V20 frame quality

[Max Id]

Hi guys, decided to ask here because I could not find an already existing topic. Well, everyone is discussing how good the Vendetta rides, but not so much discussion regarding the quality. The thing is - the frame is too expensive to change it often, for this price I can buy a titanium frame with lifetime warranty. That said, what can the owners say about the reliability? My usecase is mainly commuting, but sometimes also touring/racing. How good can the frame withstand potholes etc? I hope the designers of the bicycle know their stuff, however, it is also useful to find out the opinion of the owners.
Thanks!

 

[DavidCH]

Potholes... I can't stand them... I suffer with jetoning bottles. I remember my first build and went 23mm tires with the defacto seats and found the busiest, worst chipseal road you can imagine.

It didn't take me long to realise.
A. I would need dentures because of all the teeth rattling.
B. Those bbbbl***dy cars are too ##@* close to me.
C. If I fall into that creator at the bottom of the ramp... I'm a goner.

So it was a quick learning.

The tires came straight off and on went the 28's and also the seat quickly became a ventisit seat pad.

I also changed the route to much better scenic route as now I got fitter I can travel further and faster.

The long wheel base frame is forgiving. Aluminium is strong and more durable than carbon. I have seen front forks snap and its not very nice for the rider.

I give the Vendetta top marks. It has to be raced and that's why I took it half way around the world to race at Sebring this year.

Awesome product

 

[Max Id]

Thanks for the reply. Regarding carbon - carbon is pretty strong when done in the right way, but can't withstand crashes/scratches. My main concern is that the Vendetta's frame is really light, which means thin tube walls. Manufacturer gives only two years warranty. Not confident about the quality? Don't take me wrong, no flame here, but when I pay 2.7K for an aluminum frame, I would expect it to last at least 8-10 years.

 

[DavidCH]

Well I have a number of bikes, when I want to go for a blast then its the Vendetta. I don't ride her all the time so I might just get eight years out of her.

 

[RojoRacing]

Oh man this subject goes through my mind every time I get airborne and the bike starts drifting sideways through the air and I abruptly and with a violent shake of the chassis. If you have followed my adventures on here there is one thing you should know about me, I go very fast DH and sometimes things get super sketchy. I have been launched into the air at speeds over 40mph at least a few dozen times in the 18 months I've owned the V and worry that I may land to the sound of my frame welds snapping, well thankfully I can say it hasn't broken so far. I also did one 100 mile race last year on a road so Effed up and rough it would have made the worst cobbles ridden in Europe feel like chipseal and even though I pinch flatted twice while running absence pressure in my tires the frame didn't break. I can say with confidence the frame is very strong under vertical loads but I can't comment on how well it hold up to the horizontal loads of tipping over or crashing, for that you would need @LarryOz 's review. I do recall someone on here with a cracked weld on the swingarm stays under the seat awhile back but they did mention the bike had been tipped over a few or a bunch of times so it may have been partly user error. I don't recall how that claim got handled by cruzbike or if it was during the 2 year warranty. I can't see cruzbike stiffing a owner with a failed frame even if it was a few years passed the warranty but that may just be wishful thinking on my part. I'd imagine at the very least they would sell a replacement frame at cost or below cost for a claim passed warranty term.

I'd buy with confidence from cruzbike at this point.

 

[RojoRacing]

Thanks for the reply. Regarding carbon - carbon is pretty strong when done in the right way, but can't withstand crashes/scratches. My main concern is that the Vendetta's frame is really light, which means thin tube walls. Manufacturer gives only two years warranty. Not confident about the quality? Don't take me wrong, no flame here, but when I pay 2.7K for an aluminum frame, I would expect it to last at least 8-10 years.

I feel the frame is anything but light and in my opinion over built after drilling several holes into the frame and observing the thickness of the frame. The weight claimed for the frame is for just the bare frame without any of the front triangle so the frame isn't a featherweight by any means. Almost every carbon frame I've ever owned has failed on me within 5 years but I still love the stuff and will keep choosing it over aluminum any day just because.

 

[ratz]

In the four years I've been around; we've had 1 maybe 2 people post about cracked frames her on the forums. Both where Silvo 2.x series and both got resolved to the owners satisfaction.

As for durability Larry had one fly off the car rack at 55mph bounce on the highway and it was no worse for the wear....

 

[RojoRacing]

In the four years I've been around; we've had 1 maybe 2 people post about cracked frames her on the forums. Both where Silvo 2.x series and both got resolved to the owners satisfaction.

