Are people having problems with the Rocket beams? I’ve went through 2 or 3 of them. Weigh 170. Two have broken on cross-state rides, which pretty much leaves me up a creek without a paddle. Sucks that henceforth I’ll have to bring a spare bike in case my $4000 bike breaks.
What’s the latest with the company status? Last I read from the archives is that they’re not producing bikes anymore, but have beams on hand for warranty work? At this rate, once I’ve got the 5 year warranty used up, the bike will be worthless.
Do they still use the same # for customer service? I’ll be on the phone Monday but wanted all the background that I could get beforehand.
The carbon beam appears to be “glued” into the aluminum housing. The glue joint fails, allowing the aluminum housing to slide farther back on the carbon beam. The one in my hands has slid back about 5/8". This lowers the saddle big time, since the saddle is at the back of the beam. The aluminum housing develops a crack at the point where it flares out to go inside the frame to connect to the lower pivot assembly, but I think they told me last time that’s the result of the glue joint failing, not the cause. Hope that makes sense.
Do you think they ever resolved the problem? Each time they’ve said that they made changes, sent me a beam with some cosmetic differences. I checked my records-this beam was replaced a year ago-lasted 6000 miles.
I don’t plan on buying an extra $500 beam just to have sitting around for emergencies. How’d you handle it??
I’ve never had a problem with any of the four softrides I have owned!
I’m not sure what is causing the problems you have mentioned. Did you use your bike on an indoor trainer or lift it up by the beam or something? Please explain more.
Lifting it up by the beam causing the glue joint to fail??? Give me a break.
This is the Rocket beam, not the older style beam. Cost about $1000 more. Stiffer beam. No one that I’ve spoken with has had a problem with the original style beams.
I looked at the Titan Flex but went Softride because they’d been around longer, figured that there was more technology and backing there, as well as liked the looks better. Big !@#%^^! mistake, and expensive one, it seems.
Yeah, hindsight is always 20/20. This sucks, but to be fair, my 5500 broke on me once as well when they had the lug problem thing going on. I could write a book… Put on a lot of miles. Don’t think the Walmart thing is gonna work out at 6-8000 miles/year, but I’m still open to suggestions. Retired the 5500 because it was killing my back, thus the Rocket.
I know their is a bike out their that will fill your needs
It sucks to have a frame problem.
walmart isn’t the answer but I see a lot of junkey bikes out their and they might not shift or stop but the frame is OK.
is it a high tech thing .
forks with the lugs coming out.
cracks in carbon the chain stays.
The lighter you go the more chance of trouble.
I don’t hear about Light speed bikes troubles.
I have 2 steel frames.
my road bike I weighed saturday 22 lbs with cages pedals .
Sat afternoon I see A guy post a 16.5 lbs steel bike.
lust bike frame lust.
Mine did that last june couple weeks before lubbock after just 9 months having it(was the carbon beam)
New beam seemed to be beefed up more with the glue and tape or rubber… I worry about it going bad again as well at the wrong time…
I really wonder since more races are requireing(imna)
or suggesting heavily you mount your bike by the seat(no choice when I have aero bottle up front)
that the weight under hot conditions of the bike hanging pulls up enough to cause the ungluing.
Another possibility it’s hard to mount a softride on a bumper back bike rack it hangs by the beam could that be a problem as well… I like my rocket but
it’s always a worry especially with the sketchy state of the company…
I’d go with a griffen otherwise except they don’t make one with 650 wheels my size… It’s enough to pay for a new bike but I’m not going to switch out my 3 sets of racing wheels I already have in 650…
Oh well will have to wait and see I guess.