Originally Posted by
cxwrench
I still don't think that was a random frame failure either. And as Koyote posted I'd not take it as an admission of that. I have a pretty detailed knowledge of how carbon frames are made and it's so unlikely that the layup gets put in the mold incorrectly that I don't think I've ever seen it happen. For that type of damage to occur you'd have to leave pieces of carbon out of the layup, so when you thought you had a complete frame you'd have to have leftover pieces of carbon. It's very unlikely that nothing caused that from the outside.
I've noted in the posts above that I'm quite careful with this and my other Spec CF bikes, neither of which have sustained any damage over the last 14-17 years of the same riding and use.
I am curious why you and Koyote are so sure that it's not a manufacturing defect.
You have not seen the bike frame. You don't know me or my riding habits. Most importantly, you are dismissing the professional opinion of the general manager and the service manager of the LBS. They've each been around expensive bikes (as you have) for over 20 years each. They've been over this with magnifying glasses. They think it's a fab/ layup failure at the Taiwan factory.
What sort of externality, do you think, would have caused that failure, then?
=K