Can this cracked frame be fixed?

[RoadWhale]

Like a Raven, okay maybe a big Turkey, I'm attracted to shiny things. This Litespeed Ultimate, fabricated in 1993, is currently listed on eBay. I'm interested in purchasing it if the crack can be fixed. The crack runs horizontally just below the front derailleur hanger. Apparently the location of a crack is crucial to determining if a frame can be saved. I also read that older titanium frames weren't always welded under ideal conditions and some are prone to cracking.

Does anyone have experience with a crack like the one shown in the photo? Would the location be considered a stress point?

If it seems like it could be repaired, does anyone have a reference to a frame repair shop that deals with titanium? Thank you in advance for any thoughts and suggestions.

Here is the link to the listing : https://goo.gl/vsGJqw

[donevwil]

Can it be repaired? Yes.

Repairing it correctly (replacing the tube) will be very expensive unless the repairer convinces you to accept cutting corners which I would never recommend (been there done that long ago).

Corners to cut:

- weld up the crack (just say no).
- replace tube, but sleeve over stub of old tube keeping TT/seatstay juncture intact (ugh, better than the previous but still a significant change to the frame w/ OS seat tube).

On top of all that you'll have to factor in polishing.

Save your self a lot of money and aggravation and walk away.

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Save your self a lot of money and aggravation and walk away.

Nah; run!




I’d never get into something like that on a used frame I didn’t own. A solid repair won’t be cheap.

[donevwil]

My personal experience was a warranty repair (twice, cough, cough) by a builder many here consider skilled (cough, cough).

Mid '90s Ti is a crap shoot when it's not one of the few builders of that era who really knew what they were doing.

[bigbill]

That looks like an Ultimate with the curved seat tube. Probably a higher degree of difficulty. Then it has to be polished which is really expensive these days. I had a polished Litespeed back in the day but now that look costs, stupid environment. Run from it.

[cribbit]

There are very, very few frames worth the cost of repairing. This is not one of them. Pre-2000 ti is so ridiculously cheap and easy to acquire, especially litespeeds.

[Cloozoe]

Guess I just can't resist piling on and kicking a frame when it's down; like everyone else said.

[donevwil]

Originally Posted by Cloozoe

Guess I just can't resist piling on and kicking a frame when it's down; like everyone else said.

Considering all the cracked and broken Litespeeds I saw in the '90's you should feel absolutely no guilt.

[joosttx]

Y*i*k*e*s!!!!!!

[RoadWhale]

Thanks all! Just saved me from acquiring a frame that would have ended up being wall art. I appreciated this Forum so very much!

[charliedid]

Not a chance.

That thing should be scrapped IMO

[cribbit]

Originally Posted by donevwil

Considering all the cracked and broken Litespeeds I saw in the '90's you should feel absolutely no guilt.

The mid-00's integrated headset stuff had a nasty habit of cracking at the headtube.

There's one poor, poor soul with one right now on eBay and craigslist. He got it welded back to "fixed" but has been trying to sell for at least a year, I think more. Several price drops, posting and offering to ship on craigslists across the country, still no sale.

[jumphigher]

I'd never buy something like that either. I'm also of the belief that even if repaired 'correctly', the frame would never be the same. Definitely a trashed frame.

[berserk87]

I think that curved tube is cold-worked. I'd think a new tube would have to be fabricated out of Ti, or an existing tube would have to be custom bent.
The re-tubing would also involve a repolishing of the frame, which can be pricey.

If you could find someone who would want to take on this repair, I would think that the cost would easily exceed the value of the frame. And further, at a listed price of $475, that frame is priced about $425 too high, as-is.

It's a shame - it's a nice looking rig.

[David Kirk]

FWIW - back in the day I did destructive testing on most every brand out there and Litespeed was one of them. They tended to fail at lower loads and lower cycle counts than the other high end Ti bikes out there and they were inconsistent from bike to bike. After failure I'd cut them up and look inside and all too many showed signs of overheating, lack of purge, or both. Shiny on the outside burned on the inside.

My guess is if you could see inside that tube that you'd find it badly discolored and covered with white dust. Not good.

I'd pass on this for sure. Life's too short to go looking for things that waste your time.

dave