Welding my broken steel bike frame back together

My Surly Travelers Check developed a crack in the frame but I got it back on the road.

[@teun7923]

Mike should use a welding helmet.....

Mike is blind maybe;)

[@biking-places]

prob...

[@dariusjackelson9915]

My first MIG weld looked like that too, but at least I was learning on a folding chair.

[@biking-places]

that sounds dangerous, be careful

[@Alderonn10]

Holy crap! did he demand payment in Crack? No welding helmet?

[@biking-places]

all i'm willing to say is he was fairly compensated

[@thehumblefactory]

Not even closing eyes! Holy Hell!!

[@davidbalentine2110]

I’ll bet he has the Midas touch. Everything he touches turns into a muffler.

[@biking-places]

it has been running a lot quieter now that you mentioned it

[@owengeary3948]

That bike 100% was in a collision. The huge ripple in the tube where the crack formed is a dead give away

[@biking-places]

I agree it looks that way. I was never in a collision though and the ripple wasn't there when I got it.

[@juacartav3363]

"A grinder and paint make you the weldor you ain't" Anonymous

[@biking-places]

agreed, i was much more satisfied with the welding part though

[@stan1845]

Always good to see someone going the extra mile to keep their bike. the weld looked kinda bad at first but hey if it works it works :)

[@lar4305]

Sorry but that was one ugly weld. But like and ugly women, some will keep you happy for years.lol

[@biking-places]

been happy a few years already

[@tblmusic3625]

Fuck what people say, the weld may look like shit but if it works, it works! Props to mike

[@biking-places]

ha, my sentiments exactly. i've put a lot of hard miles on this bike since the weld and it's still going strong.

[@normanaguia1502]

Surly makes very nice frames, expensive bit very nice. Worth saving.

[@biking-places]

yes, agreed. the weld wasn't the prettiest but i've put 1000s of miles on this bike since and it's still going strong.

[@jawjuk]

Nevermind the lack of welding helmet (at least arc-eye gets better), using a die grinder without eye protection is a 1000 IQ play.

[@biking-places]

be that as it may the job got done

[@tongalizia3175]

Here’s what we do in the old country,,,,,, We continue to let the crack go all the way around the tube. We cut about 1/16 of an inch where the crack was thus making a straight cut across the tube. We insert a piece of metal inside the tube were the crack was . Weld it in place to align the tubes. Once the tube is align , we just fill in the 1/16 of the space all the way around the tube, sand , paint.and whaaaaala……..Life short ,,,, enjoy the ride……

[@linusgoblin]

Very nice and clever way thanks

[@biking-places]

yeah, this seems like a good idea, or even an external plate to really reinforce the area. the trouble is it's close to the shifter braze on so a bit of a sensitive area. luckily this fix has held up 1000s of miles later.

[@jimmyjamautrey]

Dude is not even wearing welding shield to protect his eyes

[@biking-places]

true

[@brunm9203]

I mean he was sort of using his safety squints. It will be fine. I bet it worked didn't it?

[@biking-places]

definitely worked and still going strong

[@nerooweb]

some generic comment about the welding helmet because im sure no one else wrote it

[@jesuslepez3649]

Thank God for welders will to help out on difficult projects. I am looking for a welder like Mike in Washington state.

[@biking-places]

yeah, i was hoping i could find a frame builder or someone who's done this kinda thing before but it's much easier said than done. either way, it's still going strong so he bailed me out of a situation where the frame was landfill-bound.

[@daFingaCheeze]

That dude is such a G

[@jameshartt3113]

Here it is Oct 14, 2021...bet Mike is in the hospital nearly blind if not completely, and the bike is broke again or about to. Mike isn't a pro much less an experienced hobby welder. I wish you well though, even a blind hog finds and acorn every once in a while.

[@biking-places]

It's June 2022. The bike is still going strong and has been to Mexico for a 2nd time. I'll be sure to update when it does break though. Mike, as it happens is doing really well. Last year he started his own bike repair shop and then he married JLo. Wishing him well.

[@AG-rx1bo]

@@biking-placeshaha 😂

[@sorbetingle]

I see you got the best and the stupidest welding guy in the world😁....and he will be the quickest welding guy in the world to go blind, doesn't even close his eyes as he welds😓

[@biking-places]

maybe, i'm just glad the bike is back on the road though

[@bfx2515]

wow that guy is not worried being blind

[@biking-places]

i am, hence watching from the phone

[@Llamabanger]

Even without glasses you can't get A scan, metal in the eyes. Weld and then braze A 2piece sleeve be my less worry approach. Proof is in the pudding tho !

[@biking-places]

you're not wrong, that's why i was at a safe distance. i thought about the sleeve option too but for what it's worth this weld has held up very well 1000s of miles/km later.

[@teun7923]

that weld looks like shit not gonna lie.

[@biking-places]

i'm more concerned about how it rides. even with a weld you wouldn't take to the prom, as in this case, steel is real.

[@hunterdean11]

No mask this is wild shit

[@biking-places]

i was not in the position to tell the man how to do his job

[@Gallardo6669]

Does he has callus on the eye balls? Weld doesn't look too good. Frame still ok?

[@biking-places]

he doesn't seem bothered, guessing he's done this before. the frame is doing great, i'll make a follow up video but you can see it on tour in my vids from mexico, albania and portugal.

[@Itmenathan04]

Do you guys still do this ? I have a bike that has a broken crack

[@biking-places]

this was done by a car garage in my area. you'll have to try some where you live and hopefully one of them will say yes.

[@dwaaziwaazi]

Steel is real but so is the welders eyes

[@biking-places]

yeah, good thing he's got 2 of them

[@franciscocastillo8974]

Hola saludos

[@biking-places]

hola

[@onenessseeker5683]

So you don't need an helmet then. Just doing a few minutes of welding.

[@biking-places]

I wouldn't take this as a welding instructional video

[@tonystone3397]

Shocking!

[@biking-places]

couldn't agree with you more/less

[@otepdotnet]

a coupler an expensive frame goes with a cheap and crappy repair?

[@biking-places]

yep and it worked like a charm

[@OktaFierce]

How TF is he welding with no eye protection?

[@biking-places]

makes him feel alive

[@sprocketandwheel]

That is one ugly repair.. what a shame to take a nice frame and turn it into trash.. I am surprised that you could not find a competent frame builder that could undertake a real repair.. I have replaced head tubes, top tubes and lots of dropouts.. on lugged frames.. It's not easy but can be done..

[@biking-places]

i was really struggling to ride the broken frame but have put 1000s of miles on the "trash" version. i was surprised as well but that's the reality i was faced with and now i have a working bike.

[@catwrangler3429]

Mike? No welding shield, no eye protection. His warranty is void

[@biking-places]

he will find a way to outlive all of us and with 20/20 vision

[@mr.anonymousone8294]

Your poor eyes

[@biking-places]

my eyes were watching the phone, never been better