Chain Stay Crack

custom_build

Is this something i should be concerned about or is it normal wear and tear.

The bike is about six months old.

Alek

Some will say its just a crack in the paintwork, but I'd go back to the dealer and ask if they can give me guarantee that the frame will not fail exactly in this spot. If they won't, I'd return it under warranty.


[edit]

On a second thought, am I right saying the other picture shows a larger crack? If so, its a structural frame failure.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I'd would say that's a structural failure/crack and bring it back to where ever it was bought.

The rear drop out looks pretty chewed up too. Did you crash it drop the bike heavily?

custom_build

The second picture is a close up, i was able to widen the crack by hand which probable isn't a good indication.

The bike has never been crashed or dropped, the dropout damage i can't explain.
I don't race it and clean it after most rides, so its happened on an uneventful 50k on Sunday.

Cee-Jay-Cee

custom_build wrote: »

The second picture is a close up, i was able to widen the crack by hand which probable isn't a good indication.

The bike has never been crashed or dropped, the dropout damage i can't explain.
I don't race it and clean it after most rides, so its happened on an uneventful 50k on Sunday.

You say you can widen it by hand, do you mean when you push on the chain stay the crack widens? If so it's definitely a crack in the frame! I wouldn't ride the bike and return it immediately.

The reason I asked about the chewed up drop-out is that any warranty claim may be hindered by it as the company may claim the bike was dropped or crashed which resulted in damage to the drop out and chain stay.

What bike is it?

custom_build

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

You say you can widen it by hand, do you mean when you push on the chain stay the crack widens? If so it's definitely a crack in the frame! I wouldn't ride the bike and return it immediately.

Yes thats exatly what i mean. I'll get it back to the shop asap.
I think the damage on the dropouts looks worse zoomed in
than it is in reality.
As i say i can't explain it but it wasn't crashed or anything like that.

It is a Cervelo R2 bought in march with about 3000k on it.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I'd say you should be covered by warranty. I read of several Cervelo's with cracks in the same position on BikeRadar. It's a manufacturing defect and they should replace the frame without quibble.

custom_build

Thanks for the help/advice.

tomasrojo

My chain stay failed exactly there on a commute. It wasn't scary; the wheel just rubbed off the right chain stay once per pedal revolution. Had to walk home. And get a new bike -- under warranty, which was handy!

Raleigh Pioneer. Raleigh had a generous enough warranty too, if the bike didn't look as if it had been in a massive smash or anything like that.

imurdaddy

Even if it was a paint crack I would be less than impressed on a 6mt old premium brand bike! But it def looks like deep crack, its gas you hear lads talking about cheap Chinese frames been death traps but out of all the lads I know that bought them iv yet to see cracking like that! I seen personally this year a Bianchi Simprea break at the seat stay under a year old and a Trek cracked at the headtube, I suppose the lighter they get the easier to break!