Frame & Fork check

octav
octav Posts: 50
edited December 2008 in Workshop
I have just bought a Willier Triestina Alpe D'Huez Alu frame(easton tubes) with an Advanced Carbon fork(with carbon steerer). How can I check the frame that it doesn't have problems? And the fork? I will post later photos with the frame and the fork.
The frame has two little areas where the paint is chipped(where the front derailleur clamp is and around the bottle cage bolts). Can this lead to a crack in the frame?
It is my first carbon fork(I rode a steel bike). It seems to me that the fork is very very flexy . It has to be like this or it's a problem?
Thanks for your advices(i will come back later with photos)

Comments

  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    you need to x-ray it. 8)

    More seriously, look over it very carefully and check for bubbling or flaking of the paint, and check all the wields and tubes for deformations or cracks.

    On the carbon (which is supposed to be flexy) check for de-lamination and dents

    Take photos of what you find and post it up.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • octav
    octav Posts: 50
    How can I remove the fork? to take a set of photos at a time. I have a 1" fork and a Fuzzy Logic Comp headset.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    ride_whenever wrote:
    On the carbon (which is supposed to be flexy)

    Actually in a carbon composite the carbon fibre are supposed to be the stiff bit and the epoxy matrix the (slightly) flexible bit.
    I like bikes...

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  • octav
    octav Posts: 50
    These are the photos. Sorry for the quality but the camera is new.

    This is a screw hole o the top tube(don't ask me for what :shock: )

    img0177er3.jpg

    This is the head tube (where is the blue circle there is a very little crack-it has 5 mm). What should I do with this?is it ok? Can the frame brake there?

    img0186ga9.jpg

    img0187in2.jpg

    img0188mq7.jpg
  • octav
    octav Posts: 50
    any ideas?
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    The crack near the head tube would worry me; might suggest collision damage (and hence a new fork?) or ham-fisted headset installation. It might be worth taking the front mech off to make sure the seat tube hasn't been crushed by overtightening it (which would aslo cause the paint to flake off. The other paint chips on the down tube look innocent enough.
  • octav
    octav Posts: 50
    I visited a local mechanic today and he told me that it would be better if I get another frame. He said that the fork is ok but it is risky to use the frame. Probably I would get another frame.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Looks like you bought a bit of a pig in a poke there octav. Hope you didn't give too much for it mate.
  • octav
    octav Posts: 50
    I know. I payed 150 euros for the bike. I have already found a buyer for the parts :D And with that money my trusty old Colnago will get a a new headset and new brake calipers.
  • ansbaradigeidfran
    ansbaradigeidfran Posts: 526
    octav, with regards to your camera, you've probably noticed that it's taking blurry pictures of the frame when it's close up. That's because the ranging system on the camera is missing the frame and focusing on the door/chair/whatever behind it. Assuming that your camera has the type of prefocus ability where you press the button down halfway to focus and all the way to take the picture (that's virtually everything these days, inculding some phones), try holding your free hand behind the frame when focusing so the camera reads the right distance, then remove the hand before you press all the way down.

    Of course, all cameras have a minimum distance at which they can focus. Sometimes you'll just have to step back a bit.
  • octav
    octav Posts: 50
    It's my Sony Ericsson's k810 camera. That's all that it can do. Thanks for the idea with the hand. I'll try that.
  • octav
    octav Posts: 50
    I talked to my cycling club's mechanic and he told me that it can be welded and it should be fine.The crack is probably from overtightening the headset. He said that it would be ok for a training bike and winter bike. I think I'm gonna keep it .
  • gundersen
    gundersen Posts: 586
    On the carbon (which is supposed to be flexy) check for de-lamination and dents

    How on earth does one DENT carbon fiber tubes???????????????
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    [quote="gundersen"]
    On the carbon (which is supposed to be flexy) check for de-lamination and dents

    How on earth does one DENT carbon fiber tubes???????????????[/quote]
    I do agree! It would be hard! :lol:

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