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How do you know your Frame is cracked???


FanieFiets

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Thats why I have a Giant.... They do.

Not always... I cracked a Giant MTB frame the once and the distributor Dragon Sports didn't replace it saying there were scratch marks near the crack from and accident... What MTB doesn't have scratch marks from everyday mountain biking?!

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Frames have places that are generally more exposed to stress fractures , It doesn't mean that if the paint is cracked the frame itself is cracked , Carbon is 'flexible' it twists and turns, the paint might not be as flexible. I've had a hairline crack on both my rear stays (hardtail) near the wheel hub side for about 2 years now.

I'm also insured and trust me I haven't backed off from drop offs and jumps, In fact I rode harder trying to get it to fail and it's still going strong.   

I wouldn't worry about it. 

Agreed, I've also had a frame with a crack in it that turned out to be paint... The general rule of thumb I use is that if its a perfectly straight crack, its probably paint, if its jagged, its probably a crack following the weave of the carbon. Only and xray or very keen eye will be able to tell for sure.

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Thanks for the feedback. I spoke to Hannes van der Walt at Giant Durbanville. He told me to bring the bike in so that he can take it to Giant for inspection. Think it is the best solution. Will post pic to show the crack. Maybe we can start a poll / betting system and I will reveal in the end. 

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Hardly any do nowadays.

 

Happy I have a Cannondale then

 

Cannondale frames (except frames for Freeride, and Dirt Jumping bikes, see below) are warranted by Cycling Sports Group, Inc. against manufacturing defects in materials and/or workmanship for the lifetime of the original owner.

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Not to hijack Fanie's thread, but I have my old race frame with cracks on both sides of the BB. I've never had it xrayed and the physical carbon isn't showing, but it looks suspiciously like cracked frame not pain and hence the fact I replaced it...

I'll post pics of it sometime, but my question is: Would you bother trying to fix a crack in a key stress point such as the BB? Also where do you get a bike xrayed?

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Take a R5 coin (or any other) and tap around the mark and then over the mark. If there is no change in the pitch of the sound then your bike is 100%. If you notice that in some places there is a change in pitch, almost to a duller thud then you may have problems.

 

Insurances will almost certainly ask you to send them the bike for inspection if you want to claim from them and they will then employ a few different non-destructive methods to check if the crack is indeed a crack. This is very expensive for them to do so they are not always very forthcoming. A better way to do this is have them place it on record with an agreement that if the crack propagates later then you can still claim (important! - even if you no longer use them as insurers at that time). Obviously they will want to set a time limit which is kinda fair. Say 2 years.

 

Hope this helps!

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X-Ray

Ask your local vet if they can do it for you.

our local vet has done x-rays on things from carbon helmets to frames and forks.

costs a few R's but not crazy money

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What a mission to do all these checks just incase you may have developed a crack without knowing about it?  Alu all the way

.

Who wants a bike they have to take to the Vet anyway? Seriously?

If you are going for podium then good and well.

Some alu bikes are only slightly heavier than carbon bikes anyway.

Noticed the increase in carbon bikes for sale?

Edited by Sepia
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Coin tap test is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate, especially if there is coats of paint or varying material thickness involved.

 

Where there is smoke....keep a very close eye on it and take it to the OEM dealer for them to decide.

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What a mission to do all these checks just incase you may have developed a crack without knowing about it?  Alu all the way

.

Who wants a bike they have to take to the Vet anyway? Seriously?

If you are going for podium then good and well.

Some alu bikes are only slightly heavier than carbon bikes anyway.

Noticed the increase in carbon bikes for sale?

Aluminium is much more prone to cracking and softening over time than carbon is. So I would rather have an insured carbon frame that will get replaced than an alu frame that will soften and crack and I will have to replace out of my own pocket.

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What a mission to do all these checks just incase you may have developed a crack without knowing about it?  Alu all the way

.

Who wants a bike they have to take to the Vet anyway? Seriously?

If you are going for podium then good and well.

Some alu bikes are only slightly heavier than carbon bikes anyway.

Noticed the increase in carbon bikes for sale?

 

its because carbon anything just like 27.5 is a 'you must buy it if you are a for real cycling type guy  ' product right now ...

 

I cant wait till all the mtbers are riding carbon 27.5s to see what the industry brings out for them all to buy next  :w00t:

 

you can break anything but at least with alu you know its time to call your insurance :blink:

 

it must drive the OP crazy to not know if his bike is safe to ride etc

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