Welding Giant XCX

[Duncan]

Hi,
I've just discovered a substantial crack in my Giant XCX frame.
I'm wondering whether it is worth trying to repair. The cost seems
reasonable to keep the bike alive but the welder won't guarantee work done
on Al frames. Has anyone had good/bad experiences trying to repair Al dual
suspension frames?

The crack is just in front of where the seat[1] tube meets the top tube. It
is box section tubing and the whole lower face is cracked and a few mm up
each side. I was planning on getting a new hardtail soon but I'd love to
keep the duallie as a fun bike.
Cheers,
Duncan.

[1] not really the seat tube but the tube going up from the BB tube at an
angle to meet the top tube near the middle.
The crack is on the inside corner of the triangle just below my left knee in
this pic:
http://fullgas.fotopic.net/p7399910.html

 

[D T W .../\\...]

"Duncan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
> I've just discovered a substantial crack in my Giant XCX frame.
> I'm wondering whether it is worth trying to repair. The cost seems
> reasonable to keep the bike alive but the welder won't guarantee work done
> on Al frames. Has anyone had good/bad experiences trying to repair Al
dual
> suspension frames?
>
> The crack is just in front of where the seat[1] tube meets the top tube.
It
> is box section tubing and the whole lower face is cracked and a few mm up
> each side. I was planning on getting a new hardtail soon but I'd love to
> keep the duallie as a fun bike.
> Cheers,
> Duncan.
>
> [1] not really the seat tube but the tube going up from the BB tube at an
> angle to meet the top tube near the middle.
> The crack is on the inside corner of the triangle just below my left knee
in
> this pic:
> http://fullgas.fotopic.net/p7399910.html
>

Aluminum should have a heat treat process after welding. As you won't be
able to do that, the welder is being practical about not offering a
guarantee.
By the picture you don't seem to be a clydesdale so I'd "guess" you'll be OK
with using the bike as a second.
No jumpiing, Check the welded area often. YMMV

> --
DTW .../\.../\.../\...

I've spent most of my money on mountain biking and windsurfing.
The rest I've just wasted.

 

[tcmedara]

Duncan <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi,
> I've just discovered a substantial crack in my Giant XCX frame.
> I'm wondering whether it is worth trying to repair. The cost seems
> reasonable to keep the bike alive but the welder won't guarantee work
> done on Al frames. Has anyone had good/bad experiences trying to
> repair Al dual suspension frames?
>
> The crack is just in front of where the seat[1] tube meets the top
> tube. It is box section tubing and the whole lower face is cracked
> and a few mm up each side. I was planning on getting a new hardtail
> soon but I'd love to keep the duallie as a fun bike.
> Cheers,
> Duncan.
>
> [1] not really the seat tube but the tube going up from the BB tube
> at an angle to meet the top tube near the middle.
> The crack is on the inside corner of the triangle just below my left
> knee in this pic:
> http://fullgas.fotopic.net/p7399910.html

Not sure where you are located, so I don't know how the different warrenty
programs work around the world In the US anyway you should be able to get a
warrenty replacement. According to Giant, they have a lifetime warrenty on
their frames. http://tinyurl.com/6um6s. Either way, talk to the dealer and
see if they can help you out. Personnally, I'd prefer a new factory frame
to a questionable repair, even if the PIA factor is a bit higher.

Tom

 

[Jon Bond]

"Duncan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
> I've just discovered a substantial crack in my Giant XCX frame.
> I'm wondering whether it is worth trying to repair. The cost seems
> reasonable to keep the bike alive but the welder won't guarantee work done
> on Al frames. Has anyone had good/bad experiences trying to repair Al
dual
> suspension frames?
>
> The crack is just in front of where the seat[1] tube meets the top tube.
It
> is box section tubing and the whole lower face is cracked and a few mm up
> each side. I was planning on getting a new hardtail soon but I'd love to
> keep the duallie as a fun bike.
> Cheers,
> Duncan.
>
> [1] not really the seat tube but the tube going up from the BB tube at an
> angle to meet the top tube near the middle.
> The crack is on the inside corner of the triangle just below my left knee
in
> this pic:
> http://fullgas.fotopic.net/p7399910.html

Don't have it welded unless you plan on stripping on the paint (and parts,
obviously) off the frame, have it welded, have it heat treated, check the
alignment to make sure it didn't warp in the heat treatment, etc.

Aluminum gets extremely weak when welded, the heat treatment realigns the
crystal structure and makes it essentially one piece of aluminum (ideally).
Without heat treating, you'll crack that frame in one ride.

Jon Bond

 

[Doki]

Duncan wrote:
> Hi,
> I've just discovered a substantial crack in my Giant XCX frame.
> I'm wondering whether it is worth trying to repair. The cost seems
> reasonable to keep the bike alive but the welder won't guarantee work
> done on Al frames. Has anyone had good/bad experiences trying to
> repair Al dual suspension frames?
>
> The crack is just in front of where the seat[1] tube meets the top
> tube. It is box section tubing and the whole lower face is cracked
> and a few mm up each side. I was planning on getting a new hardtail
> soon but I'd love to keep the duallie as a fun bike.
> Cheers,
> Duncan.
>
> [1] not really the seat tube but the tube going up from the BB tube
> at an angle to meet the top tube near the middle.
> The crack is on the inside corner of the triangle just below my left
> knee in this pic:
> http://fullgas.fotopic.net/p7399910.html

Get someone who really knows that they're doing with Aluminium. There's
bound to be a reason why there are aluminium welding specialists .