Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Have I Cracked My Frame?
- Thread starter Hacienda71
- Start date
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- Location
- the post-brexit wasteland
if it is indeed a crack at the weld, it could well be time to try and fit the frame into the silver bin for recycling.
try standing on the pedal on the drive side while applying force to the top tube and see if you can feel undue flexing (be wary that the frame could snap, so be careful), or ride it on a turbo as if sprinting in a big gear and check for the same.
7005 aluminium is more brittle than heat treated 6061, so it would be a natural place to find a stress crack.
hopefully, it's just the paint cracking at the weld, in which case a paint touch-up is all that's required.
try standing on the pedal on the drive side while applying force to the top tube and see if you can feel undue flexing (be wary that the frame could snap, so be careful), or ride it on a turbo as if sprinting in a big gear and check for the same.
7005 aluminium is more brittle than heat treated 6061, so it would be a natural place to find a stress crack.
hopefully, it's just the paint cracking at the weld, in which case a paint touch-up is all that's required.
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Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Just as well it didn't give way doing forty coming down into Macc from Rainow this afternoon. Very Gentle ride home later. I think I will put on the workstand tonight and try to cut it out of the paint as it doesnt seem to flex when pressure is applied. Had a word with Andy at Peak Cycle Sport who said pretty much the same as Alecs. If no joy with that I am going to have to get a new frame. 
Just what I need less than a week before Christmas.
Just what I need less than a week before Christmas.
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
Just as well it didn't give way doing forty coming down into Macc from Rainow this afternoon. Very Gentle ride home later. I think I will put on the workstand tonight and try to cut it out of the paint as it doesnt seem to flex when pressure is applied. Had a word with Andy at Peak Cycle Sport who said pretty much the same as Alecs. If no joy with that I am going to have to get a new frame.
What?
Do you not have:
n+1?
or
(n+1)+1
or
((n+1)+1)+1?
OP
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Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
I have N+1+1+1 in bits but the Ribble is the nicest at this time of year for going fast up in the hills and is my work horse. The MTB has knobblies and comes out for snow or family rides, the chromo Raleigh doesn't have enough clearance even for crudracers only raceblades which I detest and the Eddy Merckx is in a lot of bits in the garage and needs a new wheelset. So looks like N+1 again. Oh well the wife will have to understand. Titanium or Carbon that is the question.
- Location
- the post-brexit wasteland
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Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Ribble is on the stand as I type waiting a strip down. The Merckx is an old steel basic frame takes 27 1/4 wheels and the spacing only takes up to a 7 speed, not to heavy but not a proper Columbus Merckx. I was going to build that up as a fixed to see what it was like. I might put the carbon forks on the Raleigh as they are both 1" steerer, but I think the Tiagra groupset of the Ribble might be better on a better frame than that. The Raleigh is chromo with a Sora groupset so not wonderful but it will need to fill in for a while. I like the geometry of the Ribble so might get one of their winter/audax frames with proper mudguard mounts and build something a bit more exotic in the spring.
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Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Having had a good look at it stripped down and clean I am not sure if it is a crack or a poor weld with a paint line clogging with dirt. The welds in the BB area are not wonderfull. So I am going to ride it a few more times on my commute which is about 8 miles and check for any change after each ride. Worse case scenario (subject to cost) if it is cracked a mate has pointed me in the direction of Vernon Barker in Dronfield who weld Alu and Ti bike frames, he has had his Ti bike repaired by them. Would need a powder coat but I am not opposed to losing the bright yellow.
- Location
- the post-brexit wasteland
my one experience with powder coating was at school in craft, and that was yellow…
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Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Yep I powder coated a paint scraper at school back in the day. I understand it has improved somewhat from then lol.
BrumJim
Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
- Location
- Selly Oak, Birmingham
Worried that you might be getting false confidence. Crack looks like it is in the classic place for a fatigue failure. Fatigue cracks can grow quite large without apparently affecting stiffness. Try some dye pen?https://www.easupplies.com/SPOTCHECK-01515077-Dye-Penetrant-p/we1667.htm
- Location
- the post-brexit wasteland
exactly what i made (it was shite though, dropped all metalwork/woodwork in favour of german the next year)…
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Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
I am still concerned about it as a lot of my riding is up in the Pennines which, if it is a crack will be putting a lot of stress on it, so I will probably take it to the LBS where the guy I know has said he will have a look at it for me.My commute in terms of monitoring it though is not so extreme.
How do the dye pens/spray work in terms of revealing the integrity of the weld?