As for durability Larry had one fly off the car rack at 55mph bounce on the highway and it was no worse for the wear....

Well there you have it from the guy who would know best. Also "Larry had one fly off the car rack at 55mph bounce on the highway" Larry must be the most accident prone Cruzbike owner in existence

 

[Bill K]

This is just my experience, but my V20 is 16 months old and has about 9300 miles on it.
It gets rode hard and put away wet all the time, mostly commuting (30 miles one-way).
I've had two crashes. The first one was the stupid-user seeing how fast he could go on his third ride. Ruined the rear skewer and front bar-end shifter.
Second one was sliding off the trail in a pitch-black 5:30 am morning commute.
I've had four or five pinch flats caused by running over potholes (before I got new wheels and went tubeless).

The V20 frame still undamaged and is the least of my worries.
My only complaint is the minimal clearance for a disk brake rotor on the rear wheel.

 

[Max Id]

Hi guys, thanks a lot for sharing your experience! I usually (knocked the wood) do not crash, but I do encounter potholes, the roads in London suck, to be fair, especially when I am in aero position and thus don't see the road clearly.

 

[Gary123]

Great bike. Not best on pothole roads. I'm trying a seat mod to get better comfort and visibility. I seem to have better control and less jarring on rough roads but time will tell. Bike is V2 vendetta and seems to be holding up well. I'm second owner with only one crash so far and bike survived that fine.

 

[trapdoor2]

While I don't have a full year on my V20 yet, I was very happy with the build quality. I started welding when I was about 10 yrs old and have been in the aircraft industry almost all my life. I would say that the welding on my frame meets or exceeds aircraft-grade standards. IOW, build quality on my example is high. I have been riding this bike whilst weighing ~125kg (20 stone)...so I'm pushing the load limits. I haven't hit any substantial pot-holes (nor have I been launched like Jason) but have no doubts about the frame.
Additionally, I have a very high confidence level regarding the company. I've never tested their response to quality issues but have no doubts that they would 'do the right thing'.

IMNSHO, the V20 may not be the best choice for commuting...esp. where the odds of hitting one of those famous London potholes is high. I would be wanting something with suspension, like a Silvio.

 

[Lief]

My experience on a 2013 Vendetta 2.0.
Used > 5,000 miles by a very light (low cda) rider.
I'm 5,11" and usually around 180.

Hit a rock the size of my fist at 28mph. Dented and ruined my wheel, explosive flat. Frame fine.

Hit a 2004 Camry at about 18mph - put a two inch dent in their rear bumper/trunk in the shape of a 50t Qring.

No discernible damage.

Rode the HooDoo (the frame finished twice; another story) and WA crossing after that.
Right now I see hairline cracks in the joint between the head tube and the main tube that could be paint cracks? Showed to Jacob and Robert and let's say I'm keeping an eye on it.

I don't ride tenderly but I'm no Jason catching air at 40mph.
This frame has been through a lot just fine.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Hi Max.
I purchased my Vendetta as a new frameset mid 2014. With a little over 12,000 miles to date. I've had zero issues with frame reliability, no fractures, cracks, etc. I believe as Jason mentioned, the frame appears to be overbuilt, and designed to last a longtime.

I live in Northern California and ride a variety of road surfaces, from silky smooth bike trails to ultra harassing rutted-potholed chip seal country roads. However, I've never fallen or crashed. I've been air born, maybe 3" at the most. But the hardest hits are at the bottom of a 40 plus mph bridge transition. I've hit some so hard, that I've completely come unclipped, which is extremely unnerving to say the least. I'm expecting this frame to last many many more years to come.

A photo from today's ride. Finally it's not raining. Sure, I admit it looks like it's fresh out of the show room .

 

[RAR]

Looks great Rick ! Do those TRP brakes work good for you ?

Rick R

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Looks great Rick ! Do those TRP brakes work good for you ?

Rick R

Thanks Rick. Actually (in regards to the TRP), no, they're pretty weak for disc, but they work...as good as rim brakes.

 

[RAR]

Thanks Rick

 

[Charles.Plager]

Well there you have it from the guy who would know best. Also "Larry had one fly off the car rack at 55mph bounce on the highway" Larry must be the most accident prone Cruzbike owner in existence

That is what he's known for.

Of course, he may be just more forthcoming Cruzbike owner in existence.