My 2003 Ellsworth Truth died today

[wavinwayne]

I took a long awaited mountain bike ride with my road biking group this morning. A few miles into our ride on a not-too-rocky trail, SNAP!!!, the seat tube broke. Argggggghhhh!!!!

My 2003 model is supposed to have a lifetime warranty. We shall see. Anyway, here's a picture of the carnage:

 

[rpn453]

Ouch. Looks like a design or manufacturing defect to me. They should replace it.

 

[tom slick]

That is an odd spot to break, certainly looks like a defect to me.

 

[tdi-rick]

unfortunately that can happen with a lightweight frame.
I'm sure I'll end up doing something similar to my old NRS (actually the same age as yours )
I'm on my second frame, the first one cracked on the seat tube in a similar spot which was a known fatigue crack point on the first XTC/NRS ('00) frames. Later frames used a revised rocker pivot bracket and welding.
Giant replaced mine at the time, no questions asked, just took a little while to get a frame as later frames used a slightly different rear triangle and they wouldn't replace that too......

Ellsworth are a quality frame and builder, the only thing they may question is if the bike has been repeatedly jumped (shock bottomed) it would put a lot of load at that point. (seat tube would be in tension, which is better than compression) but you would think that the seat stays would crumple/crack first. (compression)

 

[XS650]

That rear suspension linkage puts some pretty obscene tensile loads on the broken tube, looks like roughly 3 times the rear wheel load.

If the tube was going to fail from a tensile fatigue load someplace between the suspension rocker pivot point and the crankset, that's not much less likely a place than anywhere else.

I wouldn't rule out bad materials either, like a crack starting at a small flaw in the material then finishing off the tube with a relatively low number of cycles.

Is the tubing Chinese?

 

[tdi-rick]

Originally Posted By: XS650
That rear suspension linkage puts some pretty obscene tensile loads on the broken tube, looks like roughly 3 times the rear wheel load.

If the tube was going to fail from a tensile fatigue load someplace between the suspension rocker pivot point and the crankset, that's not much less likely a place than anywhere else.

I wouldn't rule out bad materials either, like a crack starting at a small flaw in the material then finishing off the tube with a relatively low number of cycles.

Is the tubing Chinese?


*snap*

I agree, and that point is an obvious stress raiser thanks to the end of the rocker bracket and weld.
I'm fairly sure Ellsworth were using US sourced butted tube back then.

 

[mpvue]

looks like it started right at the edge of that pivot mount/gusset. could be a can opener effect. the ellsworth dealer would probably want the rep to look at it; maybe they'll cover it, all depends on that mysterious customer/dealer/rep/company dynamic.
get a nice rigid steel single speed, no more worries!

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: mpvue
get a nice rigid steel single speed, no more worries!


Any lightweight frame can break! I broke a chainstay (right by the dropout) on my True Temper AVR-tubed KHS Montana Comp a few years ago. Had it welded up and it's been good since.

As a child some kid I BMX'd with broke the down tube on his titanium Titan frame. He rode the newly fully-suspended bike home. I also saw a guy riding right in front of me fold an Easton Elite Rocky Mountain frame in half in a relatively minor collision with a large rock on the side of the trail.

 

[wavinwayne]

If Ellsworth takes care of me, I'm a customer for life. If they screw me, screw them.

 

[wavinwayne]

I see 2 potential up-sides to this broken frame:

1) I get a brand new, slightly revised design 2008 or 2009 Truth frame at no charge.

2) Since I'm primarily a roadie these days, I have no down time without a bike.

Here's hoping that Tony Ellsworth is the decent guy that I think he is.

 

[huffmuds9320]

Thats a nice bike, I've only seen (in person) a few Ellsworth bikes before. Do you do any extreme riding like downhill or jumps on that bike?

 

[wavinwayne]

Originally Posted By: lpcmidst128
Thats a nice bike, I've only seen (in person) a few Ellsworth bikes before. Do you do any extreme riding like downhill or jumps on that bike?


No. Cross-Country trails only. Nothing extreme. I have witnessed another Ellsworth Truth of the same vintage break in the exact same spot. I saw it happen. Ellsworth warrantied that bike. I'm hoping they will do the same for me. I think it was just a stress fracture that nobody could have anticipated. Well, with thousands of hours and millions of dollars of analysis, it COULD have been anticipated, but this is a small bicycle company, that has to turn a profit...

 

[uconn1150]

How much travel does the "Truth" have?

 

[wavinwayne]

Originally Posted By: uconn1150
How much travel does the "Truth" have?


4 inches

 

[wavinwayne]

I've stripped the Truth down to it's bare elements. After a trip to the bike shop to have the bottom bracket and the headset cups removed, I will (hopefully) begin the warranty return process.

I'll keep you all updated on how Ellsworth treats me.

 

[oilboy123]

Hope they treat you right.........should be covered.

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted By: wavinwayne
Originally Posted By: uconn1150
How much travel does the "Truth" have?


4 inches


Probably 5-6" now !!