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Cracked or not?

by stucky
Fri, Jul 06, 2018 11:41
11

noticed this after my ride this morning. i contacted the shop and I'm taking it in tomorrow. I'm pretty sure they will say straight away it's not a crack in the carbon but you can never be too sure. What should i do in this case? insist to have it checked out/x-rayed by Specialized themselves? I was also thinking maybe ask for a written confirmation from them stating the fork is 100% ok, perhaps an email with their specialized dealer in Cc. I don't know, any suggestions?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/eBpBQSpjHcoXonKN6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2uGjJP6zxuUNMMFUA

no, it's not a scratch. 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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11 comments

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Canyon48 | 5 years ago
0 likes

Looks like just a crack in the top/clear coat.

Carbon fibre is a really difficult material in terms of damage - it can be/look undamaged on the outside but have totally failed on the inside.

Take it to your LBS, get their opinion. Honestly, though, I would have it checked out by the manufacturer themselves.

Carbon fibre really is a pain to deal with!

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stucky | 5 years ago
1 like

thank you for your replies. the dealer has come back to me with a full written report and why they don't believe it's a crack. I'm satisfied with their answers and have already been riding this morning. all good but will keep an eye on it because "you can never be too sure".

 

btw, the bike is under warranty and I didn't do anything with it, nor it was an impact. just something I noticed during a ride

 

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nniff | 5 years ago
0 likes

It's not a crack, but I think you know that already - if it were, there would be sharp edges and the like.  As for "you can never be too sure" - dangerous things, cliches; you could put your eye out with one of those things. 

Try some car polish on it - it's good for getting rid of blemishes.

If, as you expect, Specialized's agent says it's fine, then you could send it to Surrey Carbon Bike Repair, but if it's fine, I'm not sure why you would bother.

To put your mind at rest, watch this and then consider what sort of crack would manifest in the same way as that mark on your frame - and what would have had to happen to it to make it crack

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5eMMf11uhM

Some bikes do have known failure points, but they don't look like that.  They look like ugly cracks.

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PRSboy replied to nniff | 5 years ago
1 like

nniff wrote:

To put your mind at rest, watch this and then consider what sort of crack would manifest in the same way as that mark on your frame - and what would have had to happen to it to make it crack

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5eMMf11uhM

Some bikes do have known failure points, but they don't look like that.  They look like ugly cracks.

Cool video!  Astonished that a carbon frame could be so strong... though not sure Santa Cruz elf n' safety is all it might be!

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Yorkshire wallet replied to PRSboy | 5 years ago
0 likes

PRSboy wrote:

nniff wrote:

To put your mind at rest, watch this and then consider what sort of crack would manifest in the same way as that mark on your frame - and what would have had to happen to it to make it crack

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5eMMf11uhM

Some bikes do have known failure points, but they don't look like that.  They look like ugly cracks.

Cool video!  Astonished that a carbon frame could be so strong... though not sure Santa Cruz elf n' safety is all it might be!

Yep, was interesting. Even more so when you know road bikes will never see that sort of abuse. If you've snapped a road bike frame, you probably had a very serious accident anyway and your frame will be the least of your worries.

Avatar
PRSboy | 5 years ago
1 like

Need more information.  Did you do something to damage it, or did it happen for no reason?  Is the bike under warranty?

I can't imagine any shop will sign a letter warrantying its integrity- too many unknowns, and too big a potential liability.  The best they can do is have an expert look at an x ray image and declare whether it shows any evidence of internal damage or not.

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Welsh boy | 5 years ago
0 likes

I refer you to the second sentence of my first post.  Trust your dealer or find one that you do trust.

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SteveAustin | 5 years ago
3 likes

so you want to make sure you can sue the shop if it fails in the future?

i think you need to consult a solicitor

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stucky | 5 years ago
1 like

I am not asking for your advice on whether this is a crack or not. I am asking for advice on how to make sure what they're telling me is absolutely right and if it's not, how I should make sure they are liable if it breaks in the future. thank you for your replies

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madcarew | 5 years ago
1 like

It is most likely a crack in the clear coat, but as Welsh boy says, let your dealer advise you. 

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Welsh boy | 5 years ago
6 likes

Do you really want to risk your life on a diagnosis by internet from a bunch of strangers looking at a photo which doesn’t really show much? Let your dealer  advise you once they have had a look, if you trust them enough to assess it for you then don’t worry about asking them to email you and cc the manufacturer in. If you don’t trust them enough to believe what they tell you then take it somewhere else. 

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