My Cipollini Logos - Should I get it checked out.

whosthedaddy

Coming back from a short ride this afternoon, I noticed a 2cm mark on the Integrated seatpost.
This wasn't there when I left.
Paintwork has hairline crack and now concerned about Carbon underneath.

herzog

Looks like a superficial surface crack - probably the weight of the saddle bag

sloppyschleckonds

Herzog wrote:

Looks like a superficial surface crack - probably the weight of the saddle bag

rolf_f

Bit of metal polish, T cut, rubbing compound whatever should take care of that. A scratch in the lacquer can look fairly evil on a white frame without even reaching the paint. I'd have thought it pretty difficult for a structural crack to randomly form in that location.

StillGoing

If that's the Fizik bag that clips into the back of the seat, stand by for it to break. Mine lasted about 2 rides before it went for a burton snapping across the hinge bolt bracket. Never been knocked or subjected to any shock other than that usually encountered on Britain's billiard table smooth roads. Great idea just crap materials in the hinge.

whosthedaddy

philthy3 wrote:

If that's the Fizik bag that clips into the back of the seat, stand by for it to break. Mine lasted about 2 rides before it went for a burton snapping across the hinge bolt bracket. Never been knocked or subjected to any shock other than that usually encountered on Britain's billiard table smooth roads. Great idea just crap materials in the hinge.

Mines been on several bikes without any issues for over a year now.
I do have it tight though so it doesn't flex too much

whosthedaddy

Rolf F wrote:

Bit of metal polish, T cut, rubbing compound whatever should take care of that. A scratch in the lacquer can look fairly evil on a white frame without even reaching the paint. I'd have thought it pretty difficult for a structural crack to randomly form in that location.

madasahattersley wrote:

I wouldn't worry about that if it isn't actually causing problems.

There's a guy on weight weenies who had a similar problem.
His mark appeared on the back
He thought it was cosmetic and then it cracked
http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/vladd ... 5.jpg.html

Wouldn't using T cut etc invalidate warranty?

Will keep an eye on it and if it deteriorates will take it up with the shop that sold it to me.

rolf_f

Whosthedaddy wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

Bit of metal polish, T cut, rubbing compound whatever should take care of that. A scratch in the lacquer can look fairly evil on a white frame without even reaching the paint. I'd have thought it pretty difficult for a structural crack to randomly form in that location.

madasahattersley wrote:

I wouldn't worry about that if it isn't actually causing problems.

There's a guy on weight weenies who had a similar problem.
His mark appeared on the back
He thought it was cosmetic and then it cracked
http://s1002.photobucket.com/user/vladd ... 5.jpg.html

Wouldn't using T cut etc invalidate warranty?

Will keep an eye on it and if it deteriorates will take it up with the shop that sold it to me.

Horizontal cracks alarm me more than vertical ones......

All polish (eg T cut) does is round off the edges of the scratch and remove the dirt from the crack that makes it show up. I can't see a manufacturer getting away with claiming that that would invalidate the warranty. Would a car manufacturer claim you'd invalidated your warranty by polishing your car?

philthy3 wrote:

If that's the Fizik bag that clips into the back of the seat, stand by for it to break. Mine lasted about 2 rides before it went for a burton snapping across the hinge bolt bracket. Never been knocked or subjected to any shock other than that usually encountered on Britain's billiard table smooth roads. Great idea just crap materials in the hinge.

Mine failed that way as well. To be fair, it probably lasted about 15000 miles before it went and it wasn't a British road that killed it but a French alpine descent. I also found that the bolt on the clip wasn't up to the job (strange that it even has one there since the saddle and the clip are designed by Fizik and therefore an adjustment hardly seems necessary unless they think some people would like their bag to hang at a strange angle but never mind! )

mfin

If this seems to have happened in one ride, I'd photograph it right away with a ruler held next to it too. Then if it progresses over more rides do the same to keep a photographic track of it. At least if it does get worse you'll have a record of something developing.

Don't try to cosmetically hide it by T-cutting, not unless you have decided it is not an issue, until then, leave it untouched and monitor it.

Monty Dog

Try squeezing the tube with your fingers - if it's a full-thickness crack it will probably noticeably flex. Also, As the frame is constructed from uni-directional fibres, any vertical crack is a problem. You could try using an alcohol wipe to see if the 'dirt' mark dissappears?

rolf_f

mfin wrote:

If this seems to have happened in one ride, I'd photograph it right away with a ruler held next to it too. Then if it progresses over more rides do the same to keep a photographic track of it. At least if it does get worse you'll have a record of something developing.

Don't try to cosmetically hide it by T-cutting, not unless you have decided it is not an issue, until then, leave it untouched and monitor it.

I would do the photography thing. But the T-cutting is neither here nor there other than cosmetically; it won't do any harm to do it. If the crack grows, you won't have any problem seeing it. The benefit of T cutting is that it tells you if the crack is only in the lacquer - any deep crack, one that matters, won't disappear with any amount of T cut.

If you take a decent close up macro pic, you should be able to see if the crack is deep or not.

Monty Dog wrote:

Also, As the frame is constructed from uni-directional fibres, any vertical crack is a problem.

What difference does that make? Surely most, if not all carbon bikes take their strength from UD anyway irrespective of the cosmetic weave layer? And the frames aren't being laid up so that the seatpost is weak in certain directions (I wouldn't have thought.....)

undapressure

Cipollini's are prone to cracking, read the post about mine. Most of the time it is cosmetic, a batch of them didn't have enough elasticity in the paint and so the paint cracked when the carbon flexed.

Having experienced Cipollini's warranty and Paligap customer service, I would make sure you have another bike to ride for 10+ weeks before sending it back to be repaired.

whosthedaddy

undapressure wrote:

Cipollini's are prone to cracking, read the post about mine. Most of the time it is cosmetic, a batch of them didn't have enough elasticity in the paint and so the paint cracked when the carbon flexed.

Having experienced Cipollini's warranty and Paligap customer service, I would make sure you have another bike to ride for 10+ weeks before sending it back to be repaired.

That's worrying.
Can I ask where you purchased.
My frameset came from Bicycle Richmond.
Going to call them in the morning.
Will be peeved if it has to be stripped back down to be returned.