Author Topic: Condor Tempo (Read 31405 times)

valkyrie · « **Reply #25 on:** 15 March, 2009, 09:58:10 pm »

Good to hear I'm just a bit unlucky with the wheels - I would take them back to Condor but it's 400 miles each way!

Greenbank · « **Reply #26 on:** 18 March, 2009, 05:40:05 pm »

Condor do provide that free 6 week service but I didn't take it back, even though it's only 5km from work.

On mine, some spokes on the rear wheel were coming loose after 300 miles. I tightened them up myself in my own hamfisted way. After 4000km several pairs of spokes were quite loose so I took it in to my LBS (W.F.Holdsworth) to be rebuilt (same spokes, just slackened off and rebuilt). It's done 6000km since then and is still perfectly tight and true. The SON wheel built by Paul Smith at Bike+ has done 9000km and is still rock solid.

The original Condor front wheel was removed almost straight away and replaced with a SON. I was planning on putting it back on for LEL as I'll be using battery lights. I may have to stick it on the bike for commuting duties to give it a good couple of thousand km shakedown.

Both were Open Pros on large flanged System-Ex hubs.

Maybe I was just unlucky with that particular wheel build but it's certainly tainted my view of Condor's wheel builds.

Greenbank · « **Reply #27 on:** 09 June, 2011, 08:12:00 pm »

Over 20,000km on it (stopped bothering to count when I ditched Bikejournal) and a possible 1" crack in the frame. Not entirely sure but could be a deep scratch or even the paint flaking off. To me it looks too deep for a crack (if that makes sense).

It's on one side at the top of the seat tube running along onto the side of the top tube. Doesn't seem to run to/from any of the brazes/welds.

Will try and get a good photo of it tomorrow (need my other camera with macro mode, iPhone is useless for close up photos). Will also mark it off to see if it grows (I'm going to keep commuting on it, the bike is held together by the Weeride bar anyway - which may be contributing to the extra stresses...)

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #28 on:** 09 June, 2011, 08:36:26 pm »

Bugger.

Better now than during PBP I suppose.

clarion · « **Reply #29 on:** 09 June, 2011, 09:07:12 pm »

Oh dear. Hope it is just a scratch

mike · « **Reply #30 on:** 09 June, 2011, 09:27:48 pm »

bugger. if it is, and you want to borrow an XL pomp, let me know..

DrMekon · « **Reply #31 on:** 09 June, 2011, 10:30:05 pm »

Jeeze - pain now, but what luck it didn't occur in France.

Greenbank · « **Reply #32 on:** 10 June, 2011, 09:43:06 am »

Crack o doom?

http://www.greenbank.org/misc/crack_o_doom1.jpg (link to high resolution image)

Pen marks are to see if it is growing, no change on the commute in today.

Comparing it with other photos (none close up enough to show anything) I notice it's almost exactly where the brake cable outer runs, could it just be the outer paint layer being cracked by the cable outer hitting it? Also, that cheap combination lock has been there for ages and could easily have made a gouge given that I'm not entirely fussed about how the bike is treated (it has plenty of scratches and knocks).

PaulF · « **Reply #33 on:** 10 June, 2011, 09:45:18 am »

I'd be tempted to sand back the paint and see

clarion · « **Reply #34 on:** 10 June, 2011, 09:47:37 am »

Looks a bit of an odd line for a crack to propagate.

+1 to PaulF's suggestion.

Greenbank · « **Reply #35 on:** 10 June, 2011, 09:48:03 am »

Quote from: PaulF on 10 June, 2011, 09:45:18 am

I'd be tempted to sand back the paint and see

That was going to be my next job.

Emery cloth to remove it, any specific lacquer/varnish to seal it back up again?

marcusjb · « **Reply #36 on:** 10 June, 2011, 09:48:26 am »

Quote from: PaulF on 10 June, 2011, 09:45:18 am

I'd be tempted to sand back the paint and see

Makes some sense. Would take away any doubts.

Can you feel anything on the inside of the seat-tube? Probably won't be able to because of the shim they install into the tube - but worth having a little prod.

Gutted for you if it is a crack - but, as others have said, better now than August!

Chris N · « **Reply #37 on:** 10 June, 2011, 09:51:31 am »

Quote from: Greenbank on 10 June, 2011, 09:48:03 am

Emery cloth to remove it, any specific lacquer/varnish to seal it back up again?

Clear nail varnish? Or just leave it bare - it won't go too rusty in a month or two if you wipe it every so often with an oily rag.

marcusjb · « **Reply #38 on:** 10 June, 2011, 09:53:48 am »

Quote from: clarion on 10 June, 2011, 09:47:37 am

Looks a bit of an odd line for a crack to propagate.

Looks not unlike photos I have seen of the Fratello cracking problem they had a couple of years ago when I was researching what might be wrong with my Fratello seat-tube.

Let me google -

Sorry Greenbank - not wishing to raise your concern levels even further!

Chris N · « **Reply #39 on:** 10 June, 2011, 09:54:11 am »

Quote from: clarion on 10 June, 2011, 09:47:37 am

Looks a bit of an odd line for a crack to propagate.

Seems to be relatively common failure mode on welded frames. Possibly something to do with the heat-affected zones from the seatstay and top tube welds meeting, combined with high loads on the seat tube.

Greenbank · « **Reply #40 on:** 10 June, 2011, 09:58:26 am »

Quote from: marcusjb on 10 June, 2011, 09:53:48 am

Quote from: clarion on 10 June, 2011, 09:47:37 am
Looks a bit of an odd line for a crack to propagate.

Looks not unlike photos I have seen of the Fratello cracking problem they had a couple of years ago when I was researching what might be wrong with my Fratello seat-tube.

Let me google -
[EDIT - Greenbank - changed inline image to link] http://www.ruedelagare.co.uk/Crack/P1020158.JPG

Sorry Greenbank - not wishing to raise your concern levels even further!

No need to be sorry, very informative. Looks very similar.

This might justify a Dremel purchase too...

marcusjb · « **Reply #41 on:** 10 June, 2011, 10:00:23 am »

Dremel available for loan in Chiswick if you wanted.

DrMekon · « **Reply #42 on:** 10 June, 2011, 10:02:37 am »

When I used to ride BMX, lots of street frames had designs where tubes pierced other tubes - eg Menstrual Cycles used to make a frame where the head tube poked through the top and down tube (ie the front of the bike was two capped tubes that went beyond the head tube), and GT used to make frames where the seat tube pierced the top tube. I've never seen that sort of thing on road bikes. I can't see it would add much weight. That sort of crack seems really common (eg vorsprungs setavento).

Manotea · « **Reply #43 on:** 10 June, 2011, 10:03:18 am »

Quote from: Greenbank on 10 June, 2011, 09:58:26 am

Quote from: marcusjb on 10 June, 2011, 09:53:48 am
Quote from: clarion on 10 June, 2011, 09:47:37 am
Looks a bit of an odd line for a crack to propagate.

Looks not unlike photos I have seen of the Fratello cracking problem they had a couple of years ago when I was researching what might be wrong with my Fratello seat-tube.

Let me google -
[EDIT - Greenbank - changed inline image to link] http://www.ruedelagare.co.uk/Crack/P1020158.JPG

Sorry Greenbank - not wishing to raise your concern levels even further!

No need to be sorry, very informative. Looks very similar.

This might justify a Dremel purchase too...

How disappointing.
Is the frame in Warranty?
If yes then rather then waiting to see what happens next, probably best to start the dialog with Condor now.
In fact, even if not nominally in warranty, probably best to start the dialog with Condor now. They should know what the issue is.

urban_biker · « **Reply #44 on:** 10 June, 2011, 10:05:15 am »

I think Valkyrie and I should be relieved. This only seems to happen on red frames

More seriously, Hummers had some similar looking frame cracks on the bottom bracket of his Mercian. It turned out that this was just paint cracking due to frame flex than actually a failed frame. Until you get that paint off you won't know I guess.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #45 on:** 10 June, 2011, 10:06:36 am »

Whether or not in warranty, frames that have a habit of cracking in precisely the same place give the impression of having a design or construction failure. The expression "not fit for purpose" springs to mind.

Compare my Rohloff problem: same problem crops up time and again - Robin Thorn offers a lifetime guarantee. It's a pain, but the customer should not be out of pocket.

Greenbank · « **Reply #46 on:** 10 June, 2011, 10:15:24 am »

Quote from: marcusjb on 10 June, 2011, 10:00:23 am

Dremel available for loan in Chiswick if you wanted.

Thanks marcus but I've been looking for an excuse to purchase my own.

Frame not under warranty, it was #3 off the production line (hence non-standard colour scheme) back in early 2007.

I'll call Condor once I've taken the paint off to see what lurks beneath.

Greenbank · « **Reply #47 on:** 10 June, 2011, 12:55:02 pm »

Reading elsewhere (google: condor frame crack) it's a very common failure.

Many people got replacement frames either free (within 2 years old) or heavily discounted (3 and a bit years), I'll take the bike into Condor on Tuesday to see what they say.

I haven't taken the seatpost out to check the internal shim length, but if it's the 'too short shim' problem then I'd expect Condor to do more than just shrug their shoulders at it.

Panoramix · « **Reply #48 on:** 10 June, 2011, 01:28:37 pm »

Ahem...

I may not be doing LEL

Same frame (apart from the rear dropouts), same crack...

border-rider · « **Reply #49 on:** 10 June, 2011, 06:19:14 pm »

Bit late to this, but I'd put good money on that being a crack and not a mark in the paint. I've seen a few just like that

Author Topic: Condor Tempo (Read 31405 times)

Chris N

Chris N

border-rider