# Frame broke - while riding - lug came out



## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

Today I was riding my 5.9 Madone, when we went over some rail road tracks, the tracks were not that bad, but i felt the wheel rub. I thought I didnt put the wheel in tight enough, nope the lug on the frame gave way.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

wow..that sucks,...was it one of the stays that pulled out?


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

drive side stay pulled out
Called the store, no one has ever seen this happen. 
Guess I will be training on a broken bike till I get a new one. Hoping my buddy will let me barrow a frame so I can race.


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## Ray_from_SA (Jun 15, 2005)

Can you post photos - curiosity makes me want to see what the break looks like.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

Its on my cell phone, i dont know how to get it on here. No break, just the part that holds the wheel, pulled out of the lug.


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

*Same thing happend to me a couple of years ago...*

Albeit my frame was much older and a first generation OCLV.

Here's my story:

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=98262

Trek honored their lifetime warranty and I received a replacement.



footballcat said:


> Its on my cell phone, i dont know how to get it on here. No break, just the part that holds the wheel, pulled out of the lug.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

I am the original owner, its a project one. So I hope they can get me a new one fast, its my only bike.


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## Ray_from_SA (Jun 15, 2005)

footballcat said:


> Its on my cell phone, i dont know how to get it on here. No break, just the part that holds the wheel, pulled out of the lug.


You mean the drop out pulled out of the Carbon? Sounds like the epoxy bond broke.

Trek may be able to repair the frame instead of replace it if that is the case. I've seen them replace damaged dropouts before instead of replace frames.


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## slideeslide (Feb 1, 2007)

You can expect some of the best warranty service around.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

footballcat said:


> Its on my cell phone, i dont know how to get it on here. No break, just the part that holds the wheel, pulled out of the lug.


Well, upload the photo to your computer first of course.

Then click Go Advanced, scroll down and upload photos...

You should be able to figure it out from there I'm sure.

Sucks on the bike but Trek will warranty it.


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## MANTEIGA (Sep 26, 2008)

*what year is your bike?*

????:shocked: plllease post some pics so we can see this ... even rat cel ones
good thing u noticed when you did!


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

i got some photo's now
will post them later

Taking to the store tomorrow. I hope its a fast turn around, I took all the parts off today, as its the only road bike, i cant ride my tt bike or cross bike all summer


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

here is the pic.


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## MANTEIGA (Sep 26, 2008)

*...*

what year is this bike.....

is it "cut" just above the dropout connection.... paint rub?


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

*Sure you can...*



footballcat said:


> i got some photo's now
> will post them later
> 
> Taking to the store tomorrow. I hope its a fast turn around, I took all the parts off today, as its the only road bike, i cant ride my tt bike or cross bike all summer


Ride a CX bike all summer. Some people ACTUALLY just have one bike, you know.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

no word from trek at this time.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

i dont really trust the frame now, what do i do?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

footballcat said:


> i dont really trust the frame now, what do i do?


Clearly, you cannot ride that bike until it's been repaired/ replaced. What's the status? Have you heard back from Trek on this issue?


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

Trek replaced the drop out.
But some seat stay had to move, stuff cant flex 1 inch


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

footballcat said:


> Trek replaced the drop out.
> But some seat stay had to move, stuff cant flex 1 inch


So you're saying you don't trust the repair Trek did? Can you explain "some seat stay had to move" because CF doesn't move, it cracks.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

I do not trust the repair. There is no way the carbon fiber could flex, something in the seat stay had to weaken.

There is no way i want to go around a corner of a crit on this thing.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

footballcat said:


> I do not trust the repair. There is no way the carbon fiber could flex, something in the seat stay had to weaken.
> 
> There is no way i want to go around a corner of a crit on this thing.


JMO, try to work with Trek through your dealer on doing something under the crash replacement policy to get the frame replaced (and yes, I know you didn't crash).


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## Bluechip (Feb 19, 2004)

footballcat said:


> There is no way the carbon fiber could flex, something in the seat stay had to weaken.



Carbon fiber can flex. Just remove a wheel and squeeze the dropouts together. They will flex quite a bit. I would bet if Trek says the repair is fine then it is good to go. I am sure they have a lot of experience in this area along with a lot of liability. If you just can't get over the idea of it not being safe though you would be better off trying to get it replaced either by Trek or on your own. Good luck.


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## MANTEIGA (Sep 26, 2008)

*....*

hey football cat..... 
:confused5:  :crazy: i have tried to make sense of your last 2 posts and have
yet to come up with a single idea of what you're talking about.....

could you please rephrase what you mean!? cf can;t flex,??

JSYK, carbon flexes all over the place.... until it is tetrahedrally braced that is!! (or formed in other 'cylindrical' shapes with mid supports-- such as bars or seatposts )
on any given frame, you can pick out a number of "triangle" shapes that give cf it's full frame strength.
even the fork is a triangle joined at the front hub!

anyway.... 
from what i've got from your WHOLE post.... the lug had to be glued back in the stay right?
so trek glued the lug back into the stay......... WHAT DOES THAT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ALTERING FRAME FLEX !?!?!? what's the deal??


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

In order for the stay to come out, wouldn't something else have to give? The lug gave out on the chain stay, if that moved out 1/2 inch would that mean the seat stay had to flex to move with it?

I do not have a whole lot of options, its my only bike. As soon as I can have someone put all the parts back on it, I will be riding it. I guess we can see if i can have another 3 flawless years on it.


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## MANTEIGA (Sep 26, 2008)

*...*

no.
carbon fiber has an almost infinite lifespan with little to no fatigue wear... 
the lugs are far more likely to "unglue" (sorry:smile5: ) before any signs of wear show from flexing.
(especially oclv type carbon)
with metal, this could be true. (if i am understanding your post correctly),
but not carbon. 
carbon's only weakness is blunt force... but if you havent roadrashed your bike yet,
you should be fine....

google the 10 minute video on youtube by National Geographic on how they make the madone in waterloo. you'll see some of the testing machines that are used to to induce
compression to carbon fiber. they simulate the frame running into a brick wall at speed, and than being pulled apart with uber significant force....
bike manufacturers have pretty big liabilities when it comes to your safety.

if you sent it to trek.
it will be safe to ride.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

Don't worry about the dropout repair, this replacement is done all the time, it's how Trek has had frames without replaceable derailleur hangars all this time. The "pins" )part of the dropout in the frame) are tapered, the stays need to flex very little to insert the dropout. I've seen it done, it's a very routine repair and absolutely harmless to the frame.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

now i just need to swap the parts back on, i borrowed a friends bike


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