Cracked!!
 

So i bought a used Allez today for $350, its in really great shape with only 500 miles on it (hardly any wear and tear at all so i believed him). But i got it home and was peeling off some stickers when i found a crack in the headtube! Its small, right at the bottom on the right hand side. My LBS reckons i should just watch it and maybe it wont get any bigger. But i wanted some opinions. I scraped off some paint to make sure it wasnt just the paint/clearcoat that cracked.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...0070322_03.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...0070322_02.jpg

I talked to the old owner and he's agreed to take it up to the shop he bought it from and try and warranty it...but if that falls through im pretty much stuck with this. How long do you think it'll last? Is there anything i can do to slow down the crack from widening?

uh-huh. Looks like a collision fracture.
Only thing people can say is what you are doing - have the original owner try to warranty it, or have him take it back.

no it isn't, the headtube is cracked.

Can't be fixed.

Ok so its obviously not in really great shape. :(

I thought that too, but the wheels were completely true. It sounded as it came to a surprise to the old owner too, and he is going out of his way to try and warranty it for me....so i believe him.

I know it cant be fixed, but how long do you think it'll last before failure?

I don't see how the guy you bought it from couldn't know about that crack.

Regarding the sticker that you removed that was covering the crack - was it placed there by Specialized? If so, the previous owner probably didn't know about the crack.

If the previous owner put the sticker on there, I'll bet he saw the crack and was trying to cover it up.

Look on the bright side... nothing like a cracked Al frame to add some suspense to another ol' training ride.

i can do that, too.

"dog hair, did you eat those cookies i bought yesterday?"



*surprised look* "...you bought cookies?"

man thats just dangerous, if you dont replace or fix it somehow your riding acoffin on wheels

Yeah im very concered about riding it to be honest. If i cant get it warrantied, i doubt i'll use it as a proper road bike. Might throw a clamp around it and use it as a beater bike. It'll still fail eventually, but it won't be catastrophic.

http://www.petstore.com/mdstore/IMD/150/FT1510.jpg

Re: the stickers - there wasnt a sticker on the crack, i just noticed it while peeling stickers from the seat tube. It was a hard crack to notice before i scratched off the paint surrounding it. I missed it when i inspected it before i bought it.

Im really bummed, i hope i can get a warranty replacement.

drill a small hole at the tip of the crack to slow propagation

Was about to reccomend a clamp like that. We set up a buddy's cross frame with one and it lasted a season (didn't even break), so it should work just keep an eye on it...and say a small prayer just in case

JB weld.

Thanks for the suggestions. I didnt consider drilling a small hole. Worst case scenario i guess ill do both the small hole and the clamp. Or i could just get the nashbar road frame for $100....it's not pretty, but it's not cracked either.

Still holding out on a complete stranger doing me a solid and getting a warranty replacement though. Heading up to the LBS with him on saturday posing as his mate :p

or, put the sticker back on and sell it to someone else :D

Break out the bondo.

Quick question, did you buy it used from the LBS? you didn't specify and that would change a lot

The guy you bought it from needs to refund your money. Period.

He is not being a nice guy by trying to get a warranty replacement. He is trying to keep your $350.

i herd dat

One of my teammates bought a used Allez a couple of years ago and had one of his chainstays crack away from the BB. He didn't have a sales receipt, but was able to get it warrantied and replaced by Specialized. Can't hurt to take it to a local Specialized dealer to see if it can happen for you, too.

Get your money back. Don't waste any time on this.

I've got a Nashbar Frame'. I built it up with Ultegra components and carbon forks, but cheap headset, stem, seatpost, and bars. It's a heckuva machine. Love it. Stomp on it and it goes. Perfectly fine frame for centuries and longer, if you put the carbon forks on it. It's not particularly light, but so what if you're not racing.

+1...you'd be surprised how strong that stuff is.

Keep us updated on how the warranty repair thing goes!

+1. Make sure you get all of the end of the crack.