Somewhere over the past couple of weeks I've managed to put a small dent in the top-tube of my Cannondale aluminium road frame (CAAD5).
<br /><br />It's only about 7 or 8 mm long and is horizontal, and is almost smack-bang in the middle of the tube, between the seatpost and steerer tube. Think a miniature version of those door-dings that inconsiderate people put into the side of your car in the parking lot.<br /><br />Is this going to have any effect on the frame's structural integrity? It appears more cosmetic than anything else, but I just want to be 100% certain before I try to attain quasi-suicidal speeds
I don't use it for competition BTW, mainly 1-4 hour long rides and of course commuting.<br /><br />and on a similar topic -- what is the general lifespan of an aluminium frame? I know it's less than steel, and possibly longer than carbon, and that aluminium frames can't be repaired like steel ones sometimes can be..<br /><br />