Interesting Fuji Frame Failure

[veryredbike]

Check this out! A client came in with a sticky seat post, and our mechanic twisted the saddle (by hand, on the ground) and the whole seat tube rotated. Backing it out a bit, I only found one patch of clean brass and a few threads along the border of the lug. There was some other brass in the joints, but only a bit and it was coated in ages of rust.

This thing must have been held together by paint and rust for a decade.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10366...05561298908129

I know that factory lugged frames being poorly made won't surprise many, but DAMN.

[Eric Estlund]

The most amazing parts are that two joints were not brazed.

I've seen bikes where one could see day light between the tubes and the lugs- uncool.

[JLP]

That's wild. Amazing that it got that far.

[Andrew R Stewart]

Actually not too surprising. If you worked in a Raleigh store in the mid/late 1970s you've seen stuff before. My best story was a frame that came into my shop for a tuneup and make ready to ride. The builder was a renowned NE builder with trend setting sizing ideas. I did the usual tuning stuff, taking extra care given the brand. A few months later it came back with a complant of something very worng. The DT had puller from the HT lug completely and there was no sign of filler on any of the mating surfaces. Now this frame was, maybe, 15+ years old and had been riden 25+k miles over it's years, with only flux and paint holding the joint together. So no surprise. Andy.

[veryredbike]

Actually not too surprising. If you worked in a Raleigh store in the mid/late 1970s you've seen stuff before. My best story was a frame that came into my shop for a tuneup and make ready to ride. The builder was a renowned NE builder with trend setting sizing ideas. I did the usual tuning stuff, taking extra care given the brand. A few months later it came back with a complant of something very worng. The DT had puller from the HT lug completely and there was no sign of filler on any of the mating surfaces. Now this frame was, maybe, 15+ years old and had been riden 25+k miles over it's years, with only flux and paint holding the joint together. So no surprise. Andy.

Yikes! Lazy filling I can understand, but how do you forget the step with fire in it?

[Andrew R Stewart]

Smoke enough pot and you'll forget your name. Andy. (Who actually has no idea if the builder was a head but speaks from personal experience)