Small crack in aluminium frame - repairable?

starbuck
starbuck Posts: 256
edited July 2019 in MTB workshop & tech
I have an Orange Evo2 LTD edition that I've had from new for years.

Today I noticed a small crack in a rear stay 1budIZ1.jpg
It doesn't go all the way round, only about halfway and it's a pretty small crack. I'd like to repair it if possible as it was the first bike I was ever able to buy new, worked my a** off to pay for it and we've ridden thousands of miles together.

Is it repairable? Where would I start looking to find someone who could repair it properly (I'm based in Southern part of UK).

Comments

  • kirkymtb
    kirkymtb Posts: 31
    After welding an aluminium frame is "normalised" by heating and cooling, otherwise, as said above, it's going to crack elsewhere. I had a Voodoo which had a crack in the swinging arm. I welded it but it failed. Fortunately I was able to fabricate a steel replacement which transformed the handling from vague to fairly decent!
    My MTB blog...https://wordpress.com/view/mountainbiker.home.blog
    Boardman FS Pro 2016. Whyte PRST 4 2004, Whyte JW 4 2004 :D
  • bonzo_banana
    bonzo_banana Posts: 256
    Can't see it being worth investing money in, the whole frame is probably heavily fatigued and weak. Sounds like you got great value from it and some great times perhaps repurpose it as something else. Polish it up and hang it on a wall or maybe just cut off the headtube and polish that up and repurpose it.
  • billycool
    billycool Posts: 833
    I think it's seen better days and I could never trust a frame that's cracked and then been repaired.

    Up to you - but maybe time for n+1
    "Ride, crash, replace"
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    You now have a turbo bike...
  • steve_sordy
    steve_sordy Posts: 2,443
    A crack that goes half way around the frame is NOT a small crack! :(

    Either buy another frame or bin the frame.

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