No rear pivot, relied on flex in the thin tubing. Strikes me as a bad idea in an aluminium frame?

Ace name though.

I’m with you on both counts. Very cool name but riding around knowing that I’m work hardeneing my rear triangle as would worry me.

They’ve used the idea before with no probalems (Salsa Big Mama).

i’m confused.

it’s a terrible idea: repeatedly flexing aluminium parts is a very good way to break aluminium parts.

and it’s a great idea: it’s stiffer/lighter/cheaper/more reliable than using a 4th pivot.

Puts me off em having flexi stays…cannondale and yeti both did it and I’ve seen loads of them broke…
I’d rather have some pivots with bearings long term..

Looks like built-in obsolescence to me.

Have you seen how aeroplane wings flex in flight? they’re made of alumnium……

Have you seen how aeroplane wings flex in flight? they’re made of alumnium……

and that’s not taken into account in there extensive maintenance? With parts swapped after so set lifetime/hours…great simile… or maybe your suggesting that Salsa are going to issue new frames after a set amount of riding time? 😯

Yep I agree with the comments above SS9-2’s, I can’t see it being a long term frame, shame as it’s a great looking frame otherwise.

I guess it’s name comes from Horsethief Bench loop near Fruita/Grand Junction

I reckon if it could be ridden down to the loop, it’ll be fine

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k93ohJdlXZk[/video]

yeti do a similar thing, but using carbon hinges; the amount of flex required is pretty small, and they’ve probably done their sums 🙂

Dave

Puts me off em having flexi stays…cannondale and yeti both did it and I’ve seen loads of them broke…
I’d rather have some pivots with bearings long term..

Most of those have been aluminium dropouts snapping, not the actual pivot. For what its worth i have spearfish, 80mm travel version, and its ace.

I’m with you on both counts. Very cool name but riding around knowing that I’m work hardeneing my rear triangle as would worry me.

and that’s not taken into account in there extensive maintenance? With parts swapped after so set lifetime/hours…great simile… or maybe your suggesting that Salsa are going to issue new frames after a set amount of riding time?

Yep I agree with the comments above SS9-2’s, I can’t see it being a long term frame, shame as it’s a great looking frame otherwise.

You realise your rims, frame, fork crown, bars etc. etc. all flex and you dont get them extensively maintained do you?

You realise your rims, frame, fork crown, bars etc. etc. all flex

and can eventually break, hense why some ppl won’t buy 2nd hand bars 😉

z1ppy – Member

Have you seen how aeroplane wings flex in flight? they’re made of alumnium……

and that’s not taken into account in there extensive maintenance? With parts swapped after so set lifetime/hours…great simile…

How often would you say they replace the wings on a passenger jet?

dunno I’m not an aircraft engineer but I am aware of the component on aircraft have “lifetime’s” and are not used infintely or expected to be used till they break 😯

Trek do same thing with older Top Fuel/Fuel Ex. never been a problem for me or anyone afaik, never failed there.

My Salsa Big Mama has not broken yet (well it may of*) and it’s carried my 15/16st weight around on it for over 2 years.

*I’m hoping the ‘possible’ crack in the weld of the main triangle (where the shock linkage attaches to the seat tube) definitely is a crack as i’d be given a Horsethief as a warranty replacement. Has to go before August though when the warranty is up so i shall be bashing it off any trail obstacle i can find with deliberate clumsy landings.

Rear triangle which people are worried about has given no trouble at all.

…well it may of*…

may HAVE.

How often would you say they replace the wings on a passenger jet?

At intervals longer than the cumulative riding hours of everyone on this forum! Then again, wing main spars etc.(don’t get dropped onto rocks!)are carefully NDT’d at pre determined intervals set by the Design Organisation.

On the Horsethief design/Trek Fuel, the flex is tiny and the range of movement is carefully controlled by the swing linkage for the shock. It’ll be fine…

Metals parts of a bike that flex: all of them.

My Intense Socom has more lateral flex in the back end than my Spearfish swingarm does in any direction. Im not concerned by either.

2 rides in on my horsethief and I’m loving it! Off to rd3 of the gravity enduro tomorrow where I’m looking forward to giving it a good shake down.

I couldn’t give a toss about the anticipated flex issues.

It’s the best looking FS 29er I’ve ever seen.