[sam-eye-am]

:cryin:

Was out for a ride today...first real ride since just before Christmas becasue of a hurt wrist. Rode a fun trail with some great folks. By chance, a guy who was curious about bying an X-5 or ElCiclon was checking out my bike and pointed that I had a crack in my frame:yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

I have never (as far as I can tell) cracked a frame before. Talking to some other folks...the crack location is from stresses during pedaling...that being the seat tube to top tube joint.

I guess I'll be taking the bike apart tomorrow, calling Sherwood and Theresa on Monday to see about a replacement. I am going to miss my X-5 though. This one, as of today had 1425 pure smiling fun on it over the last 16 moths.

I am trying to upload some photos of the crack...hopefully it works...

 

[Enel]

Do you know how far your seat post extends into the seat tube?

Major bummer, such a beautiful color too. I'm sure you will be amazed at how this is taken care of if others experience is any indication.

 

[mattbikeboy]

I understand how you feel. I lost my El Salty today as well. My 2005 had 1178.5 miles on her in 25 months. I heard a loud ping sound and figured I broke my seatpost bolts or a saddle rail and then a couple of hundred feet later the whole thing let go with a loud crunching sound.
I didn't even crash, I just rolled to a stop.

It's been a rough week at our home, my daughter's 24" Gary Fisher was stolen out of our garage Tuesday or Wednesday and my bike died today. I think my Salty was mad at me for getting more miles on my old Mantis ProFloater this year. :nono:

mbb

 

[Enel]

I understand how you feel. I lost my El Salty today as well. My 2005 had 1178.5 miles on her in 25 months. I heard a loud ping sound and figured I broke my seatpost bolts or a saddle rail and then a couple of hundred feet later the whole thing let go with a loud crunching sound.
I didn't even crash, I just rolled to a stop.

Blue paint must be causing this.

Where did it break?

 

[sam-eye-am]

That sucks...

Having it break apart on you during the ride. I finished my ride yesterday as I was only 5 or so miles into about an 18 mile ride that I drove 2.5 hours to get to. Occassionally, something didn't quite feel right, but don't know if that was realated to the crack or not as I have a full 7 and 5/8" of seat post extending down below the top of the seat clamp.

Looking back, I think it started to crack when I was riding Noble Canyon right before Christmas. The bike was making a creaking noise...thought maybe it was the bottom bracket. Can't recall if the creaking stoped on that ride or not. After getting back to VA and letting my wrist heal up...it never made the creaking noise again...maybe because it finally cracked?

Anyway, I am confident Sherwood and company will treat me well. Just don't want to have to ride my old ride (02 Giant NRS1) as it is nowhere near as fun as my X-5.

 

[AOK]

Just don't want to have to ride my old ride (02 Giant NRS1) as it is nowhere near as fun as my X-5.

This is why you should always own at least 2 Ventanas...

Hope you get things resolved quickly and have a new Ventana to ride soon.

 

[sam-eye-am]

This is why you should always own at least 2 Ventanas...

I just broke down the X-5 and moved over to my NRS to make sure it is still in good working order...and started to wonder if maybe I was better off ditching the NRS as well and buying another Ventana to supplement the X-5...hmmmm...would certainly kill my budget though.....

 

[justa]

sorry I find that a bit worrying !

are Ventana's prone to breaking ??

 

[marcus_dukakis]

I wouldn't say Ventana's are prone to breakage - these are the first broken frames I've seen on the board in about 18 months or more...

Didn't you just order a Ciclon? They are similar to the X5 and definitelty tougher than a Salty. I wouldn't be concerned at all. I weigh 200lbs and have beat the crap outta my X5 for nearly 2 years straight and it is holding up just fine. Great bikes and excellent CS.

 

[justa]

cheers marcus - 2 in one post though !

 

[marcus_dukakis]

cheers marcus - 2 in one post though !

No worries - yeah 2 in one post is a worry but that's probability for you.. I'm sure you'll be fine. Just stay focussed on how awesome that bike is going to be when you build it up and hit that first section of singletrack..

 

[mattbikeboy]

Blue paint must be causing this.

