Holes/crack in non di2 frame

Addictedtocarbon1

Hi,

I purchased a second-hand Dura Ace Di2 equipped bike four months ago and have ridden it on several occasions since then. However the original owner had drilled holes in the frame to internally route the Di2 cables however after removing the rear wheel, I noticed that although holes had been drilled for the wires they are slightly too big and that on the inside of the rear chain stay there is a large crack that is 3cm wide and 2cm in length.

Is a non Di2 frame supposed to be drilled for the wires?
Would the size and amount of holes compromise the frame's safety and/or longevity?

Thanks

Monty Dog

Frame material - if carbon, it may be repairable. Post some piccies?

Drilling holes in a frame is most likely to compromise the strength, particularly if the edge of the holes were left with burrs which create stress-raisers and result in crack-propogation. Di2-specific frames are reinforced in the areas around the holes. as well as ensuring all edges are well-rounded.

Addictedtocarbon1

It is a Focus Extreme carbon frame, 2008.

Addictedtocarbon1

Pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125647193@N05/

rolf_f

:shock: Oh my word! Check the first picture. You could park a car in that chainstay hole! That's about the worst piece of bike frame butchery I've ever seen!

@Monty - I don't think burrs are really anything to worry about in this particular instance!

@OP - was that hole there when you got it? It's not really a crack.......

Addictedtocarbon1

Yes, the original seller stated holes had been drilled however the extremity of the hole in the chain stay was only noticed last week as it had been covered with black tape.

rolf_f

I'd get a new frame......

herzog

Gor blimey...that's some bad butchery, half of the chainstay is missing. I wouldn't bet my health that the frame's roadworthy.

mitchgixer6

Holy molly! I struggle to understand why anyone would do that just to try and get some cables out the way.

I wouldn't be riding that until it's assessed by an expert.

frisbee

mitchgixer6 wrote:

Holy molly! I struggle to understand why anyone would do that just to try and get some cables out the way.

I wouldn't be riding that until it's assessed by an expert.

Any expert who claims to be able to assess it isn't an expert.

It's scrap. The best you can hope for is that it doesn't fail suddenly but gives you some sort of sign.

sungod

frisbee wrote:

Any expert who claims to be able to assess it isn't an expert.

It's scrap. The best you can hope for is that it doesn't fail suddenly but gives you some sort of sign.

nonsense

an expert in cf repair will be able to assess it, chainstay damage is not uncommon and can be repaired

assuming it's economic to repair, the end result is likely to be stronger than the original

op: there are a few places that can do it, for instance...

http://carbonfibrerepair.com/recent-work/#cycling

...unless the frame was very cheap, it's worth giving them a call

rolf_f

sungod wrote:

frisbee wrote:

Any expert who claims to be able to assess it isn't an expert.

It's scrap. The best you can hope for is that it doesn't fail suddenly but gives you some sort of sign.

nonsense

an expert in cf repair will be able to assess it, chainstay damage is not uncommon and can be repaired

assuming it's economic to repair, the end result is likely to be stronger than the original

Posh fibreglass innit!

Still, other holes look grossly oversized so that's worth bearing in mind - I'd have those fixed as well. Still, if a sound repair can be made at a reasonable price that always has to be better than chucking it in a skip.

frisbee

sungod wrote:

frisbee wrote:

Any expert who claims to be able to assess it isn't an expert.

It's scrap. The best you can hope for is that it doesn't fail suddenly but gives you some sort of sign.

nonsense

an expert in cf repair will be able to assess it, chainstay damage is not uncommon and can be repaired

assuming it's economic to repair, the end result is likely to be stronger than the original

op: there are a few places that can do it, for instance...

http://carbonfibrerepair.com/recent-work/#cycling

...unless the frame was very cheap, it's worth giving them a call

Really? A 3cm by 2cm bodged hole on the inside of the chain stay combined with riding around on it? Its likely to have caused secondary damage in other areas, even if the hole itself can be repaired with any strength.

I wouldn't ride it.

rolf_f

frisbee wrote:

Really? A 3cm by 2cm bodged hole on the inside of the chain stay combined with riding around on it? Its likely to have caused secondary damage in other areas, even if the hole itself can be repaired with any strength. I wouldn't ride it.

Have you looked at the link? The Specialized frame and Bianchi fork were a bit more compromised than this frame....

Addictedtocarbon1

I have emailed a carbon specialist to get a professional opinion although I will buy a new frame.