my Colango Master... is it dead?
 

Many thanks to the wonderful people at La Poste for the care they took when shipping my bike back from a trip to Alpe d'Huez. Is this beautiful steel frame salvagable? The left hand seatstay is dented where it has bent over, so that'll never go but if straightened would it be strong enough to be usable? There's a small me inside that is weeping silently over this...



http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/...12d3d20d_o.jpg

It should be doable by a good frame guy. Replace the tube.

Steel is always repairable, at the cost of a new paint job. Brazed frames are almost trivially easy
to fix, welded a bit more trouble but fixable. As to whether it is worth it or not..... Cost is
what the market will bear, but expect $150-500 depending on the frame builder. 10yrs ago I remember
prices for main triangle tube replacements in the $250-400 range per tube. Material costs are fairly minor.
Labor, tooling and jigs, and shipping (+painting) account for most of the expense. Since you have
had bad luck with shipping you might want to see what is available within driving range. Check out
the frame builder forum here.

As to straightening, it is likely the steel has exceeded its stress limits, so although it will straighten out
it will have a kink, thus be weakened, and at risk for fracturing sometime, perhaps unpleasantly.
You also have to fix that bent fork tip on the left.

+1 and you'll need a new paintjob as well as that will be screwed over

thanks to everyone for your advice-have re-posted in the frame builders section.

best wishes,

Gregor

Try Yellow Jersey in Madison, Wis. They are geniuses with frame repair and love classy bikes.

Crazy web site, too.