Crashed Carbon Frame ?

Sounds like it should be OK, I've gone over sideways on my Look a couple of times with no damage.

But then again if you can get a new one from the driver's insurance go for it

Honestly man, I have a full carbon mountain bike, and I'm an awful mountain bike rider. I've crushed 3 helmets while mountain biking, and taco'd a few sets of wheels. I dislocated my shoulder once, broke a finger another time, and last summer I snapped a set of handlebars. My carbon frame mtb bike has probably been wrecked hard a hundred times in the 5+ years I've owned it, and it's no worse for wear. IMO you have nothing to worry about.

ebola said:

Now I'd read carbon frames should be replaced if it's 'crashed' .. Does getting knocked of by a car count, i'd have thought so..

Any other opinions on this. Is it possible to get it thouroughly checked out ? Is it safe to continue riding it ? I will most likely go back to the spare bike until i know for sure. I dont like the sound of 'catastrophic faliure'.

"Crashing" isn't the issue, whether its head-on, glancing, sideways, or any other sort of impact. The issue is whether or not the frame was whammed hard enough to compromise it--whether that be from a car, the ground, or the top of the garage door (must be careful with those roof racks).

Every bike goes down from time to time, whether it be made of carbon or uranium; if every crashed carbon bike needed replacement, the stuff wouldn't sell. What you and your LBS guys are looking for is a sign that the surface has sustained damage which could lead to failure--a noticable crack or a big hole punched in a critical spot. Even damage you've identified doesn't have to mean the death of the frame, but get a trusted opinion if you spot any.

I know lots of folks riding carbon frames that have seen nasty action. No worries; congratulations on not getting hurt!

I agree with Cydwaze and Lokstah. If you can't see any signs of damage to the frame, I'd just keep riding it and not worry about it. Just stay away from Cydewaze when he's out on the trail. Sounds like it could be dangerous! 😄

Thanks this is all very reasuring and good to hear.

Hello again.

Well when I was last polishing off evey last spec of dust from my pride and joy, I noticed about 5cm away from the head-tube a trio of ~1mm vague indentations.. inspecting it closer under a brighter light, again cleaning the surface revealed what I can only describe as looking like a faint hairline-fracture roughly 3cm long. Definitely not part of the weave pattern or anything, it had a slight kink and was in the locality of the surface features mentioned - and sure part of the impact did involve the handlebars twisting so there's a good chance this is indeed the result of the front of the frame taking the impact of the fall..

I'll take it to the bike shop to get it looked at for another 'trusted opinion' as lokstah suggests, but from what I can gather that looks like evidence of some sort of compromise and 'catastrophic failiure' doesn't sound too appealing ( I've had enough injuries lately ).

I wont repeat the exact wording of what went through my mind on finding this 🙂

If it needs to be it's getting replaced - I've got my trusty spare to see me through the immiediate future, but I've made up my mind that I'm going to be enjoying this summer on a carbon-framed bike. I'll put this down to bad luck.. falling of is generally a very rare event for me. This was just very inopportune timing for a statistical anomoly to occur.

cydewaze said:

...and I'm an awful mountain bike rider. I've crushed 3 helmets while mountain biking, and taco'd a few sets of wheels. I dislocated my shoulder once, broke a finger another time, and last summer I snapped a set of handlebars. My carbon frame mtb bike has probably been wrecked hard a hundred times...

Mental note to self: get off the trail of you see cydewaze coming.

ebola said:

I noticed about 5cm away from the head-tube a trio of ~1mm vague indentations.. inspecting it closer under a brighter light, again cleaning the surface revealed what I can only describe as looking like a faint hairline-fracture.

What a bummer, that doesn't sound good. 🙁 Taking the frame back to you LBS is the right decision, good luck and let us know how it turns out.

The LBS's opinion:-

they say - "keep an eye on it over the next couple of weeks", but:

"i wouldn't worry about the indentations, thats just imperfections in the paint which would be all over the place .."

r.e. the crack,

"it looks like it's too straight to be a crack, it could be the lugs"
<other chap says>

"yes it's a lugged frame, paint covering the lug / tube-joins ; it looks like the lugs flexed on impact, cracking the paintwork / clearcoat. Chances are this wont give you any problems" .. (then went on to explain about having seen plenty of people have propper crashes and still ride the frames)

Well that all sounds a lot more encouraging. Apparently the only way to tell for sure would be to wear off the paint to check underneath, or to X-Ray it..
( would ideally like to 100% reasure myself but i'm back to riding it )

er... oops...

I've done pretty much exactly the same thing again 🙁 now at this point I'm asking myself why it is that I've had no traffic accidents or even falls for 18months then all of a sudden 2 in the space of 2 weeks. It would appear the extra excitement of the feel and performance of the carbon frame is just too intoxicating and is making me get carried away and wreckless.

This time it was pretty much my fault. Toward the end of a long ride another road-cyclist overtook me, not having that i picked up the pace to pass him.. then we hit some red lights. I stop, but he jumps them and steams ahead. I should have let it go at that point but on getting green I just focussed on catching him again, rather than on STAYING OUT OF DRIVERS BLIND SPOTS.

Miraculously (this is just too lucky) I'm again unscathed bar grazing the other elbow but i really MUST calm down and be far more carefull, everything has it's place.