Dropped Chain CF Frame damage

[BurningLegs]

A great update, thanks for sharing.

For what its worth (absolutely nothing!) I'd firmly insist to my supplier in this situation that any frame in any material should be able to cope with a dropped chain without a failure of this sort. Chipped paint and a scratch would be expected but not this level of damage!

Who here hasn't had a dropped chain before? It happens, its not an unexpected event. Every frame should be able to cope with it without a failure?

 

[Adam4868]

Get a piece of coloured vinyl,the sought you wrap cars/signs etc.Couple of quid if somewhere local has any offcuts.Apply with a heat gun/hairdryer and forget about it.Too nice a bike to worry...just ride 😁

 

[MntnMan62]

This is my new Orbea Orca that cost me about £4.5k...the most expensive purchase (barring my flat) I've ever made:

View attachment 580353

It's a very pretty bike. Sadly it's not so pretty now after one too many chain suck incidents:
View attachment 580354
I kept adjusting the limit screws after each chain suck (it didn't happen every time I downshifted) but it's managed to do this damage.

I think I've been out on less than ten rides so this sort of damage has really got me down. I'm in touch with my friend/owner of the LBS where I bought it. It's a custom paint job so a new frame would take ages to turn up and of course the factories are very busy anyway. I want to ride the bike this coming spring/summer/autumn.

What do you think will happen next? I got the bike in November I think but I've only started riding it in the past few weeks. Will Orbea repair it? Replace it? Do you think it's still safe to ride? I can see loose carbon fibers :'(

Any attempts to cheer me up on what has so far been a fairly depressing week gratefull received!
Thanks.

I think your friend/owner of the LBS where you bought could better answer your question than us. All we would be doing is speculating. If you are speaking with the guy you bought it from, why are you asking us?

 

[fossyant]

Hadn't realised the LBS was a friend. I can recommend chain catchers. I've never really suffered with it, but decided to fit one to my best bike after 1 dropped chain. When rebuilding my Ribble, it didn't drop on the road, but did it on the turbo. As it was brand new paint, I just fitted the catcher.

The chain suck I've had on the MTB is when the chain rings start to wear.

 

[Boopop]

I think your friend/owner of the LBS where you bought could better answer your question than us. All we would be doing is speculating. If you are speaking with the guy you bought it from, why are you asking us?

I was at a low ebb and wanted some knowledgable words, and to better form my opinion of what to do. If it hadn't been for asking I may not have pressed the issue today and get a resolution, and I'm now feeling much happier about the situation.

But you do have that rather smart looking cargo bike. I would not be ashamed to ride that around at all. Looks like jolly good fun and stupendously practical.

Gosh, I've made quite a name for myself 😅. I was quite hesitant with her last year (I think we did a 2 hour excursion at most), but this year I think I'm gonna go on some longer rides on the Bullitt with Lola the cat.

 

[I like Skol]

A great update, thanks for sharing.

For what its worth (absolutely nothing!) I'd firmly insist to my supplier in this situation that any frame in any material should be able to cope with a dropped chain without a failure of this sort. Chipped paint and a scratch would be expected but not this level of damage!

Who here hasn't had a dropped chain before? It happens, its not an unexpected event. Every frame should be able to cope with it without a failure?

Who said anything about major damage? Paint removal (which while we are on the subject, it looks like a poor paint job. Doesn't appear to have adhered at all) some minor scuffing of the carbon surface.

Level of damage is minor and cosmetic, let's not blow it out proportion.

 

[Mr. Cow]

I had chainsuck on my carbon frame and the damage looked worse than that. Cleaned it up and applied an alu strip in that area (to be honest I should've done that when new). 5 years and several thousand miles later it still hasn't snapped in half.

But do you still need to get to the bottom of the chainsuck? A chain spotter should prevent the chain overshifting off the granny ring but won't help with chainsuck.. i.e the chain overriding round the ring and getting wedged in the frame. In my case it was a worn outer chainring, the teeth would sometimes end up keeping hold of the chain as it exited.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Orbea Katu is a much better replacement ;-)

 

[Ajax Bay]

No 'Chain Suck' was involved in the apparent damage to this chainstay; just saying.
@Boopop - have you ever exprienced 'chain suck' and if you did, what did you think was the cause?
[Glad your LBS will sort this and hope it's cosmetc rather than fibre damage. Any plastic bike riders take note: chaincatcher v sensible option.]
On my ride yesterday I dropped my chain (steel frame). I cannot remember the last time so (guessing) at least 10,000 miles ago pre-PBP. Careful setting of the lower limit screw should mean the chance of dropping a chain is minimised. But very occasionally it still happens even for capable technicians like the OP. Black enamel paint (hidden by the chainset) sorts it out on my frame and prevents rust.

 

[CharleyFarley]

I don't know if you already checked this out, but seems to be a problem with your chain ring(s).

https://www.mtbr.com/threads/workbench-how-to-un-suck-your-chainsuck.1169608/

 

[Ajax Bay]

I'll say it again, for @CharleyFarley 's benefit. Neither the OP nor he suffered 'chain suck' which has knack all to do with accurate limit screw setting. See also: 'dropping a chain'.
For more on 'chain suck': https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/c...hainring-any-ideas.270889/page-3#post-6275340

 

[CharleyFarley]

I'll say it again, for @CharleyFarley 's benefit. Neither the OP nor he suffered 'chain suck' which has knack all to do with accurate limit screw setting. See also: 'dropping a chain'.
For more on 'chain suck': https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/c...hainring-any-ideas.270889/page-3#post-6275340

I read what you said in your previous comment. You don't have to say it twice.

 

[Boopop]

Update:
Good news: Got the bike back, looks like new again, huzzah.
Bad news: Managed to scratch up one of the shifters after it fell over upon an apparently bad attempt at leaning it up against the wall outside my garage. The front end did a bit of a nose dive and landed on the shifters on tarmack

C'est la vie I guess, at least the frame's pristine again!

 

[Milkfloat]

Update:
Good news: Got the bike back, looks like new again, huzzah.
Bad news: Managed to scratch up one of the shifters after it fell over upon an apparently bad attempt at leaning it up against the wall outside my garage. The front end did a bit of a nose dive and landed on the shifters on tarmack

C'est la vie I guess, at least the frame's pristine again!

Great news, yet bad news. At least this time you know it is just cosmetic.

 

[Boopop]

Great news, yet bad news. At least this time you know it is just cosmetic.

Indeed, and having briefly removed the crank over lunch to install some more gorilla tape around the BB, I'm mostly cheered up again. It's such a pretty bike and I can't wait to ride it