Crack in the frame!!!! (Not :)

Aux1
Aux1 Posts: 865
edited July 2007 in MTB beginners
Uhhh this scared the $hit out of me... As I was polishing my bike (lol I must find a girlfriend :lol: ), I found what seems to be a kind of crack on the side, where the bottom tube meets the head tube. It looks like a crack in one of those porcellain vases... But upon further inspection it seems it's rather a deep scratch made by some thorny branches or something... Cracks would appear on the bottom and top sides of the tubes wouldn't they? I tried bending the bike around the "crack" lol but it seems nice and stiff... Also, it rides normally. However it looks really nasty! Heh sorry but I really got worried there and need reassurance that it's only a deep thorn scratch :oops:

Comments

  • TSawyer
    TSawyer Posts: 721
    Pictures would help I suspect.
  • Take it to your LBS and get it inspected.

    Marv.
    What tree ? ...........

    Trek 8000 ZR XC hardtail.
  • Atz
    Atz Posts: 1,383
    Deep scratches that look like cracks from a tree? What is your bike made of, cheese?

    LBS for sure
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Your local bike shop, or a local engineering place should have NDT spray, or crack-finder (same thing, it's called different names around the country).

    Anyway, if you find someone who's got some, you can find out if it's a crack or not. First you use one of the cans and spray the suspect area. Then you spray on a "revealer" (I think it's called) which will show you if there's a crack by changing colour wherever there's a crack.
    It's not complicated, not expensive, doesn't damage your frame, and only takes 5 minutes.

    If your frame is cracked, time to check the warranty.