My bike EXPLODED!

Jack Sprat said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and
was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jp

Your bike did not explode, it broke. There is a big difference.

Yes, it could happen again if you can replicate the stresses on the
frame, but that isn't likely. Assuming there was no defect, then a
large overload could produce those breaks, but it would have to be a
very large load. It's more probable that the frame was incorrectly
welded or heat treated, or was abused, such as blows from rocks, deep
scratches or riding two-up.

--
Ted Bennett

Jack Sprat said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and
was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jp

Your bike did not explode, it broke. There is a big difference.

Yes, it could happen again if you can replicate the stresses on the
frame, but that isn't likely. Assuming there was no defect, then a
large overload could produce those breaks, but it would have to be a
very large load. It's more probable that the frame was incorrectly
welded or heat treated, or was abused, such as blows from rocks, deep
scratches or riding two-up.

--
Ted Bennett

I'm not a mechanical engineer but having a bolt hole opposite where
the suspension mounts the tube is bad design.

The manufacturer needs to see these pics.

I'm not a mechanical engineer but having a bolt hole opposite where
the suspension mounts the tube is bad design.

The manufacturer needs to see these pics.

"Jack Sprat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and was
incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this point
I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I could break
my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

That is really scary!
Are you a particularly large rider?
Did you feel the suspension totally bottom out as the frame broke?
Good thing you were wearing a helmet.

BobT

"Jack Sprat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and was
incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this point
I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I could break
my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

That is really scary!
Are you a particularly large rider?
Did you feel the suspension totally bottom out as the frame broke?
Good thing you were wearing a helmet.

BobT

Bob Taylor said:

...
Good thing you were wearing a helmet.

Probably prevented a nasty scalp wound.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
When did ignorance of biology become a "family value"?

Bob Taylor said:

...
Good thing you were wearing a helmet.

Probably prevented a nasty scalp wound.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
When did ignorance of biology become a "family value"?

Jack Sprat said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and
was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

Cool photos!
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Jack Sprat said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and
was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

Cool photos!
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Jack Sprat said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and
was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

Looking at the design, we have a thin hard aluminum tube with a punched
bottle mount just opposite a loaded flange welded in the thin section.
What was the question again? A whole 60 days, huh?
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

you ride a what? be serious

http://www.country-living.com/newcanaan.htm

uneeda exorcist

Jack Sprat said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and
was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

Looking at the design, we have a thin hard aluminum tube with a punched
bottle mount just opposite a loaded flange welded in the thin section.
What was the question again? A whole 60 days, huh?
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

you ride a what? be serious

http://www.country-living.com/newcanaan.htm

uneeda exorcist

BobT said:

"Jack Sprat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and
it exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my
weight was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously
crashed and was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My
helmet was also destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could
happen again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

That is really scary!
Are you a particularly large rider?
Did you feel the suspension totally bottom out as the frame broke?
Good thing you were wearing a helmet.

Here we go...

BobT said:

"Jack Sprat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and
it exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my
weight was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously
crashed and was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My
helmet was also destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could
happen again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

That is really scary!
Are you a particularly large rider?
Did you feel the suspension totally bottom out as the frame broke?
Good thing you were wearing a helmet.

Here we go...

Jack Sprat said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and
was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

That's how aluminum fails. It looks to me like the failure started at
the bosses under the downtube, propogated around the tube to the weld
holding the suspension braket, and then around the other side. When the
down tube failed the top tube couldn't take the load, so it also failed.

I'd push for a warranty replacement.

--

John "steel bikes, please!" ([email hidden])

Jack Sprat said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and it
exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my weight
was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously crashed and
was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My helmet was also
destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could happen
again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

That's how aluminum fails. It looks to me like the failure started at
the bosses under the downtube, propogated around the tube to the weld
holding the suspension braket, and then around the other side. When the
down tube failed the top tube couldn't take the load, so it also failed.

I'd push for a warranty replacement.

--

John "steel bikes, please!" ([email hidden])

Bill Sornson said:

BobT said:

"Jack Sprat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was riding my nearly new (less than 60 days old) Canaan Elite and
it exploded on me

I could have been KILLED!

I was riding down a steep hill and just at the bottom when all my
weight was forced onto the bicycle and it exploded. I obviously
crashed and was incredibly lucky not to be seriously injured. My
helmet was also destroyed saving my head from a similar fate.

I know that there is a warranty that could replace bike, but at this
point I'm scared that it could happen again with the new bike and I
could break my neck and DIE!

Do you bike experts think this is fluke or do you think it could
happen again?

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken1.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken2.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken3.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken4.jpg
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~jss/canaan/broken5.jpg

That is really scary!
Are you a particularly large rider?
Did you feel the suspension totally bottom out as the frame broke?
Good thing you were wearing a helmet.

Here we go...

Mr. Sornson's opinion of foam bicycle hat, er helmet, effectiveness is
based on belief, not fact.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
When did ignorance of biology become a "family value"?