[[email protected]]

Hey guys,

I'm just wondering how many of you have managed to crack your frame?

After a weekend and a race in Wales i've cleaned the bike to find a crack through the drive-side chainstay, at the front of the furthest forward cable boss, just about where the big chainring ends. The frame it little over a year old.

The problem is, there is already a little damage on that exact area of the frame due to chain-suck, I don't think it's likely to have contributed to the crack as i've heard of a few frames cracking in this spot before.

What are people's thoughts on Trek being likely to honour the warranty despite this chain-suck scraping? I won't be back in south England where the frame was purchased for a few weeks so thought i'd find opinions here beforehand.

And how many people of you have cracked the frame in this area?

Cheers

Joe

here's a few pics of the crack...

EDIT: 3rd and 4th pictures added after second crack was found in undamaged area

 

[Trail Traveler]

I don't see anything in those pics that would give Trek a reason to deny your warranty. Do you have one that shows the chain suck damage?

 

[[email protected]]

Yep, Sorry I should of posted a picture of that really. The majority of the deep scratching was done at once, and the scuffed area does slightly overlap the crack. I've also found another crack in a different area, on one of the welds (see picture) where there is no damage whatsoever..... so I should be ok in thinking they'll be able to replace it no problem despite the other damage.... I hope!

I'll add the photo's in the first post, as I wont have to upload them to another website first

 

[VTPossum]

Did you notice any flexing or any other unusual performance issues? Noises? Those cracks look they could have caused some problems. I had my Roscoe (same frame) out today for the first time in months & it chain sucked a couple of times (unusual). I have also had a strange noise from the back of the bike. I'm going to clean it up & check it out. Glad to hear it didn't buckle on you causing a wreck.

 

[[email protected]]

Nothing performance or noise wise, the bike performed as well as it always did. If anything I'd had less chain suck recently than I had before. Hope there's nothing wrong with your frame.... it seems to be that most fail around the point shown, sometimes snapping rather than cracking.
The shops sorting it out anyway, apparently it should be a warranty replacement despite the damage.
As far as the chainsuck goes, do you use a BB with or without spacers? I'm thinking in future of adding one, it should increase the gap between the rings and the frame = less chainsuck damage

 

[skidmore]

just curious guys to what causes chain suck? I just bought a roscoe and kinda a newbie and would like to avoid that if at all possible. I've got a few miles on it so far and no problems yet.

 

[VTPossum]

Yep, my chainstay is cracking just in front of the cable boss-identical to the OP's pic. I had ordered new chainstays awhile back because of the damage from chain slap-my buddy assured me it was nothing to worry about, but I had already pulled the trigger. I hadn't wrapped it with anything so figured it was my bad. If I had, I may have never seen the crack. Damned if you do/Damned if you don't. Quite sure it's the source of the click/squeak noise I'm hearing. Hope to swap it out this week. I also have a noise and vibration coming from the back it seems.Wonder if it's something with the ABP? Perhaps my drive shell is wearing? The back hub spins great and we have tightened down the cassette.
I have really enjoyed this bike over the Possum it replaced. It handles great and certainly climbs much better than it's predecessor. Hopefully once the new stays are on & it's all torqued back down it will be rock solid again.

 

[tduro]

After breaking the chain stays on my 2008 HiFi+ 3 times in a year, I was upgraded to a 2010 Roscoe frame. It took 1-1/2 years to break the Roscoe (chain stays again). My LBS turned it around in 5 days at no charge, so I can't complain. I love the way the bike rides, but I don't like feeling like I have to be careful all the time.

 

[VTPossum]

That sounds like great service. Where did the stay fail ? if you don't mind me asking

 

[[email protected]]

VT possum, glad you only had to wait 5 days. 7 weeks later and my replacement chainstay still isnt even in the country. A call to Trek let me know that it's due to get to the UK on the 10th May. I wonder how long it'll take them to send it the 60 miles from their headquarters to me....
I dont think chainslap or chainsuck damage would contribute to the chainstay cracking, they seem to crack in this area regardless.

Im wondering what they'll give me when it snaps again and there's no spare Roscoe parts around.... I've heard theyre re-introducing it for next year, although i'm guessing it'll follow te 29er trend like the rest of fishers bikes

 

[VTPossum]

Hey Joe, sorry to hear about the long wait. My stays took about a month before they made it to the LBS - I think. We had a communication gap. Unfortunately my history is similar to tduro's in that I have only gotten 12 - 16 months from a frame before it cracks somewhere. Fisher replaced the frame but missing riding time is a real downer. So a 29'er Roscoe? Wonder what that would mean for the Rumblefish? I would like to make the Roscoe a 650B. On the 650B forum someone said it won't work on the rear. Maybe Fisher /Trek could design so it would. Seems like it could be done. Some Stan's Flows, DW Link?....Some Rugged Chainstays lol.

