Crack or no Crack
 

I questioned the seller of this Klein & he says the line around the seat tube is part of the "normal" construction of the frame. Looks like a cracked seat tube to me. What do you guys think?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

Suspicious.....At first I thought it looked too uniform but now I am not so sure. Also a little strange that the seat post is jammed all the way down. Makes me wonder if maybe he had it to high at one time and caused the frame crack.......

Too hard to say from those photos.

I would not say it is normal for a Klein to have a line like that at a weld-line. But could it merely be a scratch? I could be a crack too, I just can't tell from that photo.

But, I have never seen a Klein with a less than impeccable weld, with well-shaped contours. So, I am fairly confident in saying that is something post-factory going on there. If a scratch, then perhaps no big deal. If more, then I would not touch it.

jim

Looks like a crack. Strange place for one though. Need a closer picture to tell for sure. It could be repaired, but you'd have to paint the frame.

Are you talking about the line along the weld line in this pic?

http://i14.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/28/f9/c135_3.JPG
imagelinked from http://i14.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/28/f9/c135_3.JPG

Looks to me like it "could" just be a shadow line along the weld line showing up due to camera flash or light source angle. Ask if the seller can take a better close-up pic of the area in question, without a flash.

(+1) to everything bikerosity says. If it is a crack it's a relatively simple brazing job, but that will destroy the paint in that area of the frame - and IMHO it would be difficult to match the finish without completely refinishing the frame. Sorry!

Wow, those chainstays compete with the early Trek 720. They're easily 47cm, if not longer, and that frame doesn't even look like a dedicated tourer.

Suspicious for sure, but a nice bike. I have seen many cracked Aluminium frames, prehaps this is why its on ebay?

Yes, neat bike but i am not going to take the chance on this one.

Normal? B.S.

I've had 2 Kleins pass through my hands in last few months and both had flawless welds.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...m/DSC01447.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...m/DSC01452.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...t/DSC01294.jpg

I'm a fan of Kleins, I've seen some very nice ones. But I know a guy who has a very similar bike to that one, and I don't know, it's never impressed me. The build quality just isn't very good, crack or no crack.

When in doubt, leave it out.
That's what I'd do.

I think Klein had a discount line at some point, probably the early 90's. This bike may be one of them. I am also a huge Klein fan checking ebay regularly. I would like to find a Klein from the late 70's or early 80's. Those were true works of art.

Crack. Klein used Bondo over every joint to smooth them out more then they are in the first place. A crack like this shouldn't exist.

It is also visible in the seattube pic.

-Kurt