I think i might of cracked my frame.

JamesBrckmn

I have a rockrider 5 xc (in my sig) which has a 6061 aluminium frame. while i was cleaning it yesterday, i noticed a small crack (about 2 cm long) on the outer edge of the non drive side chainstay. I just ride xc trails, with small jumps or drops- highest i've been is about 3ft - and i don't get that high regurlary, and being 13, only weigh 45kg/6.5 stone, so i don't understand how i've cracked it. i suppose it could just be the paint cracking, but i've sanded it a little to see if it is just the paint and it looks the same., and it's only about 6 months old (bought new in august) so do you think it's just the paint? at one end of the cracks it looks like there's a stone chip- could a stone of cracked it? do these frames brake often?
i'll try to get a picture up in the next few days.
thank you

The Northern Monkey

lawman

bigbenj_08 wrote:

+1

stubs

JamesBrckmn wrote:

but i've sanded it a little to see if it is just the paint and it looks the same.,

Oh dear its possible you have just voided your warranty

JamesBrckmn

pictures are impossible when i can't be bothered to go through the rain, into the garage, take a picture upload it to the pc, upload to flickr, then link to here. but i can be bothered so i'l go now

JamesBrckmn

i might now kill the 'friend' that suggested sanding it to see if it was a paint crack

lawman

JamesBrckmn wrote:

i might now kill the 'friend' that suggested sanding it to see if it was a paint crack

never listen to "friends" who think they know stuff about bikes, always take it straight to the lbs if you think its cracked

JamesBrckmn

well having another look at it, it looks like it might not be cracked:
you can see it looks like a stone chip at the top, witha small crack below it;

proof of material:

and zoomed out:

JamesBrckmn

in the last picture you can see a broken brake lever clamp and the end of a cut down seatpost on the shelf- you can tell i ride!

supersonic

I think it is a paint crack.

Though go back to Decathlon and let them examine it.

JamesBrckmn

is that really necessary? it's just it's 1 1/2 hours away. couldn't the lbs check?

supersonic

Well, they could - but your warranty lies with Decathlon

Radioactiveman

I thought claims had to be made through the authorised dealer it was bought from?

JamesBrckmn

i'm just saying that as it probably is just a paint crack, the lbs could check it's just a paint crack, but if they find it isn't, then i could go to decathlon. would sanding it slightly to see what it is affect the warranty?

supersonic

Don't touch it! It may effect warranty.

JamesBrckmn

but as i have already said, under my friends advice, i did

supersonic

So you may have blown it.

Maybe ;-)

nicklouse

why do people do Qrs up wrong.

i bet yours is not locked over correctly.

JamesBrckmn

that was the lbs i tried it and i won't go any further, so is it ok? i normally do it pointing down, to offer a bit of protection for the disc

stevet1992

bigbenj_08 wrote:

???

jpstar

stevet1992
very funny

I Don\'t Get It

Frame fractures seem alarming, especially in newish bikes. In which areas should we regularly check our alloy frames (Pitch Pro) for early signs of fatigue?

I've tried checking the internet but it's hardly reassuring. Apparently riding fast over rough ground limits frame life span to a couple of years in some peoples eyes! Surely that's taking things to an extreme?

For a normal rider who doesn't do silly jumps and such, I would hope to get a few years use out of an alloy framed bike.

largephil

JamesBrckmn, clean your bike, its got poo on it!

Seriously though, a good clean will show up any frame defects more clearly

Cant see why a frame would crack there, dont they usually go at joints and welds. I would say it was a mark on the paint.

ilovedirt

In my (limited) experience.... It looks like a paint crack, maybe where a stone has hit it or something, it's an odd place for a frame to develop a crack. You may get away with having sanded it though if it is a crack, as you've not taken it down to bare metal by the looks of it. Take it to decathlon though.

stumpyjon

It looks like a scrape on the frame, given it's position and shape probably from your heel as you've been pedalling. As largephil says clean the bl**dy thing, I bet the scratch is full of dirt making it look like a crack. Very odd place / angle for a crack, not signs of denting either.

Andy

nicklouse wrote:

why do people do Qrs up wrong.

i bet yours is not locked over correctly.

??

JamesBrckmn

i think he means it shouldn't be done up over the frame :?

stumpyjon

And ideally pointing backwards to limit the chances of it getting whacked open.