Repairing Carbon Fibre - Carbon Damage & Repair

Hi All, I'm looking for some advise on repairing (or ignoring) the damage to my carbon frame. The frame is a Look 555 and the damage (caused by persons unknown when I had the bike on a train) is a chip on the down tube.

The chip is about 5mm across and less than a mm deep. However you can see that it has gone through the laquer, paint and at least one layer of carbon.

Can anyone recommend what to do? Is the damage superficial, should i get an expert to take a look? who would you recommend?

Thanks!

There's a thread on carbon repairs somewhere around here, including recommendations on repairers.

Thanks, I looked but couldn't find one. i'll have another search.

Yeah - I just did the same thing to get you a link and also came up blank.

And it's here.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread66851.html

Hi All, I'm looking for some advise on repairing (or ignoring) the damage to my carbon frame. The frame is a Look 555 and the damage (caused by persons unknown when I had the bike on a train) is a chip on the down tube.

The chip is about 5mm across and less than a mm deep. However you can see that it has gone through the laquer, paint and at least one layer of carbon.

Can anyone recommend what to do? Is the damage superficial, should i get an expert to take a look? I have taken a look at the suggested specialist shops above but none of them are in London and it seems crazy to post off a frame if I don't need to. Anyone recommend a London shop to go to?

Thanks!

I,d be tempted to just fill the hole with some 24 epoxy
You could put a small patch of carbon cloth over if you really wanted

mike woodhouse at free flight supplies sells carbon fibre sock for a couple of quid a metre
way more than you need but it's cheap as chips anyway

Just ignore it. It may fall apart as you descend an Alp but it's unlikely

If you want a diy non-cycling but waterproof suggestion .. my only experience of carbon finishing is with fishing rods. Id just try to seal it with Gudebrod acrylic fishing rod varnish or Flexcoat high build epoxy. Both fairly cheap.

thanks for the advise, that was pretty much what i wanted to hear.

I think its worth filling just to seal it up. I figured it would be the kind of thing bike shops would do these days but apparently not.

In the States in Calfee.

S/F,
CEYA!

http://www.calfeedesign.com/repair/

Calfee Carbon Repair; professional, tested, guaranteed.

We’ve built carbon frames in the US since 1987. This experience paired with our in-house manufacturing and finishing, qualifies Calfee as the industry’s carbon repair expert. Since 2003, we’ve managed repairs for over 5500 riders, retailers and manufacturers. We warranty our carbon repair for 10 years. Our current wait list is three weeks.

I've just took delivery of a Alpina Wing Pista for and there seems to be a slight indentation on the inside of one of the fork legs, would you guys say it's worth getting in touch with where I got it from? Also, there is a load of little bubbles on the paint, I know that's nothing to worry about from a structural point of view but if you pay good money then you expect good quality. Any advice would be appreciated.

new? used? shop soiled?

Bubbling in the clearcoat happens after a while, esp if they've been under sunlight for a long time. Carbon doesn't like lots of UV.

i don't think bubbling is necessarily benign - it could be an indication of delamination in the top layers of carbon i think.

If the item is new or these defects were not mentioned I would chase it up

Forgot to mention, the item was brand new. I'm chasing it up with Brooks Cycles. There's no cracks to the carbon that I can see, just a finger print sized indentation, not too deep or anything but enough to make me get a second oppinion as for the paintwork, that shouldn't be as it is.

I was recently passed down a frame by a B'rogue who had lost interest in building it up. Upon riding it finally getting all the angles dialed to my preferences, i had the unfortunate experience of having the chain skip off and scar the bottom bracket conjunction and drive side chain stay. I'm worried that the gauges will lead to failure one day soon....

anyone had any experience with carbon frames?

Trigon Venus Carbon Composite Exotic Material Technology my Ass..

http://www.velocitybikes.co.uk/index.asp?upid=108&msid=3

http://www.carbonframerepair.com/index.php/damage-you-cant-see/

A super brief search I found this, may be worth talking to them.

I was recently passed down a frame by a B'rogue who had lost interest in building it up. Upon riding it finally getting all the angles dialed to my preferences, i had the unfortunate experience of having the chain skip off and scar the bottom bracket conjunction and drive side chain stay. I'm worried that the gauges will lead to failure one day soon....

anyone had any experience with carbon frames?

Trigon Venus Carbon Composite Exotic Material Technology my Ass..

Pfff. All carbon frames get marked. If I worried about every mark on my frame I'd never ride it. If it's a decent frame you'll be fine, carbon is tough shit if it's layed up properly - no more likely to fail that steel and less likely to fail than alu (if it's a good quality frame). I would advise that you either ride it and forget about it, or (if you can't get rid of that nagging feeling) just sell it and buy something else.

Just seal it up with some clear epoxy and hope for the best. My frame (above) is still going strong. There is some epoxy info in the other carbon frame repair thread I posted in. (Perhaps these threads could be merged) http://www.lfgss.com/thread66851.html

thanks for the link and all the Feedback... pics of said damage, definitely not as bad as some of the carnage from your thread.. Peace Y'all

Looks like clearcoat damage to me.

thats what i thought too, its hard to be sure though... best to keep an eye on it if you start to use the frame again.

Sell it to me. £10 inc shipping plse?

think i'll pass on teh offer

Currently built up with spare parts like a steel crowned fork 650c front wheel
not worth the wrath with posting a pic

kinda like being embarrassed of your Fat Girlfriend

nothing wrong with that...

Being Embarrassed that is

Post some close ups with a natural light source (ie no flash). If the carbon was damaged you would see strands of carbon split.

To me, it reminds me of when i was a kid in class, scratching a varnished table with my finger nails. Leaves s horrible white streak but is just cosmetic