[BigBri]

Hi All,
Just wanted to get your'alls opinion on my poor bike. Today I took my bike, '04 Hollowpoint, by Performance, and they said there would be no problem warrenteeing the problems.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has this stuff break on them. Both things are in the rear triangle. Up top, on the silver link between the two halves is bending and starting to crack. Down at the bottom, the cast piece at the BB is cracking also. This part though, had a small irregularity from the beginning that I figure is a casting flaw. The tube up top though looked fine at the beginning.

I'm a Clyde, 230lbs, and ride moderatly aggressive cross-country, but never more than a 2 ft. drop, and that is rare. The bike shop dude said that maybe my bike isn't enough for me and I might want to get something stronger "for my riding style" !!! Just supprised, I thought the HP's might hold up a little better. Anyone with similar experiences?

Brian.

 

[rick watts]

rocks

 

[Speedub.Nate]

Not sure what the damage is in the first photo. What's broken?

The second photo -- that's a non-stressed area of the frame, and that's not a crack, it's a puncture. I wouldn't sweat it if it were my bike, and honestly, unless something crazy is going on on the opposite side of that crack, I'd be surprised if you get it warrantied (chalk it up to trail damage).

 

[BigBri]

Not sure what the damage is in the first photo. What's broken?

The second photo -- that's a non-stressed area of the frame, and that's not a crack, it's a puncture. I wouldn't sweat it if it were my bike, and honestly, unless something crazy is going on on the opposite side of that crack, I'd be surprised if you get it warrantied (chalk it up to trail damage).

Thanks guys. Nate, in the first photo the damage is to the silver tubing that is clamped on each side by a hex bolt, and holds the two top ends of ther rear triangel together. Its the silver link directly behind the shock mount and the damage is circled in red. It slightly bent, and appears to be beginning to crack. There is a crease on both sides of it, where its starting to buckle. The crease in front is where the red circle and arrow are. That'll be a quick and easy fix when the shop gets the part in.

The crack at the bottom is another story though. Although from the photo it appears to be concave, like damage from a rock, its not. In the beginning it was actually a small bump under the paint. Over time it started to press out more, and start to crack. My best guess is that the pivot bolt, that passes through this section, is pressing against some sort of irregularity on the inside and causing it to crack outward. Even if thats not whats causing it that gives you an idea of what the crack looks like.
Like you said though, I doesn't look like a big problem. Thats why I wasn't in a hurry to mention it to the shop. I just showed them when I had them take a look at the other problem. Thats when he said "you might want to sell this and get something stronger" Which supprised me....cause I try to take care of this bike. But I guess it might appear that I'm thrashing it if there are cracks in different areas....

Anyway, no big deal. I was just curious if anyone else had experienced similar problems.
B.

 

[Speedub.Nate]

Thats when he said "you might want to sell this and get something stronger" Which supprised me....cause I try to take care of this bike. But I guess it might appear that I'm thrashing it if there are cracks in different areas....

All I can add is to remember that the Hollowpoint was designed more as an agressive XC bike, less as a light duty freeride (I suppose that's where the "all mountain" catagory comes from). I think I still weighed as much as 230 pounds when I first began riding my '03 Hollowpoint, and didn't really have any big complaints in the two years I owned it, but I definitely noticed an increased stiffness when I switched to the MkIII. At your weight, you would certainly notice the benefit of the burlier design combined with a through-axle fork... but if you're riding the Hollowpoint as it was intended, it should hold up just fine.

 

[BigBri]

All I can add is to remember that the Hollowpoint was designed more as an agressive XC bike, less as a light duty freeride (I suppose that's where the "all mountain" catagory comes from). I think I still weighed as much as 230 pounds when I first began riding my '03 Hollowpoint, and didn't really have any big complaints in the two years I owned it, but I definitely noticed an increased stiffness when I switched to the MkIII. At your weight, you would certainly notice the benefit of the burlier design combined with a through-axle fork... but if you're riding the Hollowpoint as it was intended, it should hold up just fine.

Well, I stopped by Performance on the way home from work. It looks like they're going to warrentee the rear triangle without any problem whatsoever. The guy didn't even care if it was a defect or if I caused it. So, hats off to Performance and Ironhorse.

So my best guess is that I somehow overloaded and bent that tube up top, and there was some sort of defect at the bottom. Both of which look like they'll be happily warrenteed.
B.

 

[Speedub.Nate]

Nice! Can't ever have too much service like that.