• Image not linked ?

  • Link fixed, thanks.

  • Most places/people would replace the tube.

  • Doesn't seem big enough for changing the whole tube. You could get it filled with metal.

    Try Rusby Cycles, when I took a frame to him for replacing the dropouts, he asked me if I wanted to have a similar dent get repaired by filling it.

  • Hello forum! I'm pretty new and just starting my first project. I had made this as a new topic before finding this one so have moved it.

    I recently bought a Raleigh 'The Winner', which was in pretty good condition. My project was to strip, re-paint and rebuild it into a single speed.

    Obviously something went wrong, it was totally self-inflicted damage. I stripped the frame of everything except the headset cups. I had ordered a tool for this but it was last to arrive. Being slightly impatient I decided to try to gently knock out the cups with a flat head screw driver.

    I found that my bike stand was absorbing the hammer taps and the cups weren't moving. At this point I should have given up and waited for the tool to arrive, but I am too stubborn.

    So I decided to use a wooden vice to grip the headtube, you can guess where this is going. I was trying to be careful with how tight I went, I thought it was tight but it still moved a bit as I tapped screwdriver with hammer so I gave it an unfortunate further 1/8 turn. Of course the sudden result was a dent in the head tube.

    So I am an idiot.

    The dent is visible on both the inside and outside of the head tube and at a guess measures about 3cm across. The forks were out of the frame when the 'incident occurred'. They still fit in and rotate without problem. The headset cups are still firmly attached! As far as I can tell there is no damage to the lugs or any other tubes, the rest of the head tube seems to be in shape and I can't see any kink in the frame. The sticker says this is a "18-23 High Tensile, Controlled Carbon Cycle Frame", which I believe is Raleigh's own steel tubing.

    My questions are:
    is the frame now a write off?
    if not, should I try to knock out the dent, fill it, or just ride it as is?

    I have attached photos to help you all assess how dumb my decision making was, and hopefully allow someone to tell me if this it was fatal or if this is salvageable. Thanks in advance for any help.

    The bike as bought: http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/runningouts/media/PICT0016.jpg.html?sort=6&o=0

    The damage (various angles):
    http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/runningouts/media/IMG_7570.jpg.html?sort=6&o=1
    http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/runningouts/media/IMG_7569.jpg.html?sort=6&o=2
    http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/runningouts/media/IMG_7565.jpg.html?sort=6&o=3
    http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/runningouts/media/IMG_7558.jpg.html?sort=6&o=4
    http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/runningouts/media/IMG_7579.jpg.html?sort=6&o=5
    http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/runningouts/media/IMG_7582.jpg.html?sort=6&o=6
    http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/runningouts/media/IMG_7583.jpg.html?sort=6&o=7

  • I wouldn't worry about it as long as it's not deep enough to grind against the steerer - it doesn't look like it is. As long as the cups sit OK, it'll be fine.

    In terms of a repair, 18-23 Hi-Ten steel is bottom of the range - I'd say it's not worth even bothering to fill, unless the dent really offends you and the frame has sentimental value. Ride as is, and embrace beaterdom.

    (And yes, you're an idiot. But you know that, and we won't hold it against you, as long as you know not to do it again.)

  • I
    In terms of a repair, 18-23 Hi-Ten steel is bottom of the range

    Its not the steel but the whole package that puts it in range. There were a number of quite good utility bicycles made out of effectively high-ten steel tubes. The winner was 18-24 tubes which, I think, is a kind of seemed industrial tube. It was, I think, designed at a low price point and sold for somewhere around 100 Quid back in the early 1980s. Quite a few were sold as Raleigh still had a brand they could sell and it was the height of their position within professional cycling. Joop Zoetemelk won the 1980 TdF on a Raleigh branded bicycle (the Team Professional). The difference between the Winner and the Team Pro was almost as extreme as between Team 7-11 Huffy bicycles (made by Ben Serotta) and their mass produced namesake ..

  • is the frame now a write off?
    if not, should I try to knock out the dent, fill it, or just ride it as is?

