Frame Dent
#5
i have a similar one on my bike.. although it's a bit further back. as long as it's not near the weld (or lug if you have lugs)... and if it makes you feel any better, top tubes are subjected to the least amount of stress compared to the rest of the frame (downtube/seattube)
#7
Rumblefish

Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 687
Likes: 0
From: Austin Texas
Bikes: 1973 Crescent Pepita Single Speed,1978 Raleigh Competition G.S.,1976 Raleigh Super Course MKII,1970's Motobecane Super Touring Fixed Gear, 1980's Denti Road Tech Five,Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo,1973 Atala Giro,Cheap MTB Tandem,Schwinn World Sport
Looks fine. I can see why your paranoid though, it's been really windy here lately so I have spent a lot of time riding head down, I've really inspected all the parts of my bike down there really well. I don't know how I would feel about seeing a dent every time I looked down...probably end up bugging me so much I'd switch frames.
#8
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 302
Likes: 0
From: Calgary AB
Bikes: kilo tt
Yea and i just finished the build about a month ago, while adding some little bits still.
That blue kilo looks serious, may be i dont have anything to worry about then. Oh well, first dent whatchya gonna do
That blue kilo looks serious, may be i dont have anything to worry about then. Oh well, first dent whatchya gonna do
#9
Still kicking.


Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 47
From: Annandale, New Jersey
Bikes: Bike Count: Rising.
I have a small dent in the bottom of the downtube of my pista that's been there for awhile. Didn't throw anything off, hasn't gotten bigger.
__________________
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
#11
quick fix for dents.... model clay to fill it in.. and some colored electrical tape... that's if you get tired of lookin' at it everytime you look down... which is the problem i had since the dent on my frame is on the top of the toptube...
#15
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,924
Likes: 589
From: San Jose, CA
Bikes: Too many bikes, too little time to ride
i don't know if this is any indication of the quality/durability of these mercier kilo frames. i've got a small dent on the top tube of my kilo as well just from dropping something on it.
#17
partly metal, partly real
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,597
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia.
Bikes: Hummer H2
frame dents are the worst because by nature they almost never happen when riding.
unless you ride on the trails, a spill on the road never involves the frame touching anything (unless a car hits you), so dented frames usually occur from a bike being dropped or run over in a garage, etc.
unless you ride on the trails, a spill on the road never involves the frame touching anything (unless a car hits you), so dented frames usually occur from a bike being dropped or run over in a garage, etc.
#20
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 556
Likes: 0
From: Blo-no, IL
Bikes: 2005 Specialized Hardrock Sport, 1970's Miyata Liberty ala fixed gear
I have a friend who's steel mtb frame had a dent like that on the top tube. He rode with it like that for about a year. Probably not the best idea with a mtb, but I never said he was smart. Well, more like just broke. Anyway, with steel I feel that the dent will get visibly worse before it fails. Since steel is more elastic than something like aluminum, you probably wont get catastrophic failure on a whim. Just keep an eye on it, if it looks worse then ditch the frame. Take a couple pictures of the dent for reference. That way you can check to see if it's gotten worse in a month or so.
#23
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,025
Likes: 0
Wow, you guys sure are really willing to risk your own health riding frames that should be thrown out. Pretty silly when you can get a new frame for 50-300 dollars, but a typical ER visit will cost you 2-3000 dollars.
You should take a look at https://bustedcarbon.blogspot.com/ and see if its really worth it to you.
You should take a look at https://bustedcarbon.blogspot.com/ and see if its really worth it to you.
Last edited by clink83; 04-05-09 at 11:25 AM.
#24
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 556
Likes: 0
From: Blo-no, IL
Bikes: 2005 Specialized Hardrock Sport, 1970's Miyata Liberty ala fixed gear
Wow, you guys sure are really willing to risk your own health riding frames that should be thrown out. Pretty silly when you can get a new frame for 50-300 dollars, but a typical ER visit will cost you 2-3000 dollars.
You should take a look at https://bustedcarbon.blogspot.com/ and see if its really worth it to you.
You should take a look at https://bustedcarbon.blogspot.com/ and see if its really worth it to you.









