike shop honoring the warranty imo.....

 

[haryv]

Was that the result of stress cracking or stress corrosion cracking. BTW, wow

 

[TLC76]

I had a Banshee Chaparral MTB break the same way in the same place.

 

[65swb45]

Well, it's been a busy week. Seven trucks in the shop, and the mail order carbs just keep coming. But I did make progress.

Dropped the bike off at Sports Chalet last Saturday. Signed a blank work order just to have a record I left it there.

They called monday to tell me that Bianchi was interested in seeing the bike, but wasn't interested in talking with Sports Chalet since they are no longer a Bianchi retailer. I personally think that's a bunch of bs, but didn't need to pursue that just to pursue it.

They said they called a LBS that was still a Bianchi dealer, and they said they would be happy to handle the warranty claim. The irony here is that I COULD HAVE BOUGHT the Bianchi from the LBS back in 1995, but didn't really know the owner back then like I do now.

So, I go back to Sports Chalet on Tuesday, pick up my bike and truck it over to the LBS, where the owner promptly teases me with an 'I didn't know it was for you when I said yes!';p Then he looks at the bike and says that in his opinion Bianchi will probably warranty it.

So then comes the hard part. I said "John, instead of the 64 dollar question, I have the 63cm question. Does Bianchi even make a 63cm frame any more?'

He says he doesn't think so.

THen I said, "Do you think the rest of my components will fit on a new frame that was designed for a 10 or 11 speed?" Again, he did not look happy.

SO then I asked what the point of pursuing the warranty was. He said I could collect the new frame [and fork, as apparantly they warranty them as a pair] and sell them on Ebay and use the money to fund a new bike.

Well, that may all be well and good, but time has not been my friend lately, and I am really not in the mood to get into the bicycle frame selling business. I just want to ride! So now I am back to square one.

 

[Mr. Toad]

SO then I asked what the point of pursuing the warranty was. He said I could collect the new frame [and fork, as apparantly they warranty them as a pair] and sell them on Ebay and use the money to fund a new bike.

If you decide to go that route (and it makes a lot of sense to do so), make sure the replacement frame is medium sized for best re-sale potential.

 

[tag3]

Pull the parts and put them on the new frame sized for the wifey and get yourself a new ride.

 

[wcbr]

warranty option

Here is another option. I worked in a bike shop in college, and was incharge of warranty claims. Each manufacturer is different, but it comes down to the shop employee being able/wanting to maximize the deal for you. In the case of a frame as old as yours, Bianchi will offer you whatever the largest size was in a similar style bike. If it was a mid range bike, then expect a mid range frame.

Several times the guys working in warranty on the manufacturewr's end were willing to totally hook me/the customer up. If the guys at the local shop are cool, and not super lazy, you should be good to go. Expect to have to pay for the bike to be reassembled,cables, housing, stem, headset, etc...

It is only the frame that is covered in the warranty, so because your bike is so "vintage" expect to incur some compatibility issues.

Another option, which you may need to ask about, is that in cases like these, Bianchi may offer (or be willing) to sell you a complete bike at a highly reduced price; wholesale or less, typically. Shop employeez are offered 2 bikes per year at 20% under wholesale, so it's not a unrealistic to have this deal "extended to a loyal customer of the brand".

It usually works out pretty well, but I did it for a few years, and was pretty profficient at "working the system".

Worst case, you get a new frame and fork and have to do the ebay thing. Realize also, that companies change their geometry every could of years, and the manner in which the frame is measured can differ as well. Bianchi has evolved into larger geometries since your bike was built, but it's Italian, so expect a taller frame with less length to be the general proportion.

At 6'5", I can ride the largest bianchi frames, but prefer someting with a longer top tube, because of my torso length, but it's do-able.

good luck with it either way.

Wc

 

[65swb45]

wcbr, thank you for your input. I will consider that option when I return the Lemond frame to the LBS next week.

In the meantime, I am leaning towards taking my chances with the local welder, who is very confident he can tig the frame back together. My thought here is to add two small triangular gussets in a vertical plane that will reinforce the the seat tube where it meets the bottom bracket. From a physics standpoint, it makes sense to me that the stress starts there, as the down tube and chain stays can 'rock' side to side with the bottom bracket to some extent, but the seat tube cannot.

I am also looking at a couple of vintage 10 speeds that I can build up like I did with my old Le Tour III.

What can I say? It's not just Cruisers that I'm old school about!

 

[KliersLC]

What about having a new lug put on? I am pretty green at this road bike thing, but I think you can still buy lugs and have them brazed on....

 

[cruiserjunktion]

Tina stopped in at the Sports Chalet today where I purchased the bike. Boy were they surprised when she showed them the invoice and the warranty! They told her to have me bring the bike by and they 'would take care of it.' So, I guess I'm gonna put off welding on it...for now.

Trouble is, I don't think Bianchi even OFFERS a 63cm frame any more. And that frame was small for me from the get go. [My other road ride is a 68cm]

Please post a pic of you 68mm bike!!!!!