Bicycle Mechanics - Chipped CF frame

My 16 yr old nephew is a STRONG rider. 130 pounds of muscle and endurance, training for tri events (and winning many) in Ontario.
He is a bit hard on equipment though and has chipped the top tube on his LOOK CF bike down to but not into the fibre. about half the size of your little finger nail.
Can you apply epoxy or fibreglass resin on the wound or is smoothing the roughness off with FINE wet/dry paper good enough?

I wouldn't sand it and risk fraying the carbon. I would just use clear nail polish on it just to protect the one spot from scratching.

I'd photograph it and contact the manufacturer. But it sounds like your describing a paint chip, in which case I'd just do a paint touch up.

I wouldn't sand it and risk fraying the carbon. I would just use clear nail polish on it just to protect the one spot from scratching.

+1 on the clear nail polish if it's just a chip in the clearcoat.

I'd take it into your LBS and have them take a look at it just to be sure- it would be horrible if it wasn't just paint and you found that out the hard way.

Yeah. Just go ask someone. If it's just missing clearcoat, nail polish is the way to go, obviously. But you don't want to cut a promising biking career short due to a busted face.

Nail polish the chip, but keep a close eye on it. I crashed in a crit last year and thought I just had a chip in the clearcoat. Two weeks later of hard riding and I had 2 one inch cracks on the top tube! Carbon is tough, but when it goes it goes bad.

thanks for the replies!

They have System 3 Epoxy at all boat stores. It comes in a small packet and it's a 2 part mix. Mix it up and leave it sit, but not long. After it gets a little thick apply what you need. Then put some Glad Wrap over it leave it dry. That should give you a pretty smooth finish, once you take it off. You can use a Dremel tool to smooth it some, but if you don't over due it, it should look OK. Now put the finger nail polish over that, good luck.