Where did it break?

Naw, mine is/was green. This is my second Ventana. My first got a solid 7 years and more than 5000 miles of hard use before a few little spider web looking cracks appeared on the swing arm. It was totally fixable, but I opted for a brand new Salty. The Salty's failure is a bit of a shock though when my Marble Peak got 7 years and this one died in 25 months and less than 1200 miles.

The salty broke in front of the top tube/seat tube gusset and below the pivot on the seat tube.

mbb

 

[evil genius]

ha! i thought i would find you here crying! i thought you took it well at the time. you still rode everything in sight. im glad you didnt have a camera when i fell in the mud. so now i will have to listen to you whine about riding your giant:smallviolin: ventana please hurry!!!
:lol:

 

[sam-eye-am]

I kind wish I did have my camera...it would have been priceless to caputre that look of frustration on you face

You didn't get a pic of me actually riding that stump, instead of dabbing my foot? It looks like I chickened out on that

 

[evil genius]

for the record sam made the second attempt without dabbing! i did not have my camera ready. yes i noticed you seemed to enjoy my failure (mud diving) was that paybacks? i shall force you to suffer on the next more xc oriented trail we ride together!:thumbsup:

 

[P Fradale]

justa, I have had my X-5 for just over a year and a half and ridden the snot out of it here in Japan, took it to Whistler, jumped it, dropped it, crashed it (not necessarily in that order! :lol: ) and it is fine. I weigh 215-20 geared up, so I would not worry overmuch.

 

[ayce]

sorry I find that a bit worrying !

are Ventana's prone to breaking ??

Not at all

 

[sam-eye-am]

3 weeks....

Oh, the Tragedy!

Had such a good ride up a Pocahontas Saturday. I don't think I could have asked for a better group to ride with. Rode quite a few things that before I thought there was no way I'd ride them. But, my beloved X-5 was treating me well...at least making me feel good . Maybe she new it was the end of the line for us. :cryin:

For now I am Ventana-less for an estimated 3 weeks. Talked today with Sherwood. Yes, I'll have a new X-5 in 3 weeks, but will the new one treat me as well?

Just the thought of riding my '02 NRS1...which has much better stuff on it now than when it was new...just flat out turns me off. I think I would almost dare to say that I'd rather ride my road bike :yikes:

I fear I may make a hugely expensive impulse purchase to fill the gaping hole in my life left by the departure of my favorite ride.....and get an El Toro or El Salt to fill the gap at least until I can once again ride an X-5...then, if I buy and build up an El Toro...Maybe this is the excuse I needed to buy/build a singlespeed for myself? A Ventana singlespeed at that....

 

[mtnbiker4life]

Oh, the Tragedy!

Had such a good ride up a Pocahontas Saturday. I don't think I could have asked for a better group to ride with. Rode quite a few things that before I thought there was no way I'd ride them. But, my beloved X-5 was treating me well...at least making me feel good . Maybe she new it was the end of the line for us. :cryin:

For now I am Ventana-less for an estimated 3 weeks. Talked today with Sherwood. Yes, I'll have a new X-5 in 3 weeks, but will the new one treat me as well?

Just the thought of riding my '02 NRS1...which has much better stuff on it now than when it was new...just flat out turns me off. I think I would almost dare to say that I'd rather ride my road bike :yikes:

I fear I may make a hugely expensive impulse purchase to fill the gaping hole in my life left by the departure of my favorite ride.....and get an El Toro or El Salt to fill the gap at least until I can once again ride an X-5...then, if I buy and build up an El Toro...Maybe this is the excuse I needed to buy/build a singlespeed for myself? A Ventana singlespeed at that....

3 weeks is a drop in the bucket....try three months for a front triangle for the last GF Sugar I broke. :madman: I'm glad to be a Ventana convert.......

 

[sam-eye-am]

Yeah, I know 3 weeks really isn't all that much. And, I am not knocking the customer service at all. It will just be a long 3 weeks. While I can still ride...and ride a bike some would still say is a decent ride...nothing I have experienced can compare to my X-5....

My X-5 was and still is by far the single best purchase I have ever made for myself.