# Magnesium frame riders?



## OokieCookie (May 31, 2004)

Anyone riding a magnesium frame in here? Specifically the cheap-o ones from Litech? How do they hold up to everyday xc use? I've seen a couple people who have built them up but I'm curious as to long-term/ frequent use durability.
I'm hoping to replace my porky rockhopper frame in the near future and am looking to do it on the cheap. For what it's worth, I'm 140 lbs, ride & race strictly xc, and prefer to keep at least one wheel on the ground at all times...


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2005)

Where are you going to get the frame?


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## mpap89 (Mar 10, 2005)

i'm assuming he's getting if from litech (a company on ebay that sells russian made magnesium frames) they are light according to the company (around 3 lbs) and they are really cheap at $150. there were some postings on weight-weenies about them. 
http://www.weightweenies.starbike.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5373&highlight=litech
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/articles.php?ID=17
you could make a mean cheap single speed or budget build with that frame.


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## OokieCookie (May 31, 2004)

Yeah, I was looking at the ones that are often on Ebay.
They're awfully light and dirt-cheap- my only concern is durability! Pick 2 out of 3, and all that...


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

OokieCookie said:


> Anyone riding a magnesium frame in here?


I'm riding one of the Litechs. So far it has been durable and I'm riding mine on very rocky and rooty trails with a rigid fork and I'm well over 200 lbs. too. I do have the problem previously discussed in this forum with the chain rubbing the frame in 9th gear. That one I haven't found a solution to yet, so ask if the seller guarantees against that if you want to use 9th (or 8th) gear. Also, my low clamp derailleur won't mount low enough for proper operation. I have an e-mount front derailleur I'm going to mount to fix this. The frame has an e-mount bracket on it for this. You could probably also use a high clamp too if it clears the bottle mount bolt holes. Other than that it's a really great riding frame and I love riding it. It rides even better than a steel frame and really does absorb shock super well.

There are at least two versions of the Litechs. The newer ones (that are sold by Paketa for mega-bucks) have disc mounts and the down tube is shaped horizontally instead of vertically at the bottom bracket.

This is one of the older ones.










https://cgi.ebay.com/19-Magnesium-M...ryZ98083QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This is one of the newer ones.


















https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7156005641&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

Here's mine which is still somewhat of a work in progress. My 19" frame is 1400 grams. I had to get a second one because the first one had frame brake post mounts that were misaligned and wouldn't mount brakes right. The first 19" weighed 1422 grams.


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## mpap89 (Mar 10, 2005)

did you have any problem getting a new one. did you just return the old on then get a new one. also do you have any problems with corrosion. i've heard there are some corrosion problem with magnesium at sea level.
-mpap


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

mpap89 said:


> did you have any problem getting a new one. did you just return the old on then get a new one. also do you have any problems with corrosion. i've heard there are some corrosion problem with magnesium at sea level.
> -mpap


No problem getting a replacement with the ebay seller "bklamos" who is selling dozens of these frames on ebay. He was very helpful and I had no complaints there at all.

As far as corrosion, there is an anti-corrosion coating on the inside of the tubes. You can see the goldish color of it in some of the above pictures. It looks like an anodizing process but I'm not sure that's what it is. But that reminds of the other problem I had with the first frame: the Thomson seatpost would not slide in past around 3-4 inches on that one and the anti-corrosion coating would have been removed by any seatpost reaming to make that post fit. No problem at all getting the post to fit in the replacement frame. In general I love these frames but watch out for similar quality control issues if you get one.


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## mpap89 (Mar 10, 2005)

tl1 said:


> No problem getting a replacement with the ebay seller "bklamos" who is selling dozens of these frames on ebay. He was very helpful and I had no complaints there at all.
> 
> As far as corrosion, there is an anti-corrosion coating on the inside of the tubes. You can see the goldish color of it in some of the above pictures. It looks like an anodizing process but I'm not sure that's what it is. But that reminds of the other problem I had with the first frame: the Thomson seatpost would not slide in past around 3-4 inches on that one and the anti-corrosion coating would have been removed by any seatpost reaming to make that post fit. No problem at all getting the post to fit in the replacement frame. In general I love these frames but watch out for similar quality control issues if you get one.


could you explain the nine speed rubbing a little bit more. I dont' quite understand. thanks
-mpap


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

The seat stay gussett/weld doesn't have enough clearance between the cassette's little cog and the frame. It's pretty close, like it's maybe .75-1mm too close but it does some cause rubbing of the chain on the seat stay in 9th gear. It looks like there's enough material to Dremel a tad away but I'm not sure about that and haven't tried it yet. I'll see if I can take a picture of it later. I'm using one of the GT 3 pawl hubs with an XT M760 9 spd. cassette.


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## OokieCookie (May 31, 2004)

Thanks for all the info- TL how long have you had the frame, and roughly how many miles have you put on it?


