Originally Posted by Koyote

Ah, yes, the semi-mythical stories about people getting local welders in Timbuktu to repair their steel-framed touring bikes as they heroically pedal around the world. Right. Tell you what: you go get a quote on having a top tube replaced (so, old tube removed, new tube welded or brazed in, including the cost of the tube itself), and don't forget the new paint job. I'll bet it comes to more than the cost of my friend's cf top tube repair, which was under $300.

While it is often true that steel is easier and less costly to repair (especially mere bends which can be cold-set back into shape), and many steel frames function just fine with dents here and there, it is not always true that it'll cost less than a similar repair to a cf frame. That's why I wrote it like this: