retro bikes to avoid

[konahed]

Are there any old bikes which are known to be a bit weak? Perhaps they were very light and expensive when new and they have been found not to age well? I hardly ever see any old Cannondales these days for example, are these risky?

 

[David Gibson]

weak bikes

My Cannondales have always lasted a long time...however, Cannondale's nickname is crack'n fail; which tells you how some people feel about them. Old steel and titanium frames tend to age better than old aluminum.

 

[yo-eddy]

Alpine stars Al mega range, if they're not all broken yet :? ...... they soon will be

 

[Sidekick416]

Iron Horse MT1000 ?

cracking all over...

 

[kaiser]

Manitou frames :cry:

 

[yo-eddy]

Manitou frames :cry:

second that... guess they were sold broken....didn't they :? :roll:

 

[Archangel]

Aren't aluminum YETIs also prone to have cracks in headtubes ?

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

alpinestars Al-Mega, Early alloy Yetis, first gen Manitous....

they all seem to have something in common.....

Early Easton tubing, perhaps?

 

[scant]

Aren't aluminum YETIs also prone to have cracks in headtubes ?

more likely the back of the seatcolar on the earlier alu models & driveside, just forward of the loopstay on the earlier steel fros.. although thats a massive exaggeration. i wouldnt say they're a common break, BUT, if they do break, that'll be where

given the 15yr time span i'd expect most retro bikes to be damaged or prone to breakage in some way if they're ridden hard regularly. perhaps a thread about mega overbuilt retro bikes would be more appropriate, the extreme punishers of this world

 

[GoldenEraMTB]

perhaps a thread about mega overbuilt retro bikes would be more appropriate, the extreme punishers of this world

Good point. I'd have a couple entries.