What's your opinion of this crack?
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What's your opinion of this crack?
Hi All - there is a small crack in the upper head tube lug as you can see in the pictures. It is only in the lug, not the head tube itself. How serious do you think it is? Cosmetic or fatal? Should it be repaired? If so how would go about it? Thanks for the input.
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could you tell us more about the bike? Was the lug thinned down by the original builder, or is that a later modification? It's a little hard to make a judgment about the crack since there is a lot of crud on the lug. Does the crack extend to the top tube area of the lug?
I'm assuming that is a pressed steel lug, and that is the weld. Not sure what to tell you about fixing it.
I'm assuming that is a pressed steel lug, and that is the weld. Not sure what to tell you about fixing it.
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Looks like lots of paint inside the head tube. I wonder if the head tube was properly machined for size before someone hammered in the head set cups?
I suspect the crack will be ok for a while but will likely grow over time. Before stuffing a new head set cup in the frame I'd get it properly cut by a shop or framebuilder.
I suspect the crack will be ok for a while but will likely grow over time. Before stuffing a new head set cup in the frame I'd get it properly cut by a shop or framebuilder.
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could you tell us more about the bike? Was the lug thinned down by the original builder, or is that a later modification? It's a little hard to make a judgment about the crack since there is a lot of crud on the lug. Does the crack extend to the top tube area of the lug?
I'm assuming that is a pressed steel lug, and that is the weld. Not sure what to tell you about fixing it.
I'm assuming that is a pressed steel lug, and that is the weld. Not sure what to tell you about fixing it.
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1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
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Ok, I cleaned up it up a bit. Anybody have any other ideas?
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1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
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Frame looks safe to ride but that crack will likely grow. If it gets down to the junction of the top tube, I'd stop riding it.
To repair it now, you could grind the crack out, be careful to not cut into the head tube, and fill with brass. Dress the repair down with a file and touch up the paint. Chrome on the lug will be lost but frame should be sound after that.
To repair it now, you could grind the crack out, be careful to not cut into the head tube, and fill with brass. Dress the repair down with a file and touch up the paint. Chrome on the lug will be lost but frame should be sound after that.
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Frame looks safe to ride but that crack will likely grow. If it gets down to the junction of the top tube, I'd stop riding it.
To repair it now, you could grind the crack out, be careful to not cut into the head tube, and fill with brass. Dress the repair down with a file and touch up the paint. Chrome on the lug will be lost but frame should be sound after that.
To repair it now, you could grind the crack out, be careful to not cut into the head tube, and fill with brass. Dress the repair down with a file and touch up the paint. Chrome on the lug will be lost but frame should be sound after that.
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1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista
1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista