Can this bike be resurrected?

[jahlive905]

A few months ago I was cycling and managed to take a chunk out of the downtube (see the pic). Took it to my LBS and they said they legally weren't allowed to work on it so I threw it in the storage and have been riding something else.

Downtube hole in frame

• jahlive905
• 2 Feb 2018

However, I bloody love this bike and a few months without it is making me consider whether I can do something to fix it.

Does anyone know if the hole could be patched up? As mentioned, it's placed on the downtube on an aluminium frame. The bike is aGiant Defy 4. I'm thinking of taking it to a welder but if they patch it up, will it be safe to ride? This is a new one for me.

 

[Drago]

Not legally allowed to work on it? What a L.O.B! There is no such law.

Yes it can be done - Ive seen nasty rot and damage holes cut out of frame tubing and new metal welded in, steel and alloy. A frame builder could replace the whole tube for you. On top of the repair you'd also have the cost of repainting, and possibly reinstating the heat treatment, so it probably isn't worth it financially. However, if money is no object and you have a strong sentimental attachment to the bike, then physically it could be rectified by a suitably skilled fabricator.

 

[Drago]

Quite likely, but that doesn't legally stop them doing it. I don't know why businsses feel it necessary to trot out such bullpois. Why not just say, "sorry mate, frame repairs isn't our line of business"?

 

[jahlive905]

Not legally allowed to work on it? What a L.O.B! There is no such law.

Yes it can be done - Ive seen nasty rot and damage holes cut out of frame tubing and new metal welded in, steel and alloy. A frame builder could replace the whole tube for you. On top of the repair you'd also have the cost of repainting, and possibly reinstating the heat treatment, so it probably isn't worth it financially. However, if money is no object and you have a strong sentimental attachment to the bike, then physically it could be rectified by a suitably skilled fabricator.

OK cool. Would they definitely have to replace the whole tube? And what ballpark figure are we talking for all of the services you outlined above?

 

[Drago]

I'm not an expert, so can't advise what would need to be done to effect a suitable repair.

I expect a suitably qualified artisans time and materials, and then a repaint/powder coat will vastly outweigh the £200 or less a replacement frame would cost.

 

[Nibor]

or do something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-Def...155178?hash=item1a42d12faa:g:LrAAAOSwPcVV10nv

 

[biggs682]

@jahlive905 have a word with Kevin at Woodrup cycles

 

[Cycleops]

That looks like an aluminium frame, could Woodrup deal with something like that Martin?

 

[vickster]

Don't know what size you need but...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-Def...155178?hash=item1a42d12faa:g:LrAAAOSwPcVV10nv
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Giant...112787680154?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Giant...411897&hash=item1a426a2efa:g:sd4AAOSwyQtV1y-H
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-De...841945?hash=item4d6cdc0b59:g:foAAAOSwBRVacccz
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gaint-De...056653?hash=item1a416178cd:g:3poAAOSwZfNaYyZ2

 

[Smokin Joe]

Its not law but probably something in their liability insurance.

Not even that. You can repair anything provided you do it properly and a new tube would sort that. The LBS just didn't want to know.

 

[Randomnerd]

Aluminium would need to be TIG welded. Your frame probably isnt heat treated before manufacture, so you could weld it with TIG; and you need the right welder who knows what they're doing, what fillers to use etc.
It's going to be expensive to get it back to A1 finish too.
Other fix would be an epoxy and fibreglass cloth wrap as a collar round the hole. Would look rough, but should hold if you get the right stuff. I've heard guys using carbon fibre tape and epoxy for repairs.
Or you could just go buy a NOS frame and do some unbolting and bolting.
How did you get that B shaped hole in the first place?

 

[adamhearn]

A few months ago I was cycling and managed to take a chunk out of the downtube

How on earth did that happen? Personally speaking, with that level of damage I'd bin it and grab a NOS frame as suggested above.

 

[Tangoup51]

Easy fix, if you have the money to spend on it. Don't know what kind of alloy your bike has, which is important because between 6061 and 7005 there are notable differences in welding, repairing and all sorts of jazz. - so that'd include price too.

Realistically, your easiest bet is to round off all the corners in that break, so there are no stress concentration points and then ride it or do as @woodenspoons suggests and buy something like a carbon fibre repair kit (£35 ish) and just put a very thin single-wrap of carbon with the appropriate epoxy around it.

As for replacing the whole tube, that's a big no-go. The seat tube takes Alot of stress, what with the bottom bracket torque of you pedalling and your weight above it, re-welding the new tube back in would take such a vast amount of effort to get it right so it doesn't fail. - And if you're rocking 6061 alloy then it's going to take alot of heat to artificially age it. Which means you're going to Destroy your paint work. Probably cost £600-800 all in, just a guestimate. Wouldn't even consider it.

If you do the budget repair option, you will for sure get some life out of the frame for a decent amount of time, but at some point a crack would form spreading toward one of the bottle cage holes.


If you want my advice, just go all triggers broom on it and replace the frame !

 

[winjim]

If it was mine and I took it to the LBS they might have a go at mending it, the owner's a welder and he likes a challenge. For another customer they might be a bit more cautious.

Alu framesets are cheap enough though. As others have said, bin it and get a NOS jobbie.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Fitting your front derailleur on the mended tube would be an interesting operation.

However, I bloody love this bike

It's the bike the OP has 'luv' for, not its groupset so NOS frame replacement probably won't meet the requirement.