Frame Fatigue (Possibly, this is why I'm asking...!)

[mythste]

Hello!

Advice required please! I have a Genesis Equilibrium that I've had since 2016. Love the bike to pieces, still a daily driver, many bottom brackets, many chains, many brake pads, a couple of cable changes, new wheels, all good.

I have noticed that under the seat-stays, on both sides, there is a paint section missing, about the size of a 2p piece and some surface rust. As this is on the under side of the seat-stays about an inch from the seatube join, and identical on both, I can't imagine this is a result of any abrasion.

My thoughts are that the frame is flexing a lot there, clearly at the expense of the paint. I'm just wondering if it might also be at the expense of the frame? It's Reynolds 725 if that means much!

I may very well be fretting over nothing, there's a lifetime warrenty on the frame so that's good, but this frame is mine, and I'd be gutted if anything were to happen!

Thanks in advance for any advice or thoughts!

 

[ColinJ]

Do you have mudguards? (I'm thinking that a lot of gritty water might get sprayed up in that direction on wet winter rides.)

 

[si_c]

Could be a couple of things I guess, might be worth posting some photos to show what you mean. Do you use mudguards by any chance?

Chances are it's just some paint damage and surface rust, could try removing it and then clearcoating/touching up the paint. Of course a full repaint is always a good option for a favourite bike .

 

[mythste]

Yes, has had mudguards on from new and only been for maybe 4 non-guarded sunny rides in her life!

I knew I should have taken pictures this morning. I'll get some this eve!

 

[Cycleops]

Be highly unlikely to be stress at that point I’d have thought. Maybe the frame has missed some essential rust proofing at that those points. As it’s on both sides could this be where it’s been hung up by hooks during the painting or rust proofing processes?
I’d send some pics to Genesis for their view.

 

[wafter]

Finding it difficult to visualise where you mean, but some pics should help

 

[mythste]

Finding it difficult to visualise where you mean, but some pics should help

Honestly, you'd think I've never been on a web forum before. Sorry! I'll get them in due course!

 

[mythste]

Right! Photos attached.
It’s actually a bit worse than I remember. I only really opened this thread, as much as anything, to remind myself to look into it a bit further. I really don’t like the look of the way the paint is “cracking” like that. Nowhere else on the bike, just the same point on each seat stay.
Any clues?

 

[Profpointy]

I'd rub it down and paint it with some humbrol enamel from the model shop. Might not amtch exactly but will protect the steel and look better than a rusty bit. I'm sure the tubes will be fine

 

[mythste]

I'd rub it down and paint it with some humbrol enamel from the model shop. Might not amtch exactly but will protect the steel and look better than a rusty bit. I'm sure the tubes will be fine

sure - anywhere on the frame that was susceptible to rubbing in general I’d agree with you, but I feel like I need to know *how* this has happened.

 

[Profpointy]

Seem to be scratches near the scraped off rusty bit so it does look like a rub off something

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

but I feel like I need to know *how* this has happened.

Think you might be unlucky there.
Looks like rub off something so just paint it. There is too much history involved to be certain what happened.

Only the terminally pedantic will continue to worry about this.

 

[mythste]

*moron alert*
I’ve been racking my brains all day about this. Thinking it can’t possibly have been scratched under the seatstay in the same place on both sides. That’s just so unlikely and illogical. But everyone is confirming it looks like an abrasive incident and there are scratch marks there.
I did one tour where I had to put bungees over the tent on top of the rear rack. Anchored the hooks on those points.
sorry for wasting everyone’s time. I’m just a twat.

 

[wafter]

*moron alert*
I’ve been racking my brains all day about this. Thinking it can’t possibly have been scratched under the seatstay in the same place on both sides. That’s just so unlikely and illogical. But everyone is confirming it looks like an abrasive incident and there are scratch marks there.
I did one tour where I had to put bungees over the tent on top of the rear rack. Anchored the hooks on those points.
sorry for wasting everyone’s time. I’m just a twat.

lol - I was about to lump myself in with everyone else to suggest it didn't look like what you initially thought it did...

As for touch-up paint, as you may or may not be aware Genesis list paint codes / matches / near matches on their website and providing you can find someone to supply that particular paint (which I'm currently really struggling with ) it seems you can get touch-up pots mixed for about £8-15

It looks like a lacquered metallic so will be a PITA and you'll never get it perfect, but anything's got to be better than it is now!

 

[si_c]

*moron alert*
I’ve been racking my brains all day about this. Thinking it can’t possibly have been scratched under the seatstay in the same place on both sides. That’s just so unlikely and illogical. But everyone is confirming it looks like an abrasive incident and there are scratch marks there.
I did one tour where I had to put bungees over the tent on top of the rear rack. Anchored the hooks on those points.
sorry for wasting everyone’s time. I’m just a twat.

At least it's nothing serious! Depending on how much you want to get it sorted, I'd clean off the surface rust and use touch up paint to match the colour and then put some clearcoat over the top. Will keep the damage from getting any worse and given where it is you'll not even notice it.

I've got to the point now where I put helicopter tape on anything where I regularly clip or mount things, if you do the same again with the bungee cord worth thinking about.