The mystery of the damaged down tubes

[Jules]

Ok this one's got me really stumped. Hopefully some of the Hub's super sleuths can help out.

 

 

 

Immediately after I finished the Fast One, I noticed some damage on my down tube, just under the bottle cage.

 

 

 

It looks like three or four layers of carbon have been worn away somehow in a space about the size of a 20c piece.

 

 

 

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs238.snc3/22571_457856545640_868120640_10706170_7092594_n.jpg

 

 

 

What makes this even more bizarre is that the exact same thing has happened to epoh's bike. He also noticed it immediately after the fast one

 

 

 

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs238.snc3/22571_457856515640_868120640_10706167_6723288_n.jpg

 

 

 

Any smart ideas as to what could have caused this mystery damage?

 

 

 

Epoh and I stay on the same property. But we took separate cars to the Fast One. This seems to rule out the possibility of bike rack damage. I didn't even use a bike rack: just put my bike in the back of my car.

[Mudsimus]

Your bottle?

[AndreZA]

Cue X-files theme tune.

[Mecnic]

It is the bottom rim of your bottle which touches your frame,

Post a pic with the bottle in the cage that will give you a visual

[Jules]

Your bottle?[/Quote]

 

 

 

The thought did occur to me but when I was trying to re-create the damage last night it seemed improbable.

 

 

 

Mud Dee, have you seen bottles do this to carbon frames before?

[GoLefty!!]

yes, thats why I have a strip of helicopter tape on the downtube of my bike in the area where the bottle touches the frame.

[AndreZA]

do you guys have the same cages/bottles?

[Mudsimus]

Mud Dee' date=' have you seen bottles do this to carbon frames before? [/quote']

 

Yes..on quite a few bikes. Especially smaller frames.

[Jules]

Mud Dee' date=' have you seen bottles do this to carbon frames before? [/quote']

 

 

?

 

Yes..on quite a few bikes. Especially smaller frames.

 

 

 

I take it this happens when the bottle falls out of the bottle cage on the seat tube and then rubs on the down tube?

 

 

 

Now for the next question: can my bike be repaired?

[Jules]

do you guys have the same cages/bottles?

 

 

 

Nope. And my bottle does not touch the frame at all when it's in the cage. I ride a large bike. Epoh rides a size 54cm.

[Mudsimus]

I've seen this happen on bikes where the bottle is nowhere near the down tube. When you have a flimsy cage, especially carbon cages, they can move up and down and still rub the frame. This can happen quite easily if you ride on a bumpy road.

[RABUBI]

yes' date=' thats why I have a strip of helicopter tape on the downtube of my bike in the area where the bottle touches the frame. [/quote']

 

Where did you get the helicopter tape?

[Edition 507]

My bottle slips through the bottom of my less than secure carbon cage, particularly when full and on bumpy roads. It rubs on the down tube in a very similar spot as your picture. Fortunately my frame is Ti so no damage.

[GoLefty!!]

3M

[epoh]

 

I've seen this happen on bikes where the bottle is nowhere near the down tube. When you have a flimsy cage' date=' especially carbon cages, they can move up and down and still rub the frame. This can happen quite easily if you ride on a bumpy road.[/quote']

 

This happened quite a bit down on the down tube from where the bottle cage is.

 

I dont think it is my bottles, it has never done that and I have been riding with the same bottles for ages.

 

 

 

 

 

As obscure as it may sound, did anyone else have the same problem after the Fast One?

 

[Jules]

Eish, looks like this has been a very expensive lesson on bottle cages