(Y(L|S+

Yup... when I first got my Felt F75 about a month ago, I noticed what looked like a crack in the seatstay where the carbon meets the aluminum. I thought it was the decal stuck over joint was just creased so I thought nothing of it really (see pic #1). So I rode it for about 3 weeks (missed 1st week being out of town for business). After my last ride I was wiping my bike down and the crack caught my eye again. I went to move the bike to get a better look and as I lifted the bike by the seat, I noticed that the crack got BIGGER!!! (see pic #2) But when the bike was on the floor the crack was a hairline again. I had been riding the past 3 weeks with a cracked seatstay! Pretty scary, huh?

Well, I emailed my LBS and cc'd Felt. My LBS replied immediately and wanted me to bring the bike in so they can start the warranty process. Felt replied a couple days later and wanted me to bring it to the dealer/LBS. So I brough it to the shop and they promptly inspected the frame, confirmed that it was cracked and called Felt for warranty replacement. Then contacted me to inform me that the replacement frame was on the way. They also told me that they have never seen a Felt frame do this. They said the epoxied joint just failed and they didn't know why. Luckily I was not on the bike, in traffic and at speed and it failed completely.

Anyhow, I am not bashing my LBS or Felt as I know that mistakes happen and things are not always perfect. It is how they treat the customer and how they make it right that is important. So far my LBS (Trails Edge in Plymouth, MI) is exceeding my expectations on how they are handling this situation and how they are treating me, the customer. And up to now, I commend Trail's Edge for their customer service. I really have no complaint with Felt either as they so far have done everything right so far. So up to this point, I am satisfied that this issue is being resolved as quickly as possible.

Now after reading other warranty claim posts here at BF, I was wrried that I would be charged a fee ($100+) for the transfer of components off the old frame to the new one. But my LBS said they would include this in their 1 yr. service plan and they would waive the fee. That was a relief!! If I get screwed between now and when I get my bike back, I'll be sure to update you.

...and now for the requisite pictures :

Pic #1
Notice the crack running along the top part of the decal?



Pic #2
Notice the crack get bigger as I lift the seat?

Namenda

Wow, the pics don't lie. Looks even worse than your words described. You're really fortunate it didn't give completely while you were riding.

twahl

Sounds like everyone is going to treat you right, but if your LBS tried to charge you for swapping components...

Well, all hell would break loose if it were me. If anyone were going to be charged it would be Felt. This is clearly their resonsibility, so if there is a charge involved they have to pick up the tab.

Glad you caught it, this could have been bad.

(Y(L|S+

The weird thing was it still felt stiff at the rear triangle. It didn't 'feel' broken.

(Y(L|S+

Oh beleive me, I went into the LBS prepared to go volcano if they charged me. But I was pleasantly surprised that they waived the fee.

Patriot

Glad nothing serious happened to you while riding.

I can't help but throw in a snickering comment....

Makes you wonder why Felt put a decal over that spot. It's probably where there's a glued joint underneath.

(Y(L|S+

Yeah I figure as much. Probably an unsightly seem there. They could have done a better design like making the joint look lugged.

Nachoman

Great pics. Thanks for sharing.

m2usa

Wow. Scary to see something like that. I'm sure your eyes got as wide as saucers when you saw that gap open up.

Snicklefritz

Yikes! that looks really awful. Glad you caught it before it snapped on you while riding

cydewaze

Maybe it's Felt's new rear suspension!

HAMMER MAN

glad you caught it, could have been quite catastrophic

EURO

This is why I wouldn't ride a bike with a carbon rear end.

msheron

I guess every so often these things do happen, whether pre-existing or occured over the few weeks you had the bike. Just sucks that it happened to you.

I wonder one thing? If you had been riding and the rear given way and you were injured, would Felt pay your hospital bills too?

Just a thought. I guess they would rather than be sued. But kudos to Felt for acting and your LBS. Like one post stated, make sure your LBS charges if anyone, Felt, for putting on the components again.

nova

ouch nasty crack there. But just goes to show just how strong carbon truely is. A solid half of the total structure not doing any thing and yet the bikes rear end didnt come off totaly. Lets see even my mighty old cdale do that.

grinderbob

Component transfer fee, what a name!!

In America, you should sue for emotional distress

Mariner Fan

Great catch. Glad the LBS and Felt are making it right.

RoadToad

Nast.ay. that would have really sucked to have been cranking up (or even worse, down) some hill and that thing catastrophically fail!!! Glad you came out of it unscathed.

voltman

Would you run a full carbon bike?

SingleSpeeDemon

Nothin' a little duct tape can't fix.

kevmetric

Carbon / plastic frames suck........aluminum is OK,
steel is best (comfort, longevity,strength)

nova

Nothing compairs to steel period. But carbon fiber frames are more likly to stay togather with a large crack than aluminum any day of the week. Once aluminum cracks all the way on one tube its going to come apart real fast. Carbon fiber oz for oz is stronger than steel and while it may flex and bend and do other things you dont want a bike to do its more likly to remain in more or less one peice. Where his crack wa was likly the absolute best place for it to fail at. The weight of him sitting on the bike kept the frame intact and prevented imidiate total failure. If it had been on the lower part of the triangle the crack would have seperated and the rear triangle flexed upwards towards the seat.

(Y(L|S+

Yup... just like this -->


I think I'd rather not have to find out. I am glad I caught it before I was injured or worse, killed. Makes me wonder how much will be shaved off the margin of safety in the pursuit of lighter bikes.


LOL... My wife said the same thing. I always joke about using duct tape to fix everthing and she used it against me.

cydewaze

My first replacement frame from Trek was a lemon. Both chainstays failed within the first 100 miles of riding. Wanna know how I found out that both chainstays failed? On hard climbs, when I was out of the saddle mashing, the tire rubbed a little. That was it. And I noticed the rubbing about an hour before I finally noticed the broken stays.

The seat stay (it's one tube at the top) was the only thing left supporting my weight for that whole hour, which included climbing, decending, cornering, and rough roads. And I finished the ride after I noticed the break, though I admit I was a little weirded out by it. I felt a LOT better about carbon after that, because like you said, half (or less) of the structure was the only thing supporting me. After I got home, I bounced on the saddle as hard as I could, but I could only get about a 1/4" gap to open up at the cracks.


IMO this is the difference between carbon and any other material:

A rider rides down a road on his bike with Alu fork, hits a huge pothole, and the fork brakes.

Response: "OMG my fork broke. Damn these @#$% potholes!!"

Same rider rides down same road on his bike with carbon fork, hits the same pothole, and the fork breaks.

Response: "OMG my fork broke. Damn this @#$% carbon fork!!"

That's how it seems to be on bikeforums at least.

nova

There was a show on one of the learning chanels discover science channel etc. Was showing how carbon fiber parts are made and on a side note they showed how to repair it to original strength or stronger. Turned out its realy quite simple if you got the materials.

For cracks/breaks like the felts frame you sand or grind a v grove around the crack following its priofiles and feather back from the crack in both directions down from full tube thickness to about half thickness then relay new carbon fiber and resin layers over the break. BTW the final coating that gives a frame its gloss is not epoxy or plastic resin its the same stuff they use on vettes called gelcoat. It is a type of plastic resin but not like what you would get to do modled plastic parts.

Corse most people wont have the materials or tools needed to repair carbon fiber as you have to essentially bake it in a oven heh. But hey i bet is a few people on these forums whod try it and probably buy the equipment needed for carbon fiber repair work.