    I guess you have to ask yourself is the frame worth the repair? and if you feel particularly attached to the frame then keep it and get it repaired. If you're not then pass it on. Personally I wouldn't ride a damaged frame ;)

  • Thanks for the replies. I didn't bother filling it and so as jsabine said I am now "embracing the beater". I bought this frame knowing it wasn't worth anything and telling myself that it would just be a leave-outsider. But then of course as soon as I stripped the paint and have resprayed it, it holds more value to me. So maybe this dent is a good thing for helping me keep it in perspective. Or perhaps I am clutching at straws to take a positive from this!
    Either way I am hoping that it's more cosmetic than structural damage. I will continue riding it and keep an eye out for any cracks etc.

  • on this subject, what is the concensus on NJS frames what bar dents in the tt? these safe to ride? looking for somthing steel and ratty.

  • Decided to give my old dirt jump mtb some tlc, remembered about the dent in the top tube when someone had a go at my lock back in the day.. I'd covered it up with duct tape at the time and ridden it fine without worrying, but looking at it again now it looks a bit dodgy. Basically I'm wondering if it's worth getting the thing resprayed etc (there's quite a bit of surface rust too) or would it just be a waste of money? The dent's about the size of my thumb and about 4 mm deep, the other side of the tube doesn't look to be deformed at all. Frame's a steel dmr trailstar so pretty tough..


  • Structurally - I wouldn't worry about it. No sharp edges or creases, and fundamentally the top tube's only there to stop the head and seat tubes swinging in the breeze anyway.

    Cosmetically - do what you gotta do.

  • Is it possible to convert a dropout to accept a replaceable hanger? Basically mine has been tweeked loads of times and I'm not sure it's going to last much longer - the threads aren't as good as they once were as well.

  • it should be possible, yes

  • Good to hear, I guess it largely depends upon the dropout, these are hooded which could cause problems.

    It's a socket dropout so at worst I think it'd be a matter of soldering in a new one, should it come to that.

    http://www.framebuilding.com/NEWPARTSPAGES/NEWIMAGES/Cast%20D19.jpg

  • Any recommendations on local builders in London to replace down tube and top tube?
    I'm having troubles getting any sort of reply from Rourkes about fixing mine, so trying to figure out my other options.

  • I think oak is probably your closest but people seem to be getting better service from talbot.

    http://talbotframeworks.co.uk/contact/

    I know that vaz did a good job of the same repair for @countryboj too.

  • I used Oak before to do some minor adjustments on a Dave Russell that ended up with you. Gazelle fork came from him.

    Wasn't sure how busy he is at the moment.

    Thanks for reply!

  • My sense is that Oak and Talbot are pretty focused on building new frames ATM. I sent a frame to Mario Vaz for painting, the shot-blasting showed the chainstays were made of Swiss cheese, and his brother Winston replaced them. I think Vaz may be your best bet.

  • Vaz seems to be doing some magic fades recently, maybe that's the way to go for the roadie Rourke.

  • I thought the same of Talbot and Oak, I think they may be too busy to do it. I heard good feedback about Vaz repairs before. Cheers for heads up.

  • When I Google 'Mario Vaz' it comes up with some African leader?

  • I got a Rourke this weekend, it has a dent in the top tube.
    I'm gonna send it to Rourkes for a respray, could the dent be filled in before hand or should I live with it?

  • Have I made a huge mistake?

    Theres more rust than I first thought especially around the BB/chainstays and the dent on the top tube looks pretty nasty. Could the dent be brass filled or would the top tube need replacing? Should I be worried about the structural integrity of the BB area?

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roberts-Racing-Bicycle-Reynolds-653-Campagnolo-Chorus-1988-60cm-/171941834057?autorefresh=true&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=eK6YXE7zpCV5sdA8WDSk8Grhvi4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

  • difficult to tell from the pics. might be worth getting seller to send some different views. if it's as gnarly as it looks the top tube probs needs replacing.

    if you do go through with sale, for peace of mind drop it into a frame builder and get them to check it out. Saffron has done that a couple times for me, check the alignment etc

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Frame Dents and Repair - Kinked, Dinged or Bent Top tube, Dent Down tube, etc

Posted by Avatar for BigFatAl @BigFatAl

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