What are some good criteria to determine whether you'd repair or replace a frame tube?

I've got a 1984 Schwinn Voyageur SP- it's a touring bike with a Columbus SL/SP mix- it's an entirely seperate bike from the "ordinary" Schwinn Voyageur of the day. This bike is easily in the same league with any other of the Class A touring bikes of the day.

There was an issue with a piece of wood falling from the garage rafters and it struck the top tube of the VSP, leaving a dent.

While I don't think there's much of a question whether I'd repair my Trek 720- As the VSP really flies under the radar of most people- and even with as kickass of a bike as it is- I don't know if the VSP is "worth it."

If you love it.....

It's a dent, or a bent tube?

Replacing a tube is major surgery and a repaint. If it's just a dent, you may be able to roll it out, smooth it out with bondo, and repaint just that tube. A top tube dent is not usually a structural issue.

Whatever you do, bear in mind that the following is a pretty common anecdote: "I used to have this [...] bike and I really loved it. It got damaged and I had it repaired, but it was never quite the same bike again. I eventually sold it...."

How deep is the dent? Is the tubing bent?

I've been commuting on my '71 Raleigh Int'l for the last five years, and it has a couple of pretty nasty top tube dents. I've thought about rolling them out and filling as rhm describes above, but then I'd have to repaint the top tube, and I don't figure I'd match the rest of the paint very well. And that would bother me more than a dented top tube. But that's just me.

It's just a dent, about 3cm along the length of the TT, maybe 2mm deep at it's deepest. It's not really noticeable- I rode it for around 3 miles and didn't notice it until I got home and the bike was parked. I don't think the tube is bent, but it is somewhat distorted.

You know how I take pix of EVERYTHING? I can't even bring myself to take pix of it.

From the way you describe it, I think no repair is called for.

As nice a bicycle as the VSP is I'd have to just judge the way it effects the handling and serviceability of things. If its just a small "cosmetic" dent that hasn't made things unbearable, leave it, or use the method above. Personally I'd just keep riding it as RHM suggests, and consider the dent a character item. The few dents like your descriptions that have been fixed with filler still have some visible evidence of the repaired area when finished. If you can be very careful about rolling the dent and the filler's blending, as well as the paint's blending, go for it. Most of these kinds of scars are not even noticed by others, its the fact its YOUR BICYCLE with the damage that makes you realize its there. JMHO.

Bill

Hey Chuck!

You've shared your dent repair on the the AD with me before- that's actually what got me thinking about the dent repair!

The Voyageur SP for sure in 84 and 85 were Japanese built by Panasonic. It really is a great bike, the frame has a great geometry with class A tubing, and it was built up as good (if not better) than any other touring bike.

I think you're right. I still enjoy riding the bike- even with some other really great bikes. I think I'm wanting to fix my carelessness- and it kind of isn't so much about the bike, but the evidence of my irresponsibility. The bike is unique for me- the top tube is shorter than any of my Treks, so it does have a different ride compared to any of them.

Like [MENTION=110545]qcpmsame[/MENTION] said- I see it because it's MY bike- I moved the bike around and rode it for 3 miles and sat around with it at the bike shop before noticing it.

"Character."

Thank you very much. I'm much more comfortable with leaving it than I was before I started this thread.

I have a similar dent on a Tange 1 frame's top tube and took it to a local frame builder to get an opinion. They said the top tube doesn't really bare any weight and I'd just be wasting money getting it repaired. They said the frame would still outlast me as is. I've accepted it, ride quite often and no one else has ever even seen the dent.

I had a Fiori Taiwan built MTB with a mid-weight cromoly frame. It was my brother's before I got it, and he got mad at it once and threw it against a curb, putting a big dent in, and noticeably bending, the top tube. In my 16 YO wisdom, I 'fixed' the bend by giving the frame a whack on the other side with a 10 lb sledge. Straightened her right out. My first two seasons of mtb racing in the early 90s were aboard that frame and I converted it to a single speed city bike some time after that. I put a new seatpost on and fixed a punctured tube and gave it to a friend a couple years ago, and he still uses it to commute to work.

The moral of the story is: a dent in the top tube is generally not a problem.

This is my solution to a ding/dent. Step 1, buy a banana, step 2, eat the banana, step 3, place the Chiquita banana sticker over the ding. Works everytime. If that doesn't work for you, let me know, I might be able to give the bike a good home!