Bar & Stem Fatigue?

Shawn Amir said:

I have Ritchey WCS bars and stem, regular not the OS variety. What is the
consensus on fatigue life for these? I have about 10K miles on them so far
with no visible damage, when should I replace them? (I am 195 lb, like to
climb, and stand a lot.)

Cheers, Shawn

if you have any doubts at all, change them. prevention is a lot cheaper
than your dental bills if they break. istr ttt specifying ~15k change
intervals for heavier use.

Shawn Amir said:

I have Ritchey WCS bars and stem, regular not the OS variety. What is the
consensus on fatigue life for these? I have about 10K miles on them so far
with no visible damage, when should I replace them? (I am 195 lb, like to
climb, and stand a lot.)

Cheers, Shawn

http://www.biketechreview.com/stems/summary.htm

Interesting to see some results of testing. The WCS seems like a durable
stem. Read the disclaimer though.

Andrew Lee said:

Shawn Amir said:

I have Ritchey WCS bars and stem, regular not the OS variety. What

is the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

consensus on fatigue life for these? I have about 10K miles on them

so far

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

with no visible damage, when should I replace them? (I am 195 lb,

like to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

climb, and stand a lot.)

Cheers, Shawn

http://www.biketechreview.com/stems/summary.htm

Interesting to see some results of testing. The WCS seems like a

durable

Quoted message said:

stem. Read the disclaimer though.

Doesn't even attempt fatigue testing, I don't see the value.

"Peter Cole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andrew Lee said:

Shawn Amir said:

I have Ritchey WCS bars and stem, regular not the OS variety. What

is the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

consensus on fatigue life for these? I have about 10K miles on them

so far

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

with no visible damage, when should I replace them? (I am 195 lb,

like to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

climb, and stand a lot.)

Cheers, Shawn

http://www.biketechreview.com/stems/summary.htm

Interesting to see some results of testing. The WCS seems like a

durable

Quoted message said:

stem. Read the disclaimer though.

Doesn't even attempt fatigue testing, I don't see the value.

It doesn't? http://www.biketechreview.com/stems/methods.htm

25,000 cycles may be very low, but I would call it an attempt.

Andrew Lee said:

Shawn Amir said:

I have Ritchey WCS bars and stem, regular not the OS variety. What is the
consensus on fatigue life for these? I have about 10K miles on them so
far with no visible damage, when should I replace them? (I am 195 lb,
like to climb, and stand a lot.)

Cheers, Shawn

http://www.biketechreview.com/stems/summary.htm

Interesting to see some results of testing. The WCS seems like a durable
stem. Read the disclaimer though.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/ Look at the stem in the picture on the
left...

10 K go for it and get a new combo.

Quoted message said:

10 K go for it and get a new combo.

10K?! That's 1 year for a lot of people.

TTT used to specify 5 years for their bars and stems. I don't think
10K is a whole lot... I'd say 3-5 years is totally reasonable, if you
don't score the bars.

"Andrew Lee" <whatsupandrewathotmaildotcom> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/ Look at the stem in the picture on
the left...

While Jobst using a similar stem is certainly a comparative endorsement, it
tells me little about the expected service life of the component. (Jobst,
if you are out there: when do you expect to replace your stem?)

Alas, statements of the form "replace them if you are worried", while
appreciated are also of little help. Being an engineer, I am too
well-acquainted with Murphy and perhaps a little too paranoid--especially
since I have had a face-full of asphalt on a previous occasion.

Let me simply ask, when would you replace a Ritchey WCS bar/stem combo on
your own bike?

Cheers, Shawn

"Andrew Lee" <whatsupandrewathotmaildotcom> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/ Look at the stem in the picture on
the left...

While having Jobst using a similar stem is certainly a comparative
endorsement, it tells me little about the expected service life of the bar
and stem--except that I know he rides many more miles than I do. Jobst, if
you are out there, when do you expect to replace your stem?

Alas, the advice "replace them if you are worried", while greatly
appreciated, does not solve my problem either. I am well acquainted with
Murphy and have had a face-full of asphalt on a previous occasion, so tend
to worry more than most.

When would you replace your Ritchey WCS bar and stem if they were on your
bike? (Perhaps this phrasing will nullify any legal concerns.)

