scratch on carbon frame

notnot
notnot Posts: 284
edited April 2013 in Workshop
A contractor in the flat I rent managed to scratch my carbon framed bike - he decided to stack my MTB on top of it, and seems to have scratched the road frame on the MTB gear shifter :cry: The scratch is small - around 1cm - and not especially deep: just deep enough that I can feel it if I run my finger nail over it.

Aside from the annoying cosmetic damage, do I need to do anything to get this fixed? It seems quite superficial - and I really hope the guy wasn't throwing the bikes around - so I don't think this should cause problems with the frame beyond the cosmetic?

Comments

  • andyk19
    andyk19 Posts: 170
    Without seeing it it's impossible to be sure; and if you're really worried then advice from an internet forum is not the most reliable anyway.

    However my experience, and what I've been told by my LBS, is that so long as scratch is only in the lacquer and has not penetrated any of the layup then it won't cause structural harm*.

    Based on what you've said though it is just a scratch in the lacquer, so you're right not to worry.

    * if there is any evidence of a dent or crack extending beyond the scratch then the carbon is damaged and needs to be professionally inspected.
  • notnot
    notnot Posts: 284
    Thanks - partly due to the look of my frame, it's a bit hard to tell what's lacquer/layup. It's a v shallow white scratch - much shallow than e.g. the one in the top photo here, to the extent that I'd struggle to get it to show on a photo. Certainly no cracking, dent or anything like that.

    Annoying, though - having my stuff damaged :(

Categories