is there any hope for this little peg?

[mtechnica]

Can’t be repaired without a re paint imo, likely not economical.

[mingc]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by mingc

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Beat me too it. I would drill a hole at the base of the crack and put on a hose clamp and ride the crap out of it. Better would be to cut down the head tube and ream if possible. Probably a slightly nominally oversized headset cup that caused this.

[weisan]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

Beat me too it. I would drill a hole at the base of the crack and put on a hose clamp and ride the crap out of it. Better would be to cut down the head tube and ream if possible. Probably a slightly nominally oversized headset cup that caused this.

I endorsed this course of action..."but'of course, you do, weisan, we know you!"

[ultraman6970]

Cut it and put a new headset, not bashing the builder but many manufacturers put a ring around the front tube just to avoid this problem in particular.

Can be repaired? looks like is steel, but as somebody said, front tube will need a new paint job and this is when pricing comes to mind.

The easier solution is to cut that thing and ream it, put a new headset and good to go. Or just use it till it dies even more, doubt will explode or anything, drill the tiny hole as many say.

Nice bike tho

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by nesteel

I'd bet money on that crack extending further down than what you see in the picture. Sorry, but that thing is a piece of art now.

Funny, these drill and hose clamp ideas..think about it..a fork that comes off the bike while riding hard down a steep hill...only one guy would really try this, with his other otherwise cracked, dented, rusted bikes..It probably could be welded..but a severely warped and ovalized head tube might result..rattle can paint job but life's too short to 'repair' and then ride junque..IMHO..

[zap]

This type of "scandium" al tubing is prone to cracking.

Cycling room wall art.

[William]

My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it!!!







William

[marciero]

I know pegs are popular on PL, and I like aluminum, but this frame just doesn't speak to me, crack or no.

[chiasticon]

just have it repaired!

[CNY rider]

I don’t want to be asking my dentist if there’s any hope for my front teeth......
Which is the discussion you could be having after riding that.

[Nooch]

i'm sure it rides real nice on the trainer

[Tickdoc]

wallhanger.

[Wayne77]

Maybe I have a tolerance for risk other don’t, but no way would I let that become wall art. As you know I have a DIY mindset and I’ve done a lot of successful CF repairs...so that’s where my head is coming from. There has to be several options. I don’t know that you could cut the HT far enough to completely eliminate the crack and still leave room for the top headset cup, but I have to think repairing cracks in aluminum is an option in applications higher stress than this. First thing I’d do is drill a hole at the end to stop the crack from spreading. Other thoughts and ideas:

- Browse and ask around on private aircraft, or other performance vehicle forums - maybe there are some folks who have methods of repairing micro cracks in wing panels / car panels / aluminum engine parts, etc. Maybe not, maybe they’d laugh, but it’s worth checking. Maybe the only way is to weld it.

- I’m sure there’s a local guy who would weld a bead on that for cheap. Go to an auto paint shop and have them color match the paint for you.

- Painting/blending yourself is not that hard. Seriously. In return for the auto paint shop expertise buys some product from them. All you need are some small amounts. Mask off the area with some straight lines so even if it’s not perfectly color matched it just looks like an intentional stripe. Sand the area with 600 grit. Apply a good primer, then a color matched base coat (base coats are really easy to apply but be careful sanding), then a coat of 4K clear. Don’t worry if the clear isn’t even. You can sand clear coat quite a bit. Sand runs and any orange peel starting with 800, then work your way all the way to 3000. Then hand buff with a couple varying grit stages of Mcguiars buffing compound, ending with the swirl remover for a perfect high gloss sheen. If it were me, I’d buff the entire frame with Mcguiars while you’re at it. It’ll look like new (other than chips through the base coat).

- if you’re worried about an exact color match with the surrounding paint choose a color of one of the graphics...you can mask it accordingly and make it look intentional. I doubt you’re going to care about a weld bead behind the HT.

- For a quick fix, drill a hole at the end of the crack and find the nicest high grade hose clamp you can find :-) Maybe that’ll get you by until you can do a more long term fix.

- Anyone know if something like JB weld would help in this case? Maybe not

I’m any case, that frame is way too nice, with too much history to be reverted to wall art. It would be so sad if that was the only option.

[pdonk]

This looks like every Yeti, Manitou or any bike made from Easton tubing of a certain era. Only this crack is on the back not the front of the head tube.

There guys that can fix it - Frank the Welder, Chris Herting come to mind.

If making it ridable, I'd use a CK steelset headset to get the insertion farther into the headtube for more support.

I probably would not ride it though.