Cracked frame or cracked paint? Help please

[faster]

The aluminium has smooth welds with the exception of the area where the chain stays meet the bottom bracket - particularly the inside of the chain stay/ bb join which has the chunky (& ugly) welds that are common on alu frames.

'Smooth welds' is often shorthand for ugly welds bogged up with something akin to car body filler, which shrinks and cracks as it ages. I know nothing about this particular frame's construction, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is how the smooth look has been achieved.

This could potentially explain how a bike that is apparently riddled with cracks rides well and is creak free. The cracks could well be cosmetic.

 

[avecReynolds531]

Thanks for the further replies and comments.

You're not framing your frame now?

Short of space & a winning lottery ticket unfortunately
I reckon it's better to offer the frame: if it's any use to someone, or a person wants to carry out the dye NDT test as explained by Johnsco earlier (thanks!), they are welcome to it. With this in mind, here are two last photos: as said previously, it's conveniently colour coded - anything dark blue is carbon, light blue aluminium.

A rare piece of Pinarello history (geometry, Vola fork and wishbone stay were shared with the Pinarello Prince model of year 2000).

Can you have someone flex it by standing on one pedal with the front brake locked, while you look at the BB crack?

Thanks, tried this and wasn't able to see or hear anything.

Just to throw a spanner in the works... if part of the frame was about to break you would see cracks only there. The fact that there are cracks all over the frame tells me it's the lacquer cracking. Possibly years of exposure to UV have made it brittle.

I would give it a good push and pull and squeeze and if you don't hear creaking, carry on riding it.

Thanks, I had hoped it was just lacquer.
Tried pushing & pulling the frame again yesterday but it's all silent.
On the last ride, I did a couple of uphill sprints in a big gear - in the hope of hearing or feeling something different - but it only responded with a fine acceleration as it always has. Ironically, maybe it's been uphill sprints in a big gear, over 14+ years, that has caused the bb crack
I reckon it's significant that a pro team broke (similar) Opera frames: 'When Team Fakta rode the Opera Giorgione, they broke a huge amount of them. I have personally seen four or five that were broken at the BB/chainstay junction. '

Tbh from this point on I have no desire to own anything that doesn't have a steel frame.

+ 1 ! I've had it with complicated (to me) frames

That looks/appears to be following a joint round, it's too uniform and no jagged edging to it.

Yes, and it looks like it's smiling!

 

[Cycleops]

In this Opera at least it looks like the fat lady has sung her last . Good of you to be philosophical about it but I guess thats all you can do.

 

[MntnMan62]

Thanks for the further replies and comments.
Short of space & a winning lottery ticket unfortunately
I reckon it's better to offer the frame: if it's any use to someone, or a person wants to carry out the dye NDT test as explained by Johnsco earlier (thanks!), they are welcome to it. With this in mind, here are two last photos: as said previously, it's conveniently colour coded - anything dark blue is carbon, light blue aluminium. View attachment 538728

View attachment 538730
A rare piece of Pinarello history (geometry, Vola fork and wishbone stay were shared with the Pinarello Prince model of year 2000).



Thanks, tried this and wasn't able to see or hear anything.

Thanks, I had hoped it was just lacquer.
Tried pushing & pulling the frame again yesterday but it's all silent.
On the last ride, I did a couple of uphill sprints in a big gear - in the hope of hearing or feeling something different - but it only responded with a fine acceleration as it always has. Ironically, maybe it's been uphill sprints in a big gear, over 14+ years, that has caused the bb crack
I reckon it's significant that a pro team broke (similar) Opera frames: 'When Team Fakta rode the Opera Giorgione, they broke a huge amount of them. I have personally seen four or five that were broken at the BB/chainstay junction. '


+ 1 ! I've had it with complicated (to me) frames

Yes, and it looks like it's smiling!

One more question. Apologies if this has already been asked and answered. Have you reached out to the manufacturer and explained to them what is happening to the bike? They might have more to say about their view of what is happening.

 

[Globalti]

They look to me like typical witness cracks where the thick brittle lacquer cracks as the frame flexes. I had them in several places on a 2014 Roubaix. Paints and lacquers are thinner now on newer bikes.

 

[avecReynolds531]

Thanks for the further comments re the manufacturer & witness cracks.

I contacted Pinarello many years ago about the serial number and history of the model - & didn't hear anything back.

I'm going to leave it at that & move on. I've started to dismantle the bike now