[Stefan_G]

The pictures speak for themselves.

 

[erik99]

I thought GF was making good on your situation.

 

[gumby2]

Steel Baby!

Never ridden the GF 292/293 and as affordable as it is to get a FS 29er I would never go
there with the carbon stays. I would be worried about hiting a rock at some stage and setting the stays up for a crack like you have.
That sux. Hope they look after you.

 

[funkenstein]

The pictures speak for themselves.

1 = crash (you can see the abrasion on both sides of the break)
2 = chainsuck. Not a durability issue. many issues can cause this including user error
3 = chainslap. not a durability issue, common on all geared bikes
4 = cracked shock mount, addressed in a earlier post from Fisherguy. welds have been updated to a double pass (smooth) weld

 

[Stefan_G]

1 = crash (you can see the abrasion on both sides of the break)
2 = chainsuck. Not a durability issue. many issues can cause this including user error
3 = chainslap. not a durability issue, common on all geared bikes
4 = cracked shock mount, addressed in a earlier post from Fisherguy. welds have been updated to a double pass (smooth) weld

1. Yup, albeit a quite minor crash. A Ti, Al, or Steel seat stay might have ended up with a tiny dent, but more likely just a scratch. The carbon fiber only looked scuffed, but that was enough to eventually weaken it to the point of breaking. This has been discussed ad nauseum in other posts.

2. Sure, this can be user error, and I have learned my lesson and gained much knowledge on how to prevent and alleviate this problem. Thanks to those of you on this board that helped me solve my chainsuck problem. However, it only has to happen once. Riding in the mud, the chain gets sucked in and all of a sudden you have huge gouges in your frame. These gouges are indeed a durability issue as the structure of the swingarm has been compromised. The Sugar frame is particularly sensitive to this due to the tight clearance between the small chainring and the frame.

3. Common on many bikes - agreed. Unfortunately, because of the tight small chainring clearance, it is nearly impossible to wrap any protective material on that part of the frame. This is also a durability issue. The rear triangle in the picture is 8 months old. Imagine how it will look in 4 years.

4. I'm just as psyched as everybody else that Fisher has addressed this. I certainly hope the beefier welds do the job in the future, and according to FisherGuy, it is likely that my frame may be replaced with one of the new frames.

 

[Stefan_G]

I thought GF was making good on your situation.

I beleive they will with the cracked frame. I'm bringing the bike in to the LBS sometime this week.

 

[erik99]

4. I'm just as psyched as everybody else that Fisher has addressed this. I certainly hope the beefier welds do the job in the future, and according to FisherGuy, it is likely that my frame may be replaced with one of the new frames.

So what is the point of your first post? GF has owned up to the issue on your bike and plans to rectify the situation but you have gone out of your way to poor more gas on the fire.

I'm sure they'll be in a mad rush to help you out after reading this thread

 

[Homer Simpson]

I love my fisher 29er, but seen more broken fisher frames than any other brand. I worked in a shop that sold fishers, seems like the FS bikes broke too often. Saw one broken hardtail, the rest were FS. Fisher does replace the frames though, which is good.

I consider them to be great bikes and recommed them to anybody. I imagine it just very irritating to have you stuff break though. Especially when having fun on a ride and it's cut short.

 

[funkenstein]

I love my fisher 29er, but seen more broken fisher frames than any other brand. I worked in a shop that sold fishers, seems like the FS bikes broke too often. Saw one broken hardtail, the rest were FS. Fisher does replace the frames though, which is good.

I consider them to be great bikes and recommed them to anybody. I imagine it just very irritating to have you stuff break though. Especially when having fun on a ride and it's cut short.

we see more broken Fishers, because they sell the most 29ers...everything breaks.

 

[Stefan_G]

So what is the point of your first post? GF has owned up to the issue on your bike and plans to rectify the situation but you have gone out of your way to poor more gas on the fire.

I'm sure they'll be in a mad rush to help you out after reading this thread

Indeed, I knew posting this would be like pooring more gas on the fire and would probably agitate a few people. However, I am in the market for a new bike, and hopefully other people looking for a new bike will see this post. I would absolutely love to see a post like this for a Mooto-X YBB, or a Titus RacerX, or a Leviathan, or a Dos Niner, or a Karate Monkey, or whatever. Please point me to some if you know of any!!! When I am considering spending a bunch of money on a new bike, I want to know the good and the bad. The perfections and the imperfections. I'm sure I'm not alone in this viewpoint either.

If I were not a 292 owner, would this post discourage me from buying one? Perhaps, perhaps not. It wholly depends on what you are looking for in a bike. The 292 pricepoint is great for getting into the 29er FS world. If you are always in race mode and push through the technical obstacles instead of the recreational mode of trying them over and over, you probably don't need to worry about breaking the carbon fiber. If you don't plan on taking the bike down super gnarly terrain, you probably don't need to worry about cracking the frame.

And lastly, everyone should know that I may be the exception to the rule. Lots of people have been quite happy with their GF 292 and consider it a solid bike - I do not.

 

[Stefan_G]

...everything breaks.

Ever seen a broken Moots YBB? 26er or 29er? Ever seen any broken Ti frames? Which steel frames have you seen broken?

Please do not take this post as sarcasm! I am genuinely interested - I want to know about the strengths *and* weaknesses of any bike I purchase.

 

[funkenstein]

Indeed, I knew posting this would be like pooring more gas on the fire and would probably agitate a few people. However, I am in the market for a new bike, and hopefully other people looking for a new bike will see this post. I would absolutely love to see a post like this for a Mooto-X YBB, or a Titus RacerX, or a Leviathan, or a Dos Niner, or a Karate Monkey, or whatever. Please point me to some if you know of any!!! When I am considering spending a bunch of money on a new bike, I want to know the good and the bad. The perfections and the imperfections. I'm sure I'm not alone in this viewpoint either.

If I were not a 292 owner, would this post discourage me from buying one? Perhaps, perhaps not. It wholly depends on what you are looking for in a bike. The 292 pricepoint is great for getting into the 29er FS world. If you are always in race mode and push through the technical obstacles instead of the recreational mode of trying them over and over, you probably don't need to worry about breaking the carbon fiber. If you don't plan on taking the bike down super gnarly terrain, you probably don't need to worry about cracking the frame.

And lastly, everyone should know that I may be the exception to the rule. Lots of people have been quite happy with their GF 292 and consider it a solid bike - I do not.

what else have you broken?

 

[funkenstein]

Ever seen a broken Moots YBB? 26er or 29er? Ever seen any broken Ti frames? Which steel frames have you seen broken?

Please do not take this post as sarcasm! I am genuinely interested - I want to know about the strengths *and* weaknesses of any bike I purchase.

yep, and yep. seen it all, broken. the manufacturing process has as much to do with the durability as the material does. just because it's Ti doesn't mean it's more durable. do I have proof, no. But I have seen my share of broken Litespeed's and cro-mo frames.

 

[starre]

as a potential customer, the technical issues (frame and chain stay breakage) of the sugar 29er are indeed troublesome. but correct me if i'm wrong, there is simply no other 29er FS alternative in the "more economical" price range of $2K (lenzlev, behemoth, asylum, el capitan, intense 29er etc are all between $3500 to $4K for complete bikes). with many posts to this forum leaving you with the feeling that in general the ride/fun of a lenzlev =sugar, why not putting up with the inconvenience of having your frame changed on warranty.

 

[jbogner]

Ever seen a broken Moots YBB? 26er or 29er? Ever seen any broken Ti frames? Which steel frames have you seen broken?

Anyone paid under $2000 for a new fully-built Titanium FS 29er? Hardly a fair comparison.

I saw the 26er Racer-X frame a top local racer sheared in half (it's a lightweight racing frame- one decent crash can ruin it). I broke my first steel frame. Frame material alone is not a predictor of invincibility. Everyone wants lighter and ligher bikes, but then complains when things break. Something's gotta give...

 

[funkenstein]

well put...

Anyone paid under $2000 for a new fully-built Titanium FS 29er? Hardly a fair comparison.

I saw the 26er Racer-X frame a top local racer sheared in half (it's a lightweight racing frame- one decent crash can ruin it). I broke my first steel frame. Frame material alone is not a predictor of invincibility. Everyone wants lighter and ligher bikes, but then complains when things break. Something's gotta give...

well put jbogner...

 

[shiggy]

Ever seen a broken Moots YBB? 26er or 29er? Ever seen any broken Ti frames? Which steel frames have you seen broken?

Please do not take this post as sarcasm! I am genuinely interested - I want to know about the strengths *and* weaknesses of any bike I purchase.

I have seen many broken ti and steel frames. Too many to list. And broken Aluminum and carbon frames, too. Pretty much every brand.

 

[2melow]

but correct me if i'm wrong, there is simply no other 29er FS alternative in the "more economical" price range of $2K. with many posts to this forum leaving you with the feeling that in general the ride/fun of a lenzlev =sugar, why not putting up with the inconvenience of having your frame changed on warranty.

I agree, the Gary Fisher products are affordable. However, the frame above looks like it is just plain beat. Look at the scratches in the paint, look at the q/r levers and the wear, etc. This bike has been ridden, and ridden hard. Looks like a Ventana frame would be a better bet - can take the wear and tear better than a 292 which is more of a race bike.

I have a 292 and have been riding it since June. I haven't had anything described here...although I guess I need to look at the underside to check out the chain slap.

All bikes can break.

 

[bigwheelboy_490]

Ever seen a broken Moots YBB? 26er or 29er? Ever seen any broken Ti frames? Which steel frames have you seen broken?

Please do not take this post as sarcasm! I am genuinely interested - I want to know about the strengths *and* weaknesses of any bike I purchase.

Acutally, yes. Just that the owners have taken the high road and realized that when riding a bike off road, you stress them to levels that can be highly varried. I've seen a very reputable steel builder have a broken frame. But the owner of the frame choose to discuss the problem directly, and deal with the builder to resolve the problem. I've worked in shops for many years and seen frames that broke from manufactures that claim almost no breakage.

 

[DeeZee]

Worked

I agree, the Gary Fisher products are affordable. However, the frame above looks like it is just plain beat. Look at the scratches in the paint, look at the q/r levers and the wear, etc. This bike has been ridden, and ridden hard. Looks like a Ventana frame would be a better bet - can take the wear and tear better than a 292 which is more of a race bike.

I have a 292 and have been riding it since June. I haven't had anything described here...although I guess I need to look at the underside to check out the chain slap.

All bikes can break.

Look at the scratches in the paint, look at the q/r levers and the wear, etc. This bike has been ridden, and ridden hard.

Agreed this bike has been worked.

I also ride my 293 hard and beyond it intended "cross-country" use. If it breaks it will most likely be my fault.