oneradtec

I have a Trek 5200 oclv carbon frame. It's painted versus being nude. It's also fairly new. I just noticed some paint coming off at the top if the seat tube just under the seat post collar. Also there is a line in the paint(very small) under the back of the collar...just under that little vertical cut out which allows it to flex when you tighten your seat collar. My guess is that this is not a crack but probably a buckle in the paint itself that developed when the seat collar was torqued. The seat tube must give a bit at the top when the collar is torqued(which is why there is a vertical cutout at the back side of the carbon at the top. My guess is that the paint isn' as forgiving as the carbon and it buckled. ..and this is why I have lost a small patch of paint under the seat collar. So my question is...did anyone else also have this issue with similar painted carbon frames? As far as I know I have not really excessively tightened the collar..so I don't know why this would be a small crack. If it is just paint then I'm not worried. Could this be a warranty issue if it is a crack?....which I don't think it is. I would have to see under the paint to know for sure. It seems very stable right now...and again..it is very small and isn't noticeable unless you are really looking closely

oneradtec

One other point...I am a radiology tech. I am considering taking it to work and x-raying the top of the seat tube. I guess that would settle it. If it is cracked I would see it on the x-ray.

Would Trek be responsive to covering this in the warranty? I have always been careful about not getting carried away with torque on the seat tube.

Serpico

cool idea with the x-ray machine, let us know what you find out

if it is cracked take it to the lbs to handle warranty issue

also, you might wanna invest in a torque wrench, they're pretty reasonably priced and come in two different types.

good luck

alanbikehouston

I'd guess it is a small flaw in the paint, which is not uncommon if you "inspect" closely enough. But, I would love to see an X-Ray of the frame. I hope you will do the X-ray and then post it. I have seen some "cutaways" of the bottom bracket portion of an OCLV frame, and it was interesting to see how the carbon is joined around the bottom bracket shell.

Of course, folks might begin contacting you to get X-rays of THEIR bikes...there might be a business opportunity here.

d-new

i thought carbon absorbed X-rays.

Bontrager

Good luck having a doctor write you orders to take xrays of a bike frame