Cracked IF Planet X?

Thanks, that was pretty much the view of Mark at the LBS and, as above, I really need to man up, accept it and move on.

Look at it this way - there's a new bike day in your future.

If the geo fits you then stick with it but I'd definitely get discs if you were building a whole new frame. Possibly consider better mud/mudgaurd clearance or a nicer tubeset maybe? Not sure how 753 rides but a mix of max/spirit/zona could be stiffer but still be comfy for long rides.

Black frame with orange decals would be classy and still have a nod to the dead IF

I do like 753, but probably most of that is for its almost maverick status as by far and away the biggest pain in the arse tube set to work with- having to be 753 qualified etc.

Get something made from a mixture of Columbus and Reynolds tubing that is fillet brazed and if this sort of thing ever happened again then the repair would be an order of magnitude easier.

By all means copy the geometry straight across, and as Turkish says this is a great opportunity to play with brake type, clearance etc- as long as that does not change chainstay length etc.

I thought the whole thing with 753 is that you couldn't fillet braze or TIG it? sorry bit of a tangent....

^mix of tubing always sounds like the best plan :)

Apologies for 753 mix up - the IF is 853, I was just referring to the chap at the LBS being 753 accredited to illustrate that he knows his onions!

I agree that a Columbus mix makes sense and will do some careful measuring and thinking through all details before making the plunge - does disc definately make sense over canti?

You'll get a lot of different opinions on that. If you're around 187cm then you are welcome to try my disc braked road bike, and can then make your own mind up.

My prejudice against disc due to forks necessarily possibly too stiff and uncomfortable? Once disabused I would certainly go disc and read up on braking on descents.

Thanks for the generous offer and at 188cm it would work but unfortunately (?) I am in Hereford so the logistics probably conspire against.

If discs I'd need to go with cable ones to avoid buying new shifters etc and while they will undoubtedly work well I would probably just stay with the Luddite/cheapskate option of the cantis I already have.

I'm in SE23/Forest Hill, so possibly a bit distant, unless you are in London for some reason.

Reading this thread made me check my own Rychtarski, which as it turns out has no drainage holes anywhere I can find. Kind of explains why theres always brown water sloshing about inside the frame after a wet ride.

Should I be taking a drill to it or will a coat of boiled linseed oil inside the frame do fine? Both? Ive taken the seatpost out and hung it upsidedown for the time being. Its full columbus max if that makes any difference (sorry for derail)

If you are happy to do so then drilling a small hole in the underside of the BB won't hurt the frame structurally, and will allow water to drain rather than sit.

Bolting the door after the horse has bolted, I'd drill a small hole and coat the inside of the tubes.

Thinking back, I can pinpoint the start of the death of the IF (a bit like you never know when love starts but you always know when it dies?) - DFA at a biblical Three Peaks in 2012 where I ended up in a 'puddle' at the bottom of Pen-y-Ghent lane that came half way up the head tube. I never really dried the bike out properly although, surprisingly, the post came out really easily.

Anyway, a replica is on the cards - Orlowski or Rychtarski?

I'll let it dry out for a day or so before filling and shaking with the boiled linseed. Will it wreck havoc on the (unsealed) octalink bb? Drill will come out once the boiled linseed has dried

Orlowski or Rychtarski?

Given they both make very high quality frames there's not a lot setting them apart. I would get a quote from both as for some builds Orlowski comes out slightly cheaper? I've also seen good things about Orlowski's customer service ( @Skant ) which would be a reason to go with him.

On the topic of new frame improvements I'd also consider a 44mm HT and some nice tapered carbon forks for stiffness/weight improvements. psee's Rychtarksi and negaatio's Orlowski are excellent examples of this:

Anyway, a replica is on the cards - Orlowski or Rychtarski?

Your brief is pretty basic for a custom which isn't a bad thing but that means you can get an OTP as well. Only go this route if you really cant get hold of macho man as it wont be miles away from rych/orlo.

Its strange to say but your braking choice is going to decide what route you want to go at this point. If its rim brake then a spirit/max frame with max forks from either of the polish builders.

If its disc brake see if this will fit you: http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/blog/28/06/15/un-gravelling-the-new-datum If not then go custom with an experienced builder.

When this was commissioned there wasn't much like this around; now even pinnacle and hoy are doing thru axle flat mount bikes. Question is is there a need to go custom? If Datum fits the bill it checks everything on the list. And carbon rides better than steel IMO.

is there a need to go custom?

Very few people NEED to go custom. But it means you have something exactly to your specifications (he can keep the geo thats worked for him for 7 years) and something nobody else has, in any colour, not a taiwanese machine build that hundreds of other people have.

I'd disagree with using carbon over steel as well. Given the amount of use this bike will probably get, the ability to repair steel incase of a crack/crash could be important. Ride qualities can be chosen with the type of steel used, geometry and cross section of the tubes

I completely agree that my brief is basic, in fact that’s a positive as far as I’m concerned.

The Datum doesn’t look bad at all but it’s a road bike that can handle some offroad rather than a cross bike that I might on occasion ride on road so that rules it out, for me at least.

As above, I don’t strictly need custom but the idea of having something unique is a strong draw as is getting a copy of a frame that I’ve really enjoyed riding. Which kind of leads me towards the Spirit/Max frame and fork option although the grey Rychtarski above is jolly nice (although clearly not a cross bike – is this leading me towards two bikes?).

Sometimes being Libran is a weighty cross to bear….

What's the budget?

I couldn't run to the cost of a replacement IF even with their warranty scheme so high hundreds rather than thousands.

the ability to repair steel incase of a crack/crash could be important.

I know this time round building a bike that can be repaired would be part of the brief, but surely this thread goes to show the idea that you can aways easily repair /repair economically steel isn't true.

It's a bit like when people refer to Ti as lasting forever missing the fact that Ti frames still crack and break.

If there's an affordable carbon version of the frame you need, 9/10 it's going to be the best choice.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8131181@N05/albums/72157636552632534

By which you mean, when considering tubeset make sure you choose a common and readily available type from a large company that won't go out of business just in case you aren't lucky enough to be able to find a replacement tube?

Or just avoid niche US frame builders?

;)

Hey- I have five of those seat tubes in the spare bedroom.

True but this is a unique example and could have been avoided by having a hole in the BB or airing the frame after wet rides. A small crack in carbon/alu is game over (or hundreds of pounds), but a crack in steel is 20 mins with a brazing torch and can be done all over the UK