Bicycle Mechanics - Dented chainstay, is it safe to ride?

218001

My aluminum CAAD 9's drive side chain stay was dented. Do you think it is still
safe to ride? I took it out today but did not notice any change in handling.

thanks

Unless that dent is a lot bigger and deeper than it appears in the photo, it's a non issue.

That looks pretty minor a dent? I think that as long as you do not see a crack with that dent, You should be generally OK to continue riding the bike, at your own risk, of course. Just watch it to make sure that any buckling of the stay might be developing with it. If you see any changes in the future, cease riding the bike immediately and seek the further advise of a frame builder familiar with aluminum frames.

It may eventually crack, but another area is just as likely to crack first so I wouldn't sweat it. Just keep an eye on it in case a crack begins to form.

In any case, a chainstay failure is very unlikely to cause an accident, so it's not like you had a damaged fork. If you knew the number of chainstays out there still going despite being halfway sawn through by the chain, you probably wouldn't have asked.

If a dent like that caused failure the CPSC would have outlawed aluminum frames years ago. Ride it fearlessly.

Chainstay wall thickness is likely to be relatively substantial, I'm tipping

Okay. How about this one?

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o191/LeicaLad/IMG_1898.jpg

That's a Mercian 531 steel chain stay.

The axle lines up okay. It's visible to the side, but I can't see how the dropouts are out of alignment by naked eye.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o191/LeicaLad/IMG_1871.jpg

Would you ride it?

A close up of the nasty:

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o191/LeicaLad/IMG_3594-s.jpg

A close up of the nasty:

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o191/LeicaLad/IMG_3594-s.jpg

I'd have a look at the two paint wrinkles in front, but I'd ride it. As always, your bike, your choice.

Brad

218001

My aluminum CAAD 9's drive side chain stay was dented. Do you think it is still
safe to ride? I took it out today but did not notice any change in handling.

thanks

chibi, I have worse on one of my Cannondales (for the last 15 years or so), just keep an eye on it.

Brad

Okay. How about this one?

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o191/LeicaLad/IMG_1898.jpg

That's a Mercian 531 steel chain stay.

The axle lines up okay. It's visible to the side, but I can't see how the dropouts are out of alignment by naked eye.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o191/LeicaLad/IMG_1871.jpg

Would you ride it?

Yup

looks fine to me!

Thanks all for the replies. I will keep an eye out and keep on riding.

Would you ride it?

I'd be fine with the frame damage, but what's the largest cog on that freewheel?? 21T? I might have trouble with that :)

I bang in bigger dents to clear the chainrings.

LeicaLad, in your case and since it's steel you may want to at least straighten out the kink so the stays on each side are the same length again. But as for the dent it's pretty much a non issue. If it were the seat stay which is under compression I'd be more worried. But the chainstay is under tension all the time so there is no risk of the dent allowing the tube to collapse.

But the chainstay is under tension all the time

I wouldn't say that... The rider's weight puts it under a small amount of tension, but as soon as much power is applied, it's under compression.

I wouldn't say that... The rider's weight puts it under a small amount of tension, but as soon as much power is applied, it's under compression.
It's also under a bending load since the top run of the chain is always above it. Even so, the damage seems minor and I don't expect either bike will fail in the forseeable future.

Thank you, gentlemen.

I didn't mean to hijack the thread, but merely add to it. I also agree that the OP's dent is truly minor and a cosmetic issue. I hoped my issue merely added to the thread.

The axle does line up, and it seems okay. This one IS quite visible tho'.

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.