Cheers, Shawn

Shawn Amir said:

"Andrew Lee" <whatsupandrewathotmaildotcom> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/ Look at the stem in the picture on
the left...

While having Jobst using a similar stem is certainly a comparative
endorsement, it tells me little about the expected service life of the bar
and stem--except that I know he rides many more miles than I do. Jobst, if
you are out there, when do you expect to replace your stem?

Alas, the advice "replace them if you are worried", while greatly
appreciated, does not solve my problem either. I am well acquainted with
Murphy and have had a face-full of asphalt on a previous occasion, so tend
to worry more than most.

When would you replace your Ritchey WCS bar and stem if they were on your
bike? (Perhaps this phrasing will nullify any legal concerns.)

Whenever I saw, felt or heard anything that made me question their integrity.
Sorry, that was no use either. I've never gotten that face-full of asphalt from
something like that failing so probably lack the quality of judgement you have.

No creaks (other than the expected) cracks, fretted areas, sloppy threads, or
like that I'd just keep riding. But, that's me.

Ron

Shawn Amir said:

"Andrew Lee" <whatsupandrewathotmaildotcom> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/ Look at the stem in the picture on
the left...

While having Jobst using a similar stem is certainly a comparative
endorsement, it tells me little about the expected service life of the bar
and stem--except that I know he rides many more miles than I do. Jobst, if
you are out there, when do you expect to replace your stem?

Alas, the advice "replace them if you are worried", while greatly
appreciated, does not solve my problem either. I am well acquainted with
Murphy and have had a face-full of asphalt on a previous occasion, so tend
to worry more than most.

When would you replace your Ritchey WCS bar and stem if they were on your
bike? (Perhaps this phrasing will nullify any legal concerns.)

Whenever I saw, felt or heard anything that made me question their integrity.
Sorry, that was no use either. I've never gotten that face-full of asphalt from
something like that failing so probably lack the quality of judgement you have.

No creaks (other than the expected) cracks, fretted areas, sloppy threads, or
like that I'd just keep riding. But, that's me.

Ron

Retroed Bob said:

That said, just how common is stem/bar breakage in real life once we
remove the AVA stems from the picture ? I've never seen it, but I
don't get out much.

Two people I ride with regularly have stories of breaking stems. Both
were after several years of use. One crashed rather badly, the other
managed to roll onto a lawn and wasn't hurt. I have heard stories of
others breaking stems, and occasionally bars. I managed to bend one set
of bars -- after a while I just noticed that they were kind of droopy.

I would wait until a stem creaks and that creak can't be quieted down, or
until a crack begins to appear. Yes, I do check regularly. Bars will
usually bend first, toss them at the first sign of trouble.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I can
_`\(,_ | assure you that mine are all greater. -- A. Einstein
(_)/ (_) |

Retroed Bob said:

That said, just how common is stem/bar breakage in real life once we
remove the AVA stems from the picture ? I've never seen it, but I
don't get out much.

Two people I ride with regularly have stories of breaking stems. Both
were after several years of use. One crashed rather badly, the other
managed to roll onto a lawn and wasn't hurt. I have heard stories of
others breaking stems, and occasionally bars. I managed to bend one set
of bars -- after a while I just noticed that they were kind of droopy.

I would wait until a stem creaks and that creak can't be quieted down, or
until a crack begins to appear. Yes, I do check regularly. Bars will
usually bend first, toss them at the first sign of trouble.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I can
_`\(,_ | assure you that mine are all greater. -- A. Einstein
(_)/ (_) |

Retroed Bob said:

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 15:01:08 GMT, RonSonic <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

No creaks (other than the expected) cracks, fretted areas, sloppy

threads, or

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

like that I'd just keep riding. But, that's me.

Mee too. Being a vintage guy, I ride some old stuff and don't worry
too much. After all there are aircraft out there using
versions of the same alloys... running through much tougher

conditions

Quoted message said:

over many more years.

That said, just how common is stem/bar breakage in real life once we
remove the AVA stems from the picture ? I've never seen it, but I
don't get out much.

I broke one stem a year or so ago. It was a Nitto Technomic. It broke
about half-way up the vertical, there was perhaps 3" above the locknut.
Fortunately, the wedge bolt held the pieces together, the casting was
broken clean through.

