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Chris: I damaged the chain stay near the chain rings when the chain got wedged between the two (from the bottom up, not the top down). There is a “chip” missing from the carbon, no hole and no crack that I can see. What are my options for repair?
Hey Chris! Sounds like you were laying down some serious watts. So, first, pat yourself on the back for being awesome. Next, pat your bike to see how the carbon’s doing. You might be just fine to just repair the cosmetic damage with a method like the one we wrote about here. To see if it’s really just cosmetic, or something more tear-inducing, I’ve laid out a few options for you below.
I have been offered a replacement frame under warranty for my cracked 2011 314 zesty. They have offered a 2011 514 as an upgrade for it (with carbon back end). Since carbon fiber essentially does not fatigue as long as the carbon-and-resin matrix is not damaged, age alone is not much of a guide. What matters are impacts big enough to delaminate or crack.
As an aside, if you’re having trouble with the chain jumping and causing this in the first place, you might want to check out a chain catcher as well as a your high-low limit screws. But that’s preaching you didn’t solicit.
Step 1: Check the Carbon’s Integrity
The easiest way (and probably the best idea) is to take your frame in to your LBS for your trusted mechanic’s advice. They should be able to tell you if the carbon is unsafe or the chip is merely cosmetic. The other good idea with this is that if your frame has any type of warranty, you’ll be able to find out through your LBS.
You can do a quick check yourself, though. Take a quarter and tap it gently around the chip–if you hear a difference in the sound (like a dullness) from other parts of the frame, then you’ll likely need to repair the carbon.
All in all, the only true way to be able to tell whether the carbon is structurally damaged is to have a repair shop do an ultrasound or something else as equally fancy on the frame.
Step 2: Get That Chip Repaired Properly
If you do need to get that missing chip put back somehow, you’ll want to find a credible repair shop. In my experience, it’ll run you around $100-250, but that’s just a ballpark. You will find self-repair kits online, but without really knowing what you’re doing, these could be dangerous. Trust me, a little knowledge makes for nervous descents at 45mph.
Be sure to go with some trusted repair companies too. Not just Blake’s Bestest Bike Repair (although Blake does true a mean wheel). Your LBS might also be able to recommend a good local repair shop. Barring that, here are two composite fixers that have years of experience and offer guarantees for their work: Ruckus Composites and Calfee Design. Grab a free quote or two online and go from there.
Here’s Luck
Chances are, it’s probably not structural or a big deal at all. The key here–be safe. Get it checked by someone who’s properly qualified, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for ya.
Tell If Carbon Fiber Bike Cracked Fingertips
Carbon Frame Repair Review
'My Carbon bike frame got a hole in the seat tube from a bolt failure. Don's Bicycle did a great job repairing it. They were reasonable on cost and quick with repair. Thanks for great Service!'
-Chuck Horne
Can you fix a Carbon fiber bike that is cracked or broken?
Yes, you can! The process of repairing a carbon fiber bike frame that is cracked, damaged, or split is to lay new carbon fibers and epoxying them in the same direction as the original fibers. The end result is a stronger bicycle frame than the original build at a negligible weight gain.
We've helped tons of folks in our local and massive California cycling community (We're located in Rialto, CA) get back on the road after their bicycle frames sustained damage. Our customers were really excited about the quality of the work, on both the actual frame repair and the finish quality of the paint job. You can see example jobs below.
We are currently pausing this service during COVID-19.
We will resume doing this amazing work as
soon as we can.
Carbon Frame Repair Details:
Carbon Fiber Bike Frame Repairs
Do you need to get your carbon fiber bike frame repaired? Are you wondering if it is possible to get that crack in your frame repaired?
Cracks Happen
Carbon Fiber frames offer so many upsides for biking. They're lightweight, stiff, and in many ways, super strong. They can crack, break or fail though if the frame gets dinged in the wrong place, or if you were just unlucky.
Recent Frame Repairs include:
- Cracked Downtubes
- Damaged Top Tubes
- Cracked Seatstays and Broken Chainstays
- Cracked Headtubes
- Damage sustained due to Car Rack Snafus.
BMC Broken Chainstay Before Repair
Repaired and Repainted BMC
Trek Broken Chainstay Before Repair
Difficult repair that was executed beautifully
Cracked Specialized Tarmac Seatstay before Repair
Cracked Specialized Tarmac SeatStay after Repair + Repaint
Tell If Carbon Fiber Bike Cracked Skin
Before (Broken Top Tube)
After
Black marks above letters is shipping material residue.
We are currently pausing this service during COVID-19.
We will resume doing this amazing work as
soon as we can.
The price is determined by the type and severity of the break. and complexity of paint scheme.
We'll remove all components from your frame in order to complete the repair and then professionally build your bike after the repair is completed.
If you ship us just the frame, this fee will be waived.
How does Payment Work?
Great Question! When the work is complete on your bike, we will send an invoice via PayPal. Once the invoice is paid, we'll ship it back to you
How much weight will the repair process add to my frame?
We typically see negligible weight gain with an average of less than 12g of additional weight.
How will my bike ride when you're done?
We line up the carbon fibers in the same direction as your frame and keep the same shape as your frame thus leading to a ride that is the same as before the frame damage occurred.
What types of Frames and Brands can you fix?
If it's a Carbon frame and it's broken we can fix it. We routinely repair all types of frames (Mountain Bikes Road Bikes and Cyclocross bikes). We also repair all brands of carbon frames.
Do you repair Carbon Fiber Bike Parts?
That is another great question and the answer is no, we don't. We don't fix carbon fiber seat posts, cranks, wheels, and handlebars because the replacement cost of the part is often far lower than the cost of repair. We say go for the new part in that situation. We don't repair wheels (even though the replacement cost is higher than the repair) because the forces exerted on the rim and the need to get the wheel balanced perfectly preclude a carbon fiber repair.
What is the typical Turnaround to get my Bike frame Back?
Depending on our workflow we average 2-6 weeks to get you your frame back.
Is Repainting the frame included in the price?
When you send us pics of the bike, we'll respond with an estimate that is determined by (among other factors) the complexity of the paint scheme that needs to be repainted. Our paint jobs rock.
Is the Carbon Fiber Frame Repair Strong?
Best Carbon Fiber Bikes
So glad you asked! The section that we repair will be stronger than the rest of your bike's frame.