This morning I was “Just Riding Along” (I can hear all the LBS guys groan but I’m serious!) when my GT frame snapped.
I was 30 minutes into a fairly relaxed 36 minute commute, having set a PB for this same ride yesterday (finally cracking the 30 minute mark with a relatively easy 29:52).
I was cruising along Sussex Gardens when there was a loud bang from the rear wheel.
I thought it was the quick ‘n’ nasty spoke repair I’d done last week but a glance seemed to indicate the wheel was true. Another quick look at the next set of lights and everything seemed ok.
It was all very odd because when I spun the wheel, everything appeared straight, but as soon as I jumped on and pedalled, the back-end was all over the place, like I had a flat rear tyre.
I thought it might be a broken axle or perhaps shot wheel bearings or some other internal chaos (maintenance levels are not high on this bike) so I watched the hub closely for signs of movement (while dodging the black cabs of course). Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except the swishy rear end. WTF?
Being close to work I just kept going, slowly, knowing I’d get to check it out properly once I’d stopped.
Which I did. The spokes were all intact and the wheel spun straight and free..
So I grabbed the wheel and yanked it side to side. The whole rear triangle moved. This is when I spotted the crack all the way through the drive-side chainstay. Damn..
Pic was taken at an odd angle, in a dark room with my mobile. I’ll try for a better one just as soon as I work out how to get the bike home!
This certainly explained why the whole back end was fishing around even though the wheel looked and spun fine.
Ode to the GT:
The GT Talera was a mid-90’s steel bike bought for $300AUD in showroom condition with lots of bits in 2002.
It was going to be my first singlespeed project but I got into trials and fitted it with wide bars, platform pedals, etc.
When I bought the trials-specific Zebdi, it was time to turn the GT into an SS. Mick from CCW helped me do this under the “$0 Rule”.
It was raced at the SSWC in 2003 (against Cadel Evans!).
It did a tonne of commuting in all weather conditions.
I had so much fun with this I rebuilt it with better bits when the first lot of parts wore out.
It did my first lap at the Kona 24hr in 2005.
Before leaving Australia for England I fully rebuilt the GT as a touring machine with new front wheel, Deore LX, guards, rack, panniers, barbag, etc.
Spent 4 months riding around Europe on it – killing both wheels – one from loading strain, one from a head-on with a motorbike.
Rode it briefly while working as messenger for Courier Systems.
Back in London it was my commuter since early 2006 when I started working for a company with showers.
More of the GT’s illustrious history, click here.
Photographic Build History:
One of the guys who rides at work suggested this mob for frame repair: Mercian
Not sure of a course of action yet but given the repair is likely to cost more than the bike is worth, a new machine is definately on the cards. “N+1”, where N=0, currently.
For now I am a Tube-bitch.
But that On-One Il Pompino is looking better every day.. “I’m EXCITED!”
Vale, long serving GT.
ditch the junk! NEW BIKE FEVER!
Pic didn’t load, but props to the bike for lasting so long under such a fat bastard! lol
I hope you can find a worthy replacement quick smart 😉
Bugger!
Very sad when a long term ride fails.
It’s only the dropout. I’d get it repaired with an ugly gusset welded on for extra theft deterrent 🙂
Long live the GT!
ugly gusset = potential bottle opener. Just a hint.
carl: NBF hasn’t really hit.. not enough time to look at bikes. On-One lust still strong though.
Ant: I’m light and nimble, like grasshopper. I blame the touring. 😉
Soiler: I want to buy a new bike AND get the GT repaired. Unfortunately, everything is harder to do in this country except drink beer and download stuff fast.
cfsmtb: Genius!
I’d ask about who could perform this kind of mod locally on uk.rec.cycling but they only seem interested in h*lm*t threads. Zzzz..
I think I might bring shorts, t-shirt and sneakers to work and walk the bike home. Only 2.5 hours or so..
There’s also the option of gaffa taping the dropout and riding it home.. slow-ish.. at least until I forget it’s busted and hammer 🙂
I had a dropout break just like that. Custom built frame so the builder just swapped out the dropout and sprayed it over with a very different blue to the frame, but that’s OK. I think I gave him a longneck for his troubles.
Slaw: Well yeah, if you give him a longneck of VB, I can understand why he didn’t bother painting it properly. But if goat, what’s his address, and we’ll all go burn down his place tonight 😉
2 hose clamps & ride it home! No dropping kerbs on the way.
slaw: Just like longnecks, frame builders are thin on the ground in London (until I start looking, of course :D)
Soiler: Hose clamps are harder to find than gaffa tape here. Do the English know what a hardware store is?
It doesn’t matter anyway – I just walked home with my poor baby, in 2hr 12min.
I missed the TdF highlights so I think I deserve a beer or eight and some chippies..
Not another one after a Pompino!
Gods’ teeth. I’m so pleased I bought mine when they were still cool. Now they’re just so pass? dahling 😉
I’ve been an On-One fan for many years, before I’d even ridden a singlespeed. When the Inbred first made an appearance in Oz. I’ve never owned one though.
Now I want 700C-based ss or fixie. Unlike Melbourne, London has bugger all in the way of rideable frames just lying around for waiting for rubbish collection. Old bikes get used here.
The Il Pompino is pretty much the cheapest option I have for getting hold of such a machine and it’s purpose-built for London.
On the other hand I could go for something a bit more pimped out OR just today I found http://www.kiwibikes.com which do SS/Fix builds from those impossible to find junkers.. damn options..
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