Dent and Cracks HELP!

dwclay99

Guys

Got back from a ride in the Surrey Hills yesterday to find the below dent in my down tube (Gary Fisher Roscoe) which I can only think came from a very unlucky rock strike. Upon further inspection I found there to be cracking not only to the paintwork but also to the metal (doesn't show in the photos), The cracks seem to follow the contours of the dent right the way round.

Do you think this is safe to ride?

The Rookie

I really doubt you have cracks in the metal, sure its not the paint or the (white) primer underneath? If the metal is cracked it (the frame) is scrap really (cost more to repair than it's worth), if it's just a dent as I'm 99.9% sure it is, it will be fine, you may have lost 1% of frame stiffness but I doubt you'll notice anything.

Simon

386ka

I too doubt that it is a crack in the metal, chip away the paint that has been cracked, examine it good, and if it's not a crack, I would say it is safe to ride. After that paint it with a lacquer to protect the frame from salt corrosion ect.

ricardo_smooth

I have a dent about 3x the size of that in my downtube and i've kept riding the bike for well over 12months now with no implications. I just inspected it well and put some clear varnish over the top to stop corrosion

supersonic

I would have to say very unlikley to crack in that fashion as well.

gezebo

Another vote for unlikely to be cracked frame.

Ive bought a bike new with a bigger dent than that (with a great discount) rode it for years and then sold it!

Metal doesn't really crack from an impact like that and they usually fail at joints were they are welded. Some frames are actually thinner in the middle of tubes as the strength is not an issue here (making dents more likely). Don't worry about corrosion either if its an alloy frame as it won't corrode it will just be cosmetic.

dwclay99

Thanks guys - Think i'll get a lbs to have a look.

DodgeT

I'd just ride it. It's in a nice easy place to keep an eye on and I don't think for one minute that it'll suddenly fold in half on you one day.
As above though, very much doubt the metal is cracked from the look of it. Paint cracks can be very worrying at first.

andy46

I don't think it'll be cracked, if it was carbon then I'd be worried.

Get your lbs to check it for piece of mind, as long as you trust them and they won't use it as an excuse to try and sell you a new frame.

gezebo

Short of x-raying it I'm not sure what they would do differently to you?

Have a bit of self-confidence. It will be fine. If you'd smashed into a tree at warp speed 10 I'd be worried but as it is you are not even sure how it happened therefore meaning whatever it was can't be serious.

It's a mountain bike. It's designed to take this sort of impact.

dwclay99

Think i'll take it to the Surrey Hills this weekend to see if anything changes......