This question came to mind after I was dumped on the pavement last week when my bottom bracket spindle sheared off near the crank arm. The resulting road rash excited a few comments the next day and an acquaintance said “That’s why you don’t keep equipment for 20 years.”
That day I was riding my 1987 Cannondale road bike that also received a few comments from a decidedly high-income crown (judging by their gear). Also on that bike is my 1985 vintage front wheel with a MA40 rim and Suntour Cyclone hub.
So back to my question. How long should you keep riding old equipment if it “appears” to still be sound? My mileage on the Cannondale has varied through the years, but their frames was so over engineered in those days that it seems it would take something catastrophic to make it fail. Oh, and by the way, I suspect the spindle failure resulted from overtighening the crank bolt, as much as I hate to admit operator error.
Chad
That day I was riding my 1987 Cannondale road bike that also received a few comments from a decidedly high-income crown (judging by their gear). Also on that bike is my 1985 vintage front wheel with a MA40 rim and Suntour Cyclone hub.
So back to my question. How long should you keep riding old equipment if it “appears” to still be sound? My mileage on the Cannondale has varied through the years, but their frames was so over engineered in those days that it seems it would take something catastrophic to make it fail. Oh, and by the way, I suspect the spindle failure resulted from overtighening the crank bolt, as much as I hate to admit operator error.
Chad