Steel is real
 

I have been using a Schwinn Tempo from the 80s for work ,is converted to fixed gear so only the frame and bottom bracket are original, today i started to hear a noise , like a cracking noise , only at certain moments like pushing hard and such...check this out, no big crashes on this frame.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...84913c9d25.jpg
It cracked on one of the lugs, its supposed to be Columbus SL. ..too many watts?

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b53d262090.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...09e0cd6705.jpg

There is no sadder day than broken frame day, but...there is no happier day than new frame day!

Maybe is time to leave the 80s and jump to aluminium or more fancy stuff :foo:

So only 30+ years out of it?

BB shell and lugs not Columbo so..

Maybe not destined to live forever as a fixed gear.

Yep, probably too many watts, for this one. ;)

Nah, they have far less soul, the Tempo was an anomaly, never heard of another broken one, even so with zillions produced, failure rate has to be extremely low., all Schwinn frames from this time frame were great value and quality, especially for the money.

Most of them still going strong.

Dunno if you need fancy...a nice thick hi-ten frame would last forever :P

An early/mid '70s super course would make a fine fixed gear. Straight gauge 531 frame and hi-ten forks/stays makes for a stiff frame (yet comfy given the long wheelbase), and the rear dropouts are already 120mm. And with all the schmutz (components) taken off, I bet it'd come down to around 22 pounds fully built. Still, not exactly lightweight :lol:

You'll likely have to take it into a frame builder to get it straightened as well. But I think they ride real nicely, and it'd be worth a try if you see one in your area that looks to be in alright condition. Definitely inspect the lugs for gaps.

Stay in the 80's and try a C-dale for cheap. Nothing more responsive imo.
Certain models can be harsh, for sure but it's a work bike right? You'll be fast. :thumb:

The Tempo heart broke when you converted it to fixie. This is the evidence of its broken heart. Just kidding. Good thing it didn't completely break off and cause injury to you.

It survived pretty rough weather and terrains, time to put it on the wall, ​​i wonder if Schwinn accepts returns :innocent:

Took out my 1960 Paramount the other day. It was real ... fun.

I spread the frame to get a 6-speed cluster in there. I need gears to go fast and climb hills on my 60-year old steel road bike. :p

Wow , I have never seen a bottom bracket shell crack like that. I am glad you are ok, sometimes frame failure leads to injury.

I knew it, damn you Kevin Bacon for Quicksilver, you put dirty fixie ideas on me.

Your guads are simply too big

Not my quads, maybe Gods lonely man ;)

Thanks, now that I think about it, there were a few moments were total failure would of been nasty, I was spinning downhill and I kept hearing the cracking getting louder and louder, scary.

Steel is real breakable.

What isn't?

Kryptonite?

Sad :( But yeah, it sets you up for a New Bike Day.

I'm trying to figure out what caused that weird pea-sized void in the BB shell casting, above the big crack line. I've seen broken bottom brackets before, but I've never seen THAT.

If you're tall, I have an '87 Tempo frame the will be on the chopping block soon. First photo in this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ger-frame.html

That and combs.

Plastic is fantastic.

Sorry about your bike @Gods lonely man.

DyYeah, clearly another case of too much spinach. ;)

Still, as you say, 30 years ain't bad.

Looks to me like they cheaped out on the BB, which is where the failure occurred. It's a little odd to see such a cheap looking BB shell on a Columbus bike, but then it was always pretty common for many bike companies to save a few pennies where they thought no one would notice. When I was wrenching I used to judge bike companies at least a little based on how many cheap components and parts they would sneak in.

Too big, thanks anyway , looks sweet.

All this stuff is just on loan, anyway.
It’ll end up in the paper-thin layer of the Earth’s crust that will be remnants of man.

That's a bulge-formed bottom bracket, not cast. That type of failure, while not common, is not unknown, either. The bulge-forming process leaves thin areas in the shell, that if not fully penetrated by the tubes and brazing material, can act as stress risers and crack.

As for the "void" area, I suspect that's probably a paint defect.

If you're tall, I have an '87 Tempo frame the will be on the chopping block soon. First photo in this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ger-frame.html

Fatigue failure, plain and simple. Likely a combination of the BB shell design and excessive heat during application. Excessive heat lowers the endurance limit, while the design causes stress risers. This combination can end up in a region where typical forces will eventually cause fatigue failures.