is there any hope for this little peg?

[AngryScientist]

this is a cool little bike that looks to have been ridden pretty hard. regrettably there is clearly a fatal crack in the HT. given its pedigree and cool paint, i wonder if it would be worth it for someone to repair?

anyone know about the markings on it? was this an amateur race bike? never seen another LOVE#3 like this one. i like it!

[livingminimal]

My limited knowledge of metalurgy aside (my pawpaw is an ace welder, but I never did much of it myself), I dont think I personally would ride too many cracked and repaired metal bikes, let alone one with a crack there...

NOW ITS ART!

[velotrack]

yeah, that's wall art.
that's an awesome paint job though.

[macaroon]

Drill a hole at the end of the crack; might stop it from spreading.

[macaroon]

Or, just cut the top of the head tube off.

[weisan]

[thegunner]

part of me wants to buy it, and chase it down so there's no dropped TT.

i could slam it and look OH SO PRO.

[livingminimal]

Originally Posted by thegunner

part of me wants to buy it, and chase it down so there's no dropped TT.

i could slam it and look OH SO PRO.

I mean for real Dario's HTs are quite big. Im running a -20 on mine.

[thegunner]

Originally Posted by livingminimal

I mean for real Dario's HTs are quite big. Im running a -20 on mine.

so you're saying it's a good idea.

[velotrack]

Originally Posted by thegunner

part of me wants to buy it, and chase it down so there's no dropped TT.

i could slam it and look OH SO PRO.

i feel like the thought of the crack having been there (and possibly lower in the headtube being compromised despite no visible marks) would bother me every time i descended, rode in a group, etc. so even if i could... not sure i would.

[ftf]

This is a bike from a “pro” team, nerac to be exact.

[PJN]

Cut the head tube down, ream and ride on.

You could also weld up the crack (and re-age the frame) but that would ruin the paint...

[ftf]

This frame while probably a real peg, might not be I know at least one person on this team had a frame built by a different frame builder and then painted to look like this because they hated the actual peg that was given to them.

[Dino Suegiù]

That is a "Nerac" team paint. Here is a photos from GITA Bike (maybe even the same, it looks very small too):
http://www.gitabike.com/cgi-bin/shop...LRo&0_option=1





There is obviously no dropped TT on that small size frame, and that crack is already so close to the weld. Are people serious saying to "fix it" and ride it, or just joking?

I don't know...I would not ride that frame, a real raced bicycle, who knows even if the fork is OK, or the DT/TT. And to replace that HT + repaint + rebuild it, would be less expensive to just look for another Love #3 or even older alu like 8:30 AM or Fina Estampa or CCKMP. Rare, certain, but maybe findable with some work and patience.

[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.