Cracks in OCLV frames

OK, I'm looking for someone who can speak from experience and not someone who'll simply be "reading the rule book" regarding cracks in an OCLV carbon frame. I've heard all the chanting that I'm supposed to send it back to Trek and have them inspect it, etc. But the bikes aren't under warranty, the 5500 was repainted privately, and the other purchased outside of retail channels (the TTT frame).

I have 2 Trek OCLV frames, a 1999 5500 and a 2003 Team Time Trial. The 5500 has developed hairline cracks at positions that I guess would be at the end of the lugs for the bottom bracket, about 4" up from the bottom bracket on the seat and down tubes. The cracks are perfectly straight, which is what leads me to believe they are located at the place where the bottom bracket component of the frame mates with the tube heading upward.

My greater concern is on the TTT bike. I have a similar hairline crack at the point where I would guess the downtube is mating to the lug that is the headset tube. This one is pefectly straight. The other is at the point where the top of the rear triangle blends into the seat tube, at the point just in front of the rear brake. It is only on the left side of the frame, and is a jagged line. It's not like the other hairline cracks that are apparently following a point where the tubes mate.

I've heard that TREK paint jobs are not the best, and the paint itself can crack from normal usage. i.e. the paint is not flexible, the carbon is, so the paint shows the cracks even though the frame is still ridable/reliable without any real structural problems. This, of course, is what I hope to be experiencing. But the "jagged" line of the crack on the TTT frame has me worried. Maybe someone knows of inherent problems with this frame (it's also the Equinox 11 frame)?

Thanks... Chip

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Have you tried flaking some paint off around these "cracks"? This will allow you to see whether its just the paint of if the cracks are in the carbon--doing this will tell you whether or not you need to send your frame back to Trek. I would be very suspicious of the rear triangle, with two cracks even in the paint that means that there is more than likely some flexing going on in that area that shouldn't be.

__________________
--Jeff
my Gunnar Roadie
The one who dies with the most tattoos wins!!
For sale: Time Impact Mag pedals; Dura Ace 7700 crankset (172.5), front der. (braze), bottom bracket (109.5). PM or email martin_j001 at hotmail dot com

The Straight cracks are typically cosmetic and paint related at the lug joints.The jagged cracks looks ugly and could be in the lug. Methinks a smart person would check with Trek regardless of ownership or warranty rather than trolling for opinions.

Assuming the paint on your bike is like a typical automotive paint, then those cracks are just from the paint flexing. It is likely that when the bike was painted, no flex agent was added resulting in cracking when the cured paint was stressed.When carbon fiber cracks, you'll know it.

...and you'll pay for the $100-$120 round trip for the shipping? I'm just trying to find out if there are any folks out there who actually have some experience with this issue before succumbing to the "err on the side of caution" policy that Richadson Bike Mart is throwing at me, that's not only going to cost me a fair bit of pocket change, but have me without my bike for maybe a month, in the middle of August, with my Center Of The Universe coming up the last weekend in August in Wichita Falls.

Thanks for your opinion.

Anyone have any EXPERIENCE with this issue?

Explain this statement: "when carbon fibre cracks, you'll know it." What exactly happens? Does it simply "give out" and catastrophically fail, with me and the shards of my frame hitting the ground? Or does it give out over time, as might be happening now?

Has anyone else heard the rumor that Trek's paint jobs aren't the best?

Looking at your pics, personally, I would worry. The jagged crack doesnt have me as worried as the straight crack. Reason is, trek OCLV is lugged, and that straight line seems to be exactly where the lug would be just before the seat-stays.

Take your frame to a good bike shop that knows what they are doing with trek products. They might be able to warranty it for you (free of chrage) because all trek frames come with limited life-time warranties. But since you had your bike painted after market, you might be SOL.

Also, OCLV doesnt necessarily crack, I mean it does but all carbon is layered so its almost more of a shredded crack, I hope that makes sense.

What I mean is that because CF is a sheet of fabric with resin giving it stiffness, if it cracks, it will certainly not be in a straight line. If the resin gives way but the fabric itself is still intact, then imagine if you substituted any rigid piece of your frame with a piece of fabric, and thats what would happen. In the case of a catastrophic failure where the entire piece breaks and tears the CF, it will look like a piece of broken fiberglass if you have ever seen that with the torn fabric sticking out like hairs.

^^After driving into the garage with the bike on the roof, my carbon seatpost didn't have loose fibers at all, just very sharp, jagged edges. If the material were to delaminate, what you say is true. If it is still laminated you will get deep cracks that are in straight lines, or in jagged lines--but either way its not a good sign in a frame.

__________________
--Jeff
my Gunnar Roadie
The one who dies with the most tattoos wins!!
For sale: Time Impact Mag pedals; Dura Ace 7700 crankset (172.5), front der. (braze), bottom bracket (109.5). PM or email martin_j001 at hotmail dot com

What a bunch of nonsense.You obviously know nothing about the cosmetic cracking of OCLV paint at the lug joints. Warranty applies to original owner. And no, shredded cracks don't make no sense.

And that's a double negative.