 

[[email protected]]

I'm sure it'll be worth the wait
Same here with the time period, it took one year of use. What's your opinion on why they crack there?
To me It looks as though suspension movement would stress the outer section of the bend on the chainstay more than the inner section where the crack is. It seems as though the only force acting in that area that could fatigue it a sufficient amount to cause damage, would be vertical flex from each side of the rear axle where the abp bearings are- causing twisting in this area of the chainstays.(If i've explained that well enough?) It's a shame that the new 12mm abp axle dosn't look like it'll fit on the Roscoe.

Here's one of the articles that briefly mentioned a new roscoe, right at the end in capitals. Not sure where else I read about it
http://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/new-trek-29ers-7-dh-bike-and

Not sure I think bigger wheels on a bike like this would bring much more to it! Part of the great thing about it is how well it performs in tight twisty singletrack, i've heard bigger wheels make bike's less agile- although i've never ridden a 29er myself

 

[hopsalot]

Mine broke in the same place as the OP. I was up and running in 7 days, thanks to GF and Trek.

 

[MTBiker483]

Broke my Roscoe frame in exactly the same spot too. I have heard this happened a lot on early production runs b/c the boss was placed poorly and welded with a little too much heat, weakening the chainstay there. The chainstay I was given as a replacement had the boss in a slightly different position, I have put 3x more miles on the new one than than the first one that broke with no issues, fingers crossed...

 

[blueline]

ChainStay Crack aft of cable attach point

Got a 2009 Roscoe III discovered crack on aft end of cable attachment this weekend before a ride. Have bike at LBS and hoping for prompt replacement. Will keep all posted, missing my bike already!

 

[lvspeed]

frame

Hi Joe. Well, that`s a busted frame all right. Odd that it broke that way. It should have broken across the flat side, as learned from sport motorbike swing-arms. It takes huge force to get any flex at all on the tall side. The flat side is designed to flex to allow better tracking on rough surface when leaned over. I have to agree that too much heat was used on those stupid guides. Can we order a frame with NO guides? Be nice.
This all makes one ponder if my `09 Roscoe is on borrowed time. I am 6 ft 2 and 1/8 of a ton with riding gear + camel back and love to charge over everything on my magic GF creation. Oh well, until it breaks, it`s the best mountain bike in history.

 

[[email protected]]

I've gotta admit, i've heard of a lot breaking there so I wouldnt trust it to last forever!
Now the shocks broken!
Oh well. Road riding for a while it looks like

 

[danjthomas]

Hi All, my Roscoe has decided to crack on me last week whilst riding Les Gets in the French alps. It is a 2009 roscoe one. My LBS has stated that the replacement frame or part will be with me from the US to the UK in 10 to 14 days. id be happy to have the exact part again in Black to match the frame but am concerned that they will give me a random colour that does not match the front half of the frame. Perhaps if they dont have the colour matched part for my bike they will just give me a full frame in the colours that they do have. Any thoughts on this. Has everyone had matching parts or been given a full frame?

 

[[email protected]]

My LBS seemed to make a big deal about having the colour matched for the new part. Did they ask what colour yours is? I'm sure they'll make sure its the same.

Slightly off topic, but does everyones Fox Float on their Roscoe have a medium rebound tune and low velocity tune? (says on the side of the shock)
My shock's leaking from the damper. A service in the UK is £120, I can get a new one from Taiwan for £110 with medium velocity tune instead of low.

 

[MTBiker483]

Hi All, my Roscoe has decided to crack on me last week whilst riding Les Gets in the French alps. It is a 2009 roscoe one. My LBS has stated that the replacement frame or part will be with me from the US to the UK in 10 to 14 days. id be happy to have the exact part again in Black to match the frame but am concerned that they will give me a random colour that does not match the front half of the frame. Perhaps if they dont have the colour matched part for my bike they will just give me a full frame in the colours that they do have. Any thoughts on this. Has everyone had matching parts or been given a full frame?

Sorry to hear about your frame! I have a 2009 Roscoe II on which I broke the chainstay. It is a silver frame, yet I was given a chainstay from the 2010 lineup which is black. I would put in a request immediately to get one that is the same color, which I'm sure doesn't guarantee that you will, but it wouldn't hurt to ask!