Hi,

After today's ride I was cleaning my bike and found my bike had cracked at the seat tube toptube junction.
To make matters even worse my LBS is away this week.


IMG_0011[1] by Quattrings, on Flickr

Getting a replacement frame would mean getting really bad colour combo on frame, forks and components. Are there any experienced metallurgists or welders or something out there that could fix this?

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2011 Cannondale Flash F1
2010 Cannondale Caad9
2000 Cannondale Caad 4 aero
1999 Cannondale Caad1
???? Concorde SS

And is that a dented top tube? How did that happen? That sucks

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TIME RXR

You won't be able to get it welded.

Cannondale often offer several different colour options for warranty frames, depending on current stock.

I'd be pretty surprised if you could get that warrantied given that pretty obvious dent right next to it.

It's not a dent guys, just the light playing tricks
will get some better pics in natural lighting

The crack just happened spontaneously. As a matter of fact, I had the seatpost out a week prior to this and there was no sign of the crack. I went on a couple of training runs this week and 80 km yesterday an suddenly it was there.

The new paint jobs are horrible in my opinion.

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2011 Cannondale Flash F1
2010 Cannondale Caad9
2000 Cannondale Caad 4 aero
1999 Cannondale Caad1
???? Concorde SS

If you were to get it welded, it wouldn't be done proper, and would just crack again in the exact same spot, since Alu needs to be heat treated post-weld. It would have to be re-painted as well.

Just go with the warranty frame. If you really don't like the color, just sell it. Or, if you're all about voiding the warranty on that one, strip it down to brushed aluminum, which never looks too bad.

Is it actually a crack or just the paint, I spotted similar at the top/head tube junction on mine and it was just the paint cracked the metal is fine.....

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Impoverished weight weenie wanna-be!
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956

I've considered that possibility as well, but the crack does seem to open up when stressed.
Cosmetical damage is something I can live with. A mountainbike is not going to be factory fresh forever.
I've also found this picture online so I would hazard a guess that this particular spot is a stress riser in the frame's design.

Anyway, it will need to be checked out thoroughly before I'd feel confident riding it again.

Haven't had time to take better pics.

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2011 Cannondale Flash F1
2010 Cannondale Caad9
2000 Cannondale Caad 4 aero
1999 Cannondale Caad1
???? Concorde SS

There will be many more frames with fractures like that just because the current trend is long seatpost showing and it does stress this junction a lot.

In your matter, stop use the frame, get a replacement frame and don´t use the cracked frame more.

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Experimental Prototype

+1

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Wilier Cento Uno
Colnago Master X-light
Wilier 18carati

Of course, riding this frame is out of the question. It would ruin the ever so slight chance of getting it repaired and I don't feel like risking it.

I think I found a replacement 2011 frame, but I don't know if it's a financially sound idea to go this route.
What I'd like to know is, what is a good price point to sell a new 2013 frame for?

The new frame would be a size large, so less seatpost out of the frame equals to less stress on the TT/ST junction.
It would require a 90 mm stem to replicate the contact points' position , and the wheelbase will be slightly longer. Will this ride less "twitchy"? I liked my medium frame for the really fast turning singletracks.

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2011 Cannondale Flash F1
2010 Cannondale Caad9
2000 Cannondale Caad 4 aero
1999 Cannondale Caad1
???? Concorde SS

Almost impossible to repair IMO - without post-weld heat treatment the frame will be weakened and will almost certainly break again.

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Just ride

If you bought the bike new, Cannondale are very good with their warranties. Your local shop will probably get the rep in to check it out, but my experience with Cannondale has always been that they err on the side of caution and replace items.

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Lefty heaven

Yes, I've always heard Cannondale are good with their warrantie policy, follow through and customer service in general.
I just never thought I'd be finding out, since they are outstanding bikes, even this incident does not make me doubt that one bit.

I've taken the liberty of purchasing the size large 2011 frame I found in the same colour. My LBS told me it was possible they would have the same frame. He also didn't see any immediate danger in me riding this frame apparantly, but I left it in the shop.
Hope all goes well.

Yesterday had a head on "collision" on my Caad4Aero with a moped. bike is alright. It's pretty mysterious but I think I elbowed him right in the chest, magicly dodging any contact with the bike, only managed to drop the chain somehow. hurt like a SOB though.
I hope this was all the bad luck for 2012.

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2011 Cannondale Flash F1
2010 Cannondale Caad9
2000 Cannondale Caad 4 aero
1999 Cannondale Caad1
???? Concorde SS