I'm big and heavy (6'10", 235), but I'm generally pretty easy on
components. What may have done my stem in was using aerobars heavily.

Retroed Bob said:

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 15:01:08 GMT, RonSonic <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

No creaks (other than the expected) cracks, fretted areas, sloppy

threads, or

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

like that I'd just keep riding. But, that's me.

Mee too. Being a vintage guy, I ride some old stuff and don't worry
too much. After all there are aircraft out there using
versions of the same alloys... running through much tougher

conditions

Quoted message said:

over many more years.

That said, just how common is stem/bar breakage in real life once we
remove the AVA stems from the picture ? I've never seen it, but I
don't get out much.

I broke one stem a year or so ago. It was a Nitto Technomic. It broke
about half-way up the vertical, there was perhaps 3" above the locknut.
Fortunately, the wedge bolt held the pieces together, the casting was
broken clean through.

I'm big and heavy (6'10", 235), but I'm generally pretty easy on
components. What may have done my stem in was using aerobars heavily.

Retroed Bob said:

Being a vintage guy, I ride some old stuff and don't worry
too much. After all there are aircraft out there using
versions of the same alloys... running through much tougher
conditions over many more years.

Those aircraft were designed and tested to a vastly higher standard than
any vintage bicycle, and still there are concerns about their structural
longevity:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

In 1977 the Air Force "blue ribbon" panel concluded that the
onset of widespread fatigue damage (WFD) in service aircraft
was occurring between 8,000 and 9,000 flight hours...
-- "Aging of US Air Force Aircraft: Final Report" (1997)

9000 hours is a long time on a bicycle, but there is no good reason to
assume your handlebar and stem are as resistant to WFD as a military
airframe.

Quoted message said:

just how common is stem/bar breakage in real life once we
remove the AVA stems from the picture ?

I've broken three handlebars over the past 25 years, but never a stem.

--
"Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much
to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes,
it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)

Retroed Bob said:

Being a vintage guy, I ride some old stuff and don't worry
too much. After all there are aircraft out there using
versions of the same alloys... running through much tougher
conditions over many more years.

Those aircraft were designed and tested to a vastly higher standard than
any vintage bicycle, and still there are concerns about their structural
longevity:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

In 1977 the Air Force "blue ribbon" panel concluded that the
onset of widespread fatigue damage (WFD) in service aircraft
was occurring between 8,000 and 9,000 flight hours...
-- "Aging of US Air Force Aircraft: Final Report" (1997)

9000 hours is a long time on a bicycle, but there is no good reason to
assume your handlebar and stem are as resistant to WFD as a military
airframe.

Quoted message said:

just how common is stem/bar breakage in real life once we
remove the AVA stems from the picture ?

I've broken three handlebars over the past 25 years, but never a stem.

--
"Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much
to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes,
it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)

Retroed Bob said:

Where do they tend to break ?

Near the stem in my experience. If there is a reinforced area near the
stem, then right where that ends.

Quoted message said:

Is there any evidence (subjective OK)
that it is age related as opposed to hours used ?

No. I have very old bars that are rarely used, and those are fine.

Quoted message said:

Does it tend to
happen on bikes where they get "leveraged" a lot in aggressive use?

It would seem reasonable to expect that, but it's hard to compare since
most of us ride the same way on any bike we ride.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "What am I on? I'm on my bike, six hours a day, busting my ass.
_`\(,_ | What are you on?" --Lance Armstrong
(_)/ (_) |

Retroed Bob said:

Where do they tend to break ?

Near the stem in my experience. If there is a reinforced area near the
stem, then right where that ends.

Quoted message said:

Is there any evidence (subjective OK)
that it is age related as opposed to hours used ?

No. I have very old bars that are rarely used, and those are fine.

Quoted message said:

Does it tend to
happen on bikes where they get "leveraged" a lot in aggressive use?

It would seem reasonable to expect that, but it's hard to compare since
most of us ride the same way on any bike we ride.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "What am I on? I'm on my bike, six hours a day, busting my ass.
_`\(,_ | What are you on?" --Lance Armstrong
(_)/ (_) |