I have a Raleigh technium , recently broke at the rear dropout. Angelo had a post w a picture of a broken rear dropout and commented, that this failure on a steel frame was totally repairable, btw...Would really like to fix mine!
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Take it to a guy who repairs steel frames and have it brazed or welded.– Daniel R HicksCommented Jul 18, 2015 at 19:41
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1Raleigh Technium's are mostly aluminum and part steel. If it broke in an aluminum part, you need a new frame. If it broke in a steel part, you probably still need a new frame.– BatmanCommented Jul 18, 2015 at 20:18
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1Could you post a photo of the break?– dluCommented Jul 18, 2015 at 21:03
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Yes in my case the original FrameMaker repaired it. This is not something feasible for a home mechanic unless they happen to be expert at TIG welding.– AngeloCommented Jul 19, 2015 at 12:27
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@Batman: You got it backwards. The Technium was mostly steel. The only aluminum tubes were the seat, top and down tubes. On the higher end models they used Reynolds 531 and 753 steel.– ChrisLCommented Jul 20, 2015 at 17:21
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1 Answer
Apparently Raleight Techniums are weird combination of aluminum and steel. Rear triangle of Techniums are steel (chro-moly, I'd wager) so they should be repairable.
Looking at the pictures of Technium rear dropouts, they seem to be cast pieces that are brazed to the rear triangle. If the joint between the dropout and seat/chain stay is broken, then the fix is matter of re-brazing the dropout. If the dropout itself has cracked, then it needs to be welded together.
In either case, you need to take the frame to shop that can handle frame repairs. To do it yourself, you'd need a workshop and either TIG welding machine or oxy-acetylene torch and brazing materials. Not a job to the faint hearted.
Full disclosure: I'm a amateur frame maker. I've made couple of lugged frames and fixed a broken frame by welding it, so I have some idea what I'm talking about.
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Do you really mean welded (as opposed to brazed) for a cracked dropout? I wasn't sure that would be something to repair, as opposed to replace. Would that mean having to replace both dropouts?– dluCommented Jul 18, 2015 at 21:02
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Usually the dropout is a single piece of metal that is joined to stays either by welding or brazing. In either case, if the dropout is cracked, it can probably be welded back together. Replacing both dropouts is possible, but that kind of thing can get complicated and expensive fast.– OttoKCommented Jul 18, 2015 at 22:06
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Technium was a model line from the mid 80s into the 90s. I'm not sure you can say something about the whole line without looking at the particular one.– BatmanCommented Jul 19, 2015 at 18:16
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Raleigh used Technium as a term for their process of bonding aluminum tubes to steel lugs. All Technium branded frames were made using same process. Source: mombat.org– OttoKCommented Jul 19, 2015 at 18:44