Brand new Synapse Carbon cracked at the bottom bracket!?!
 

Help!

I got my first carbon bike on Friday (Synapse Carbon 5) and I rode it on my first ride today. Tonight while cleaning it off I noticed this on the non drive side bottom bracket:

http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/...psed4eb377.jpg

http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/...pse1e69f6c.jpg

WTF?

Is this just superficial paint issues or should I consider this frame compromised after one 30mi ride!?! I'm freaking out. :(

I can't see clearly enough, but those do like like they are stress related. I don't think that clear coat is thick enough to produce that depth of refraction. I'd bring it back to the shop where you purchased it from and have them check it out just to be on the safe side. They shouldn't charge you.

looks like a paint scratch to me. Take it back to the shop and have them look at it.

Tool marks

Here's another shot. I'm most concerned out of what appears to be a missing chunk of frame material (paint or carbon, not sure). :(

http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7d16b99f.jpg

Thanks Buzz, that's a much better shot. I agree with the other two gents that we are looking at tool marks here. Regardless of the possible structural impact, it's reasonable to bring it back to the shop and have them check it out for you. Even if it is cosmetic, it should be addressed given the price paid for such a bike.

Thanks for the quick responses guys. I'm totally bummed about all this but I gotta find my zen spot. I'll take it back to the shop tomorrow and show this to them. I've also emailed Cannondale with this pictures as well (had already registered the bike for warranty coverage yesterday) and see what they say.

As CustomSteel said, I don't feel great about spending this much money on a bike to have it damaged out of the box. :(

Looks like tool marks to me, too.

they made a mess of pressing in the bottom bracket, probably didn't use the right tools.
looks like they didn't get it properly seated and had to use something to knock it in.

I was looking at the synapse carbon too.. other than the scratch how do you like it so far?

Yup. The question is whether the damage is cosmetic only.

That's a pretty alarmist thread title.

Brand new Synapse Carbon cracked at the bottom bracket!?!
 

A little caulk will fix that.

Give it a few months and with all the other dings it'll get you'll never even notice this scratch anymore.

Is there a flavor to the caulk?

maybe you hit something on the ride. i wouldn't be surprised to hear that that's the excuse the LBS will use. hope not.

Other than what is pictured above, so far I really like the bike. That's why I'm so bummed. :(

Come on, it's a bike, you're probably gonna crash it, ride it in the rain, sand, you're gonna get hit by small rocks, it looks like just another scratch. Ride the hell out of it, it's not like if it was a decoration or a museum piece.

^Thats true, but would you buy a brand new car with a scratch or chip in the paint? I wouldn't and I am willing to bet most people would not either.

any creaks or other sounds from the BB while riding?


** also, scratches happen on bikes, dings, dents, you break parts and stuff wears out, BUT, if you scratch it, wreck it, dent it, whatever, and YOU do it, that's different from buy a new one and it's already that way. See what Cannondale says and let us know. I've got a CAAD9 that's never had a service issue. I hope they are still that awesome to their customers and I'd like to know before I throw out the cash for a Synapse hi mod carbon w/ sram red.

In a couple months of usage (if you don't leave it in your garage unused) it will have way more scratches, chips, and dings to the finish.

It was less than 24 hours old when I noticed this. If it was a few weeks or months and a few hundred miles into riding I'd agree, but this thing is brand spanking new. :(

No, no bad sounds coming from the bike at all which I guess is a good sign.

Other than this issue, I completely love this bike so far.

This is why I watched my LBS build my Roubaix. Sorry for your luck. If it's me, I would ask for a new, undamaged Synapse.

Ouch-sorry about that. Yeah that would bother me, especially for an $$$ bike like that. I would definitely go back to lbs and see what they say or are willing to do for you. Important to Keep your cool too-usually goes a long way in getting what you want from a customer service perspective, but also don't let them walk all over you. There's been purchases I've made in my life where I wasn't happy with something, but I just let it go, and then it bothered me as long as I owned it.

At the very least maybe try and get them to knock a couple hundred off for a scratch and dent item, if they won't do anything else. Good luck! Hope it works out.