Road Cycling - Dented Frame!! opinions?

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DonTx
08-09-01, 04:43 PM
OMG I went to the garage to get my bike out for a ride and I noticed a dent in the top tube. The bike is a Lemond Tourmalet reynolds 525 steel frame. I have only had it about 5 months (1000 miles) so I am not at all happy about this. I dont know how the dent got there but I suspect that someone, maybe my 3 year old son, hit it with something. The dent is about 1/2" long and about 1/16" deep and runs up and down, not lengthwise. I have been riding the bike and it rides normally. Of course it is ugly but at least it has not effected the handling or ride (yet). Has anyone had a problem like this. I have gotten a price from Lemond on a replacement frame, but I am trying to figure out if it is really necessary to replace. Will the tube fail prematurely, has anyone elses failed as a result of a dent.

Thanks

Don

MichaelW
08-10-01, 02:57 AM
I 've seen many tourists riding with dented top tubes, the result of careless baggage handlers. It doesnt seem to be a point of failure.
You can have individual tubes replaced in some steel frames. It may be worth costing this. Check out HenryJames.com for a local frame-builder who could do the job.
pat5319
08-12-01, 11:02 PM
The dent may weaken the frame slightly, if there is a structural effect. If you can find a frame builder/repairer or a friendly autobody shop that has a suction type dent repair machine you CAN have it fixed!!! I've seen it done- there used to be a guy here that did that sort of repair and it worked very, very well. No heat to weaken the tubes, very often the paint wasn't even damaged and it was hard to tell where the dent was!!