# OLD OLD Bikes - Handlebar stem FAILURE!!



## Rambo (May 1, 2010)

I bought an OLD (30 yeras old) Mohawk 10 speed, Road Bike, in excellant condition from my neighbor who had it stored in his basement for years for $10. All it needed was new tires and tubes from siting so long. Well I have been riding it for a year and a half and today I went to sit it down and the handlebar stem cracked apart. It looks like some kind of magneseum alloy maybe. My God, if I had been going fast down a hill or something and had the handlbars come off in my hands, I would probably be in an emergency room with multiple injuries. I have read about this happening before on the internet and this is frightning to think about.

I found this pic, kind of like what happend to my stem:


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## wa-loaf (May 1, 2010)

Lucky!


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## bvibert (May 1, 2010)

Wowsers!


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## dmc (May 3, 2010)

I've seen it happen a couple times with cheaper hybrids..  But not for a while..

Your very lucky thats for sure...


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## Brownsville Brooklyn (May 3, 2010)

:beer::beer:


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## Marc (May 3, 2010)

Only seen that happen once, and it was a newer stem, but carbon.  But you know what they say about carbon:


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## bvibert (May 3, 2010)

Carbon is scary...


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## Rambo (May 3, 2010)

bvibert said:


> Carbon is scary...



I guess so! This rider said he hit nothing, was just riding downhill and cornering when his carbon fiber spokes disentegrated, throwing him head first over the handlebars and breaking his shoulder. Praise Jesus!


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## bvibert (May 3, 2010)

When it gives way it does so in a spectacular fashion...


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## Rambo (May 3, 2010)

bvibert said:


> When it gives way it does so in a spectacular fashion...



I'm old school.

But God help us all... they are now building commercial aircraft (jetliners) with carbon fiber wings. Carbon Fiber Helicopter blades. Carbon Fiber car and truck rims. Carbon Fiber brake Rotors and Calipers for race cars... etc.


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## bvibert (May 3, 2010)

They've been making all sorts of stuff like that out of carbon fiber for years now.  I guess they're getting pretty good at it.  I guess it's pretty strong, but it doesn't seem like it takes much to compromise it's integrity...


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## Rambo (May 3, 2010)

bvibert said:


> They've been making all sorts of stuff like that out of carbon fiber for years now.  I guess they're getting pretty good at it.  I guess it's pretty strong, but it doesn't seem like it takes much to compromise it's integrity...



What I have read is to this affect: If your carbon fiber bicycle frame gets a deep scratch or a ding that causes a tiny crack that will allow tiny drops of water to infiltrate the water will compromize the carbon fiber and act like a hydralic jack causing the carbon fiber to eventually fail catastrophically if the scratches and dings are not repaired and sealed.


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