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## Bladerunner (Jan 24, 2005)

Here's my Paketa styled framed bike about 2/3s done. It has disc brake mounts unlike the Litechs. 
I bought the frame off ebay a few months ago. Much cheaper than they are going for now. Around $180 with shipping.
Havent been too concerned about weight. Just putting on parts hanging around the garage. I Put on some custom graphics I had made (also from ebay) & I hope soon Ill have a nice, cheap hardtail to ride when I don't feel like riding my Switchblade.
Cant wait to get it on the trail. Just have to figure what type of front derailleur goes on it.
Overall a nice frame, superlight, and well built.
On this particular frame the powder coat sucked hence the graphics and a clear coat over that.


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## brownplus (Mar 31, 2005)

late to post yes! this frame has surpassed my expectations by far. superduper light, strong (im 220 and not afraid to huck) and a great feeling absorption ...maybe already said but quite like a large-tubed ti frame or cross between skinny alu and big-tubed steel. using 8-spds and not much of a problem in gear area as i dont use the high gears anyway in the woods. if you go for the long plastic seat tube shim and a good collar that wraps around and on top of seat tube you will have no problems, i sure haven't and ive busted 2 cannondales in the past.


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## magbikeman (Jan 14, 2007)

*Litech/Lodestar Frames*

Interesting to read the various posts about these frames. There is nothing, at least in the $ range I am selling these on eBay, that comes close to the ride. The complaints such as bottle cage boss placements, brake boss pin alignment and lack of disc brake tab, 9 speed chain stay clearance, seat post restrictions are valid but mostly inconsequential (bottle cage) when you look at the price versus competitive frames (such as Paketa). Use washers to overcome the 9 speed problem (most full service bike retailer can do this inexpensively), redrill the brake boss holes (seems to be the case with most Avid V brakes and does not affect the brakes functioning) and live without rear disc though Therapy Components (www.therapycomponents.com) sells an adapter that I have NOT tested. On the seat post I myself purchased a cheap (<$5) auto brake hone at Autozone/Checker/etc.) and using a drill lightly honed the inside of the seat post tube until the seat post slid in easier. I also sprayed some Litium based grease into the seat post tube to protect the magnesium and enable the seat post to move easier. so enjoy the ride.


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## taikuodo (Jul 3, 2006)

What does magnesium exactly feel like? I can't really imagine how a much shock could be abosrbed or whatever, wish they had some at my LBS to try out.


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## Eddie3dfx (Nov 12, 2006)

I just purchased a Lodestar yellow magnesium frame from ebay. I've been wanting to purchase something other than aluminum for a hardtail and because the lowest carbon.ti frame I could find was for around $5-600, I felt this was a better choice :thumbsup: 

I do have a few questions though. 

1. Is it possible to strip this frame down to repaint it? Or is it a problem because it's magnesium. I'm a little bit worried about using airplane stripper on a magnesium frame. What if there is a reaction.. Also, does it start to oxidize right away or can I wait a few days for it to be painted? banana yellow and christmas green are just really ugly frame colors! rft: 

I'm using an 8 speed cog and an integrated crank, so chainline won't be too hard to play with (I can use spacers to adjust, though I cannot use an E-type Derailleur with an frm cu2 crank.

What type of front derailleur works best? I believe mine is a top pull 
XTR FD-M950. Is the derailleur problem only related to to problems with clearance with the waterbottle rivets? Are there 2 spots for waterbottles, or just one?

Is 1280g an accurate weight for a 17"? Everyone has these frames, but I've only seen a few numbers floating around. Weight of the Ti studs?
I know they come in 15", 17", and 19", so the numbers will be a bit different here and there. Also, I'm assuming all the frames are from the same manufacturer in russia. They all have that same fat tube on the bottom and same look to them.

Last but not least, the seatpost. The specs say 30.9 but other people say there is a built in seatpost shim. I have a 31.6 seatpost and just ordered a 30.9. What is the tube dimension if you took the shim out? Is it possible to fit in the 31.6 with a thinner shim?

So the checklist goes
Check the threads on the bb 
make sure the threads and alignment is fine on the v brakes
Check the shim and seatpost and make sure it's easier to slide it in and out.

Any other problems?


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## G-Live (Jan 14, 2004)

Eddie3dfx said:


> 1. Is it possible to strip this frame down to repaint it? Or is it a problem because it's magnesium. I'm a little bit worried about using airplane stripper on a magnesium frame. What if there is a reaction.. Also, does it start to oxidize right away or can I wait a few days for it to be painted? banana yellow and christmas green are just really ugly frame colors! rft:
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## c-dale 900 man (May 14, 2006)

*I'm liking it...*

I just got one last week. I built it up as a singlespeed and i think its abou 16 pounds...the guy who sells them on eBay for 115 shipped is really easy to work with and ships fast. So far, it seems to be a great frame.


