Pompino frame -worthless?

robbie the roadie

I have a large pompino frame and forks that are about to become surplus to requirements. I unfortuately came off on the ice just before christmas and somehow (I think it may have hit the other person in the pile ups bike because none of us could see how the handlebars or anything else could have done it) managed to put a dent in the top tube. It's really not very big and the bike still rides fine and I'm sure would live for many years to come. These frames, even in not great condition, seem to hold their value quite well but in reality is mine now worthless?

pete.whelan

a minor dent in the top tube is just a little battle scar. As long as the rest of the frame is OK, then nothing wrong with it. You could always fill it and paint over it.

[my daughters road bike (653 tubing) suffered a crash some years ago with a slight ding in the top tube, but a big ding in the down tube from another bikes chainring. Still going well 10 years on]

bonk man

Yeh as long as it is steel a blob of solder to fill it ... my Mercian is covered in blobs...... I think the previous owner fell off a lot..........

NorwegianBlue

Don't fill it if you're going to sell it, that's dishonest and I don't think we should try to rip off fellow cyclists. I would sell it "as is" and describe the damage honestly. Most buyers would would see it as desribed here, merely a battle scar.

I would, however, check out the alignment if I were you. Sometimes an apparent dent in a tube can actually be evidence that the tube has bent sligthly, thin wall tubing will tend to crumple like a beer can if bent or twisted. Checking the alignment visually with forks fitted to the frame should be enough to show up any obvious issues. Site fore and aft. Do the fork ends and dropouts line up? That alone should give a good indication that nothing is bent. Another check is to rub your fingernail across the paint on the other side of the tube from the dent, if paint flakes off or your nail catches on tiny cracks in the paint then the you're probably dealing with a bent tube.

I certainly wouldn't ride a frame that showed that sort of damage. Nor would I sell it.

GJ

robbie the roadie

Well yes I also believe that honesty is the best policy. I would have to advertise it as having the dent in and this is why I was asking if it would be worth anything so as not to waste my, or anyone else's, time.

The paintwork seems fine on the other side of the top tube so I don't think the frame is bent. I have painted over the dent though with some car paint from halfords as the paint had come off and I didn't want it to start rusting.

meagain

All what NorwegianBlue said!

If it's "straight", sure ain't worthless.

robbie the roadie

currently listed in the classifieds as 'pomino' starter kit. Basically the whole bike less wheels and saddle for £200. sound reasonable?