noho

I recently noticed a small dent in my chromoly frame. I have no idea where it came from, but don't have the knowledge to assess the damage or whether it compromises the integrity of the bike (or is there any hope to fix it?). I plan to take it in, but thought I might check in with knowledgeable folks here in the meantime! A few pics below

Binky

Although it might impact negatively on the value of the bike when you go to sell it, I do not think it will have any effect on the integrity of the tube. I have seen much worse, and speaking of worse, you can very likely not make it better - but you could make it worse.
If it were my bike I would not worry about it.

Binky

bike_forever

Install a water bottle cage and tall water bottle and you will forget it is ever there.

Andrew R Stewart 

Agreed with both replies. It's steel, the dent is not very deep or ragged and it's the seat tube's mid section. Only possible concern is the bottle boss near by. So ride the bike and keep an eye on it but after the miles add up you'll get more confidence. Andy.

AlmostTrick

Your steel bike is completely sound. It's not fragile like carbon.

If it were mine, I'd take it to one of the paintless car dent repair shops, and ask if they could work it out for me, purely for aesthetics. I'm pretty certain they could do it. (I've watched them perform their art)

md11mx

Leave it alone and come up with a good war story. If you try and have it popped out you very well could loose you bottle cage mount.
Cheers,
David in Alaska

CliffordK

Being in the seat tube, you might get it out by pushing in a really long pipe the size of the seat post. However, you'd have to be careful. Push it 1/4" too far, and you could mess up the water bottle boss.

I agree with others, the dent won't negatively impact the frame. Just install a rear water bottle cage and ignore it.

Looigi

Google "tube dent expanders".

79pmooney

If you do Clifford's approach, mark the tube you use ahead of time so that the mark will hit the top of the seat tube BEFORE the tube hits the waterbottle boss!

If it were me, the cage would always be in place and I would not sweat it. I had a seat tube break at the top of the BB lug while I was racing and it was no big deal. The bike went from a racing bike to a soft tourer instantly; I dropped out and after stopping and looking at the break, got back on and rode to the start/finish (with the saet tube swinging back and forth). If I had to go 30 miles, it probably wouldn't have been a much bigger deal. (That break was from a manufacturer's flaw and a crack that started a couple of months before.) That bike had also been bumped by a car and had a dent bigger than yours on the down tube that was never an issue. Another bike had a top tube dent, also from a car and also bigger than yours. After two years of riding, I had it painted. The painter popped out the dent, probably with blocks. That bike has totaled 8000 miles with the dent and the repair.

Ben

HillRider

Gunsmiths use expanding mandrels to push similar dents out of shotgun barrels so you may be able to find a shop to do that. Realistically, that dent is structurally a non-issue and the bike will last for decades even with it. As noted, cover it up with a bottle cage and water bottle and forget it's there.

davidad

Ride it and forget it. Steel is very forgiving.