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## mpap89 (Mar 10, 2005)

Eddie3dfx said:


> Is 1280g an accurate weight for a 17"? Everyone has these frames, but I've only seen a few numbers floating around. Weight of the Ti studs?
> I know they come in 15", 17", and 19", so the numbers will be a bit different here and there. Also, I'm assuming all the frames are from the same manufacturer in russia. They all have that same fat tube on the bottom and same look to them.


i weighed mine and it was 3.33 lbs for a 19 (1.5 kg)
Michael


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## Eddie3dfx (Nov 12, 2006)

1496g(3.3lbs) for a 19" in magnesium?
So maybe the 1280g for a 17" is bit off. My guess is about 1350-1400g then.
I should get mine in a few days, so I'll weigh it and let you know


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## magbikeman (Jan 14, 2007)

*painting*

frames can be stripped or just sanded and repainted as suggested by others. if you strip the frame use a water based agent. in regards to corrosion it is a long term process so you will not see the frame corrode in front of your eyes but I would not leave a bare frame out in the elements for years either. i have weighed the frames on 2 different shipping scales (with Ti brake posts) and they are, weight wise, as posted on my auctions.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

taikuodo said:


> What does magnesium exactly feel like? I can't really imagine how a much shock could be abosrbed or whatever, wish they had some at my LBS to try out.


Unlike a steel hardtail that has a pleasant springy "boing-boing" to the ride, the Litech magnesium just has a pleasant feeling bump absorption that's hard for me to explain. It just kinda absorbs shock somehow unlike an aluminum frame with similar-sized big tubes that goes "thud" as it it hits bumps and transfers that shock to you hands, feet and butt. Before I rode mine I wondered if I'd feel any difference between magnesium and aluminum and you definitely can feel the difference. It seems like an ideal material for hardtails: light and shock absorbing. Too bad not many, if any, are being made anymore.


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## magbikeman (Jan 14, 2007)

*mag MTB frames*



tl1 said:


> Unlike a steel hardtail that has a pleasant springy "boing-boing" to the ride, the Litech magnesium just has a pleasant feeling bump absorption that's hard for me to explain. It just kinda absorbs shock somehow unlike an aluminum frame with similar-sized big tubes that goes "thud" as it it hits bumps and transfers that shock to you hands, feet and butt. Before I rode mine I wondered if I'd feel any difference between magnesium and aluminum and you definitely can feel the difference. It seems like an ideal material for hardtails: light and shock absorbing. Too bad not many, if any, are being made anymore.


u are correct regarding the inherent ability of magnesium to provide a comfortable ride with better "feel" and less thud. obviously a subjective description from someone selling mag frames but this description is stated in most ride reveiws. Litech in Russia produced these frames several years ago but for some reason they never gained broad acceptance here probably because they were never marketed and sold by any of the leading brands. Paketa has a small dedicated group of adherents and they have found new suppliers of materials and fabrication techniques that has allowed them to be produced in the US but I don't see magnesium winning the battle against carbon. Even Pinarello could not seem to evercome market scepticism with it's Dogma mag frame. I am not the only one selling these on eBay so watch for others. Currently I have about 70 17" frames left in inventory and when those are gone I'm outta the retail on-line bike biz. You can always try a google search to see if Litech has begun to remanufacture but they currently don't have an english website and don't respond to my emails as they used to a few years ago. Good luck.


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## BadHabit (Jan 12, 2004)

Eddie3dfx said:


> 1496g(3.3lbs) for a 19" in magnesium?
> So maybe the 1280g for a 17" is bit off. My guess is about 1350-1400g then.
> I should get mine in a few days, so I'll weigh it and let you know


The 19" frames use substantially larger section downtubes and toptubes than the 17" frames. 19" =3.2 lbs or so; 17" = 2.8 lbs or so.

6 or 7 years on a 17" Lodestar and doing fine.


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

As i recall from the original Lodestar literature, magnesium naturally dampes vibrations better than steel, titanium or aluminium. Easton repeated that fact when they began offering their Magnesium mtb stems a few years ago.


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## salimoneus (Oct 12, 2004)

might be a good material for a frame, but magnesium is quite corrosive so that is something to consider


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## DocAltie (Feb 7, 2006)

I run a Litech and have for a long while now. I have had zero issues with it other than finding cranks and BBs for it. It rides excellent. I also use an easton mag stem. Corrosion with Mag is possible, but alloys and treatment of the metal make it fairly rare. I also run a Ti fork. The frame weighs 2.9lb.


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## Slonie (Sep 27, 2006)

Man, I was just at Sports Basement today and one of the bike shop guys started chatting with me and showed me his bike. He told me it weighed less than 20 lbs and the frame weighed 2 lbs (okay, so probably 2.8), and that it was made out of magnesium. I was a little skeptical, but asked him for the name of the framebuilder, and lo and behold, it's all true. Including the cost of the frame on eBay...It's still news to me!

(he had it built up with XTR and other good stuff and powdercoated all fancy-style, though when I saw it was in a couple pieces on the floor with no fork on it)


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## Eddie3dfx (Nov 12, 2006)

Anyone know the difference in grams between the regular paint and stripped?


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## salimoneus (Oct 12, 2004)

i think there is roughly a third of a pound difference between painted and anodized, so it's probably a little more


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