My camera's card can't connect onto this stupid computer, so no photos for now. Basically, I ploughed through a major pothole going at 35km/h. There's a deep fold, kind of like those on loose clothes, on the underside of the top tube. I think it's about 3-4mm deep. There's corresponding distortion.The cable holder, together with the top tube, is now twisted left. The down tube also has a slight fold, but not as bad as the top's. Is the frame trashed or can I still ride around the world on it?

My guess is that you can ride it around town, unloaded, with no problems, but I wouldn't take it much farther than that. You'll want to replace the frame before any big trips.

Chris

tough to say... does it steer straight and hold a line?

the steel wont fail catastrophically, but if it wont handle well, then, your SOL.

i want a picture of the pothole!

Yeah, I didn't feel any major differences as I rode today. Will have to finish my tour, nine more days. About 30kg of luggage? I'm 70kg.

That must either be one huge pothole, or there was a flaw in the frame. I'd be leery of riding it.

Holy smokes!
And you didn't crash?
Score another one for steel!

Most likely the head tube will continue to distort with time, eventually the steering becomes worse and worse and your fender or tire will touch the down tube.

It's trashed but keep going and see what happens.

Oh I crashed alright. Held on for dear life for around 20m, bike went out under me, got flung forward another 2-3 meters. Panniers went everywhere, one went down the drain/ravine on the right side of the road. Lucky I didn't take that tumble.

Hm, but it was the top and down tube which folded. Will the head tube be affected?

It sounds like your frame has been compromised. It may hold up for awhile -- maybe even a long while -- but the stresses of normal riding -- not to mention the stresses of hitting another big pothole! -- could cause the tube to fail. If you are lucky, the frame with fail gradually rather than catastrophically.

If you choose to continue to ride the bike, monitor the damaged area frequently. If you notice even the smallest sign that the ding has worsened, get off the bike, and don't get back on.

One of my steel bikes developed two small dings in the head tube and one in the top tube, and I continued to ride for three seasons without the damage worsening. But then sanity prevailed, and I replaced the frame.

Glad you are OK-enough to be posting on the internet. I would seek professional (bike shop) assistance with your question.

From your description, I'd be inclined to replace the frame. Is the fork OK or bent back? Is the head tube angle stuffed back? I''d expect both to be out of whack.

replace

Hate to say this but the frame is toast. You've got lots of things going on now that make the bike less then safe for use. The top tube and down tube are compromised and likely to fail...catastrophically...under even normal conditions. Loaded, the failure is even more likely. Round tubes only have strength as long as they are reasonably round or far away from high stress areas. A small dent in the middle of the top tube is probably ridable, however a crumpled tube at a major stress point isn't. Two of them is just asking for disaster.

You've also messed with angles on the head tube...steepening them...which will have an effect on steering and control. It's likely that the head tube is no longer perpendicular to the top tube and down tube as well, leading to more steering and control issues.

Replace the frame, probably the fork and perhaps the front wheel. All are likely damaged and not worth saving a few pennies now while paying out major bucks for a hospital later.

a friend had damage like that,,it came from driving into the garage with the car on the roof rack. I can't imagine staying on the bike with such a pothole.

Think he's in the middle of China.

Do the best you can, but take it easy. Slow down. In the event of catastrophic failure you'll minimize the damage to you. If you only have 9 days left, ship some of your weight home. Routinely check to look for additional damage. When you get home get it to a qualified wrench, not a bike shop salesman. It doesn't sound like it's saveable.

Given where you are that may be the best advice. Good luck and be careful. I hope it holds up for the remainder of your trip.

Being steel it won't fail catastrophically as would aluminum so you could probably putz around on it unloaded, however, for all intensive purposes, it's toast. If not for anything else, at least for safety sakes.

I realise that the OP is on tour, and if he's in China, replacing the frame before the tour is over might be out of the question, which is a shame. Still, the advice to ship any unneccessary weight home is very good, as is slowing down. Maybe turn the 9 days to 12 days, for the sake of safety. Once you're home, try to warranty the frame. Surly probably won't accept it, but it's worth a shot. Either way, *replace* the frame. Don't putz around on it unloaded; you'd probably be fine, but why risk your safety for a frame that retails, new, for 420USD? And, for the record, steel *can* fail catastrophically. I know of a guy who lost a whole head full of teeth and broke his jaw when his 631 jamis exile snapped. Be careful with that thing while in China, then replace it asafp.

hth,
-rob

At least the damage to the top and down tubes is easily seen so you can keep an eye on it and tell if the damage is getting any worse. Since you're not in a position to replace the frame I would suggest at least making a very careful examination of the fork and steerer tube (i.e. take the fork out of the frame) to inspect for any damage there. I've experienced a catastrophic failure of a steel steerer tube and would not want to repeat it.

My loaded bike encounered a Texas sized pot hole (in Texas) cracked dropout on the derailleur side. I had a spare boxed and air shipped from the west coast though for the same price I could have bought a perfectly serviceable rig.

If you are taller I image finding a serviceable bike in China would be rough.

C-dale replaced the 14 year old frame. It had 50k miles on it of which 9k was fully loaded. It -is- worth asking Surly for an RMA once you get home.

Since this is a difficult situation, is there any way the OP can reinforce the frame, to buy a few seconds to slow to a stop if the frame starts to buckle?

It is worth asking what they can do for you. If they don't replace it they may at least offer a price break on the replacement. I have had vendors replace stuff or give a break even when warranty didn't cover the problem. Don't be too disappointed if they don't cover it but do ask.

It was an accident. "Worth a shot" if sucessful simply is underhanded and ultimately costs everyone that buys a frame later. . See if Surly has a crash program.

-R

I strongly disagree. I did not and would not suggest lying to Surly. Still, there is nothing "underhanded" or wrong with asking what if anything they can do for you unless you lie about the cause. Lying would be really foolish anyway since it will be obvious that the cause was a crash.

I know for example that when I broke a ww kayak hull of a boat that I bought second hand, I told the vendor that I knew it wasn't under warranty, but wondered if they could give me a break on a replacement hull. They agreed that it wasn't under warranty but said if returned the bare hull to them they would give me a new one at a very reduced price. Surly just might do something similar, stranger things have happened.