hair line crack? just noticed

[spytech]

was just cleaning the bike and noticed this crack on the frame... how should i hand this? the bike has never been down or crashed, i cant find anything else wrong except this. just looking for opinions on how to handle this.

[jonnyBgood]

Well if you bought the frame new from a dealer than it should have some sort of warranty.

Most big brands.. Specialized Trek Giant etc. have a lifetime warranty so there should be no issues.

[spytech]

i was going to ride it up to the bike shop now and see what they think...

just wanted to get a general idea, what the process was for something like this. i got the frame last year from glory cycles and it seems they no longer carry the brand.

[wheelsONfire]

It does not matter if they carry the brand. If you have warranty on the bike/ frame, the frame maker can still take it back and check it.

[spytech]

Thanks, i am heading over there now see what they say. i am wondering now how long its been like that, i never noticed. a bit scary come to think of it.

[jimborello]

I wouldnt ride that anymore, what brand is the bike??

[kgt]

I would not ride that either...

[Razor]

That looks mid-seat tube? Anyone know why a tube would crack there, that is not a high stress area is it?

[hasbeen]

work stand clamp?

[mimason]

Is the crack about in line where the bottom of the seat post is? How much do you weigh?

[stanseven]

Take a coin and tap on the crack and all around. Anything other than a solid sound means damage. It could be as insignificant as paint but I think it's structural. The sound test is a really good indicator.

[spytech]

Is the crack about in line where the bottom of the seat post is? How much do you weigh?

mimason looks to have got it right, fracture seems to be where the seatpost ends yes... i weigh 180lbs

I wouldnt ride that anymore, what brand is the bike??

the frame is a neil pryde Bura SL.

work stand clamp?

nothing has ever been clamped to the bike, the stand used to build and service the bike is a Park PRS-20, that does not need to clamp anywhere.

Take a coin and tap on the crack and all around. Anything other than a solid sound means damage. It could be as insignificant as paint but I think it's structural. The sound test is a really good indicator.

you can run your fingers over it and feel the crack. it was purchased last year, hopefully they wont give me trouble to replace it.

[wheelsONfire]

Maybe they repair the crack. Some companies doesn't seem to replace frames and claim repair is what they do.

[climbandpunishment]

Definitely try the sound difference test; it's low-tech but it's one more input for your personal decisions on safety. You can also push in on the tube to see if it reacts differently than nearby areas, though the seatpost might make that tricky. It's hard to tell from pictures how deep the crack goes, but that shape crack certainly looks like it could be a torsional fracture or a fracture that follows the possible weave of the carbon. Really sorry to see that, and hopefully it's not structural or they'll replace it!

[Valbrona]

... try the sound difference test ...

Breath on that seat tube too hard and it will fall apart.

Fortunately, there have been good reports on this forum in respect of the Neil Pryde warranty service. Perhaps they have had a bit of practice at it.