1991 Prototype Bradbury FS

[legrandefromage]

The Bradbury bikes cracked like any other bike. I have about 9 that need repairs ranging from head tube cracks, all the way to broken down and top tubes, cracked seat tubes and broken off chainstays. Aluminum was pretty new back then and bikes that were ridden hard would break. I don't think any one manufacturer was immune to it.

However, I would think that compared to Answer made bikes Doug's bike faired a bit better.

I carefully point out that Cannondale and Klein had managed to build with aluminium for years previously using 6000 series. And dont forget Cunningham!

This bonded but just to show that aluminiumiunm as a frame material had been round in cycling for decades!

1930's Wards Hawthorne by sandmangts

 

[Giom6]

Re:

The re both awesome bits of MTB history. Can't wait to see them restored and brought back to life

 

[24pouces]

Re:

Interesting project…
Will you use the Manitou fork we have swapped ?

 

[mkozaczek]

Cunningham 1980/81 - he made 5-6 a year
Cannondale 1984 - Not sure on production numbers
Klein 1985 - made 200-300 first year
Bradbury 1986/87

Road bikes do not count...

So, it's not like people were cranking mountain bikes out by the 1000s in the early to mid 80s. Everyone was figuring it out and all of their bikes broke, without exception.

So, while the metal was not new to the industry, it was for this specific application and the entire concept of MTB was unique and people/companies did different things with their bikes. Steel bikes broke all the time and steel was around for a solid decade at that point.

It does seem that the 6061 series bikes in general were more robust than the later 7005 series bikes. Also, the later high performance bikes from Yeti and Manitou were race bikes and so were not necessarily designed to last more than one or two race seasons. People seem to conveniently forget that.

 

[mkozaczek]

Re: Re:

Interesting project…
Will you use the Manitou fork we have swapped ?

No, I have one of the wide hub spaced 2nd generation DBM forks along with the hubs nad a few other things.

 

[24pouces]

Cunningham 1980/81 - he made 5-6 a year
Cannondale 1984 - Not sure on production numbers
Klein 1985 - made 200-300 first year
Bradbury 1986/87

It does seem that the 6061 series bikes in general were more robust than the later 7005 series bikes. Also, the later high performance bikes from Yeti and Manitou were race bikes and so were not necessarily designed to last more than one or two race seasons. People seem to conveniently forget that.

You have to add that 6061 aluminium were all heat treated after welding and needed knowledge. I think that Cannondale worked on their aluminium frame a long time before saling their first bike in 1983.
7000 ally were not heat treated and making frame were easier. For their fist ARC, Yeti said that after weld, they only let the frame "sleeping" during 1 month before building the bike. But 7000 series are harder material and made more brittle frames.
Easton preferred 7000 alloy, and some 60061 came from Alcoa

 

[ti_pin_man]

cool thread and kudos for the frame, just a little jealous. I have one of the later versions and sure enough its currently with Frank and has been repaired and checked for other damage. Cant wait to get it back and actually get on with the build but whatever I do wont equal this frame. Good work sir. If you know of any other early prototypes let us know.

 

[mkozaczek]

I have a couple other protos of forks and one proto frame made by Doug and used in the development of the 2nd generation (single shock) Answer Manitou frame.

 

[RawBikeCo]

Awesome find, love these, fell in love when rode demo one at LBS in Liss UK, but went for Yeti Arc, which I still have......with no cracks!!