Carbon Fibre - To Repair or Not Repair



jocko the wizar

New Member
Oct 25, 2007
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I recently had the misfortune of breaking my Colnago Extreme Power frame in an accident. It snapped through on the down tube, about 6 inches down from the head tube. My LBS tells me that the frame can be sent back to Colnago and repaired (expensive but still cheaper than a new frame). My concern is that being carbon fibre there may be other damage to the frame or fork that is undetectable - an accident waiting to happen. I've been told in the past not to trust carbon fibre once its had a significant shock, even if it seems OK. Has anyone out there had their carbon fibre frame repaired? Are they happy Should I go with this option or get a new frame?
 
You have to decide. I would check out Calfee's repair order form to get a sence of what you are looking at cost-wise. Broken through, I'm sure, is a major fracture according to how they operate. Probably ~$500 depending upon paint work.

Whether, or not, to trust it is anyone's guess. Its a composite frame, which likely means pre-preg carbon weave that is meant to take resin and cure. The idea that single strands of carbon are continuous and hold a carbon bike frame together is naive. If one gets past this and appreciates that carbon lay-ups are like fiberglass lay-ups, only using a different material, they might see carbon as repairable in the same way fiberglass has been repairable for years. In this sence, I trusted Calfee and have a repair back to me that, at least aetheticly, looks amazing. I haven't built the frame back up to know anything else, yet, but mine was a minor TT fracture from a frame stand. They matched the weave on the top layer and clear coated over it so its practically imperceptable.

They seem like a pretty big operation and, after all, they do their own frames from scratch. You might ask their advice on checking the remainder of the frame.

Good luck