Frame for the bin?

Lagavulin

This doesn't look a very healthy top tube does it...

cooper.michael1

Is it a Alu or carbon frame???

If it is Alu, does not really look like it has dented it much, if at all?....is it structural or have you just cracked the paint??

If carbon i wouldnt be riding it again!

Hotblack Desiato

Gaffer tape.

It'll be grand!

Lagavulin

Alu. '06 Allez Sport Double.

A bit of a long story.

I've had the bike approx. 12 months.
Inexplicably I think I must have missed* the dent when I inspected the bike upon delivery (mail order from Edinbugh Bike Co-op).

I only discovered it a good few months after that. I didn't use the bike much at first with the naff weather.

It was only a slight dent but having signed for the bike as ok on delivery and not reported anything wrong with it I just carried on using it

Since then the bike has had a service at EBC (about 2 months ago) and I've recently bought new wheels for it. I assumed that they'd of inspected the frame during the service and they didn't mention anything when I picked it up.

However, in the last few weeks when going over bumps or the odd unavoidable pothole theres a new noise been introduced. I'm no expert but it does sound a bit like metal being stressed.
When I inspected the frame and took those photos on the 8th the cracking of the paint work is getting worse and there is a definite crack in the bottom of the toptube (where the crack lines source from).

I should add I've had no falls or slides on this bike. While I'm due one, to date I've kept those exclusively for my old mountain bike.

Being alluminium do you think its okay still to ride?
I'm taking my new mountainbike in for its first post-sale service in a couple of weeks so I'll take the Allez up then and see what they think.

I guess I'm also enquiring as with all those sales on now would be a good time to see if I can stretch to a buying a replacement if that's whats necessary.

blackhands

Cracks in alum frame scan be welded - by an expert of course. Of course it may not be worth it on a cheap frame.

top_bhoy

Lagavulin wrote:

Alu. '06 Allez Sport Double.

I'm taking my new mountainbike in for its first post-sale service in a couple of weeks so I'll take the Allez up then and see what they think.

I guess I'm also enquiring as with all those sales on now would be a good time to see if I can stretch to a buying a replacement if that's whats necessary.

I'd explain the story to them and see what they say. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If you decide to get another frame and it won't be replaced for free, you may be able to negotiate it for cost - you seem to be a good and repeat customer to them.

Good luck!!

bhm100

Hmm - as you say, not good. If the crack is in the metal rather than the laquer then the repair should be complete tube replacement. Labour to replace the tube plus paint to cost and I'd reckon it's scrap. (unless it's an expensive frame to start with)

No way would I attempt to get the crack re-welded mid section. Firstly it would look a mess without a lot of blending work and secondly there's a good chance it would crack again from the stresses induced.

To determine if the crack is metal or paint, it might be worth rubbing away the paint to bare metal and re-inspecting - after all, a bit of bare metal isn't going to make it look much worse ? But if the paint cracking is increasing then the metal's flexing, so I'd have stopped riding it already......

Lagavulin

Thanks for the replies.

I haven't ridden it since I took those photos. Thats when I noticed just how expansive the paint cracks had become.

I'll take it to a local bike shop to have it confirmed but to be honest I've feared the worst for a while now. :roll:

mrushton

Lagavulin wrote:

Thanks for the replies.

I haven't ridden it since I took those photos. Thats when I noticed just how expansive the paint cracks had become.

I'll take it to a local bike shop to have it confirmed but to be honest I've feared the worst for a while now. :roll:

take it back to Edinburgh COOP. It may still be in warranty and Specialized may offer a lifetime warranty,then take it from there. you may be able to negotiate an upgraded frame (for some more money). I had a Trek that cracked within a year and they did me a sweet deal on a frame that was more expensive.