Just got a new frame… and was breaking this 2014 S5 VWD down for potential sale.
When I first built the frame there was slight defect where you see in the pics… I put a frame protection sticker over it. This is the left side of the top tube in case you could not tell for sure.
Tonight I took off the frame sticker and found this… there was some minor paint loss on the sticker…
When I appiled the sticker a year or so ago, it didn’t look like this.
Bike has never been crashed… and the rest of the frame looks LIKE NEW. I mean PERFECT.
I would like to sell the frame of course… but clearly want to make sure it is not dangerous in any way.
Hard to say, do you have a nearby LBS that you can bring it too so they may verify it…Usually a scratch your fingernail will just to say catch it but a crack, the nail will stay in it…
Are you sure the handlebars didn’t flip around and hit the top tub?
Hard to say, do you have a nearby LBS that you can bring it too so they may verify it…Usually a scratch your fingernail will just to say catch it but a crack, the nail will stay in it…
Yes… I will bring it by tomorrow. Not sure they will be able to tell me anything more than I know already though.
May have to send it in…
Are you sure the handlebars didn’t flip around and hit the top tub?
Yes… positive.
Hard to say, do you have a nearby LBS that you can bring it too so they may verify it…Usually a scratch your fingernail will just to say catch it but a crack, the nail will stay in it…
Yes… I will bring it by tomorrow. Not sure they will be able to tell me anything more than I know already though.
May have to send it in…
I know some guys that would probably take the chance and still ride a frame like that if it was their own. But my guess is that the barrier for anyone to purchase a second hand frame (with no warranty) that had that type of blemish is much much higher. Especially since this is not a $300 used frame…
If you expect to sell it, you will most certainly need to send it in and get Cervelo’s (or another reputable authority on carbon frames) official diagnosis and document the whole process for the potential buyer.
Hard to say, do you have a nearby LBS that you can bring it too so they may verify it…Usually a scratch your fingernail will just to say catch it but a crack, the nail will stay in it…
Yes… I will bring it by tomorrow. Not sure they will be able to tell me anything more than I know already though.
May have to send it in…
I know some guys that would probably take the chance and still ride a frame like that if it was their own. But my guess is that the barrier for anyone to purchase a second hand frame (with no warranty) that had that type of blemish is much much higher. Especially since this is not a $300 used frame…
If you expect to sell it, you will most certainly need to send it in and get Cervelo’s (or another reputable authority on carbon frames) official diagnosis and document the whole process for the potential buyer.
I agree totally… I would never buy it unless I knew FOR SURE it was cosmetic.
I could also sell it AS IS and provide full disclosure… could be great deal for someone.
I think I will send it in…
Take it to your LBS and/or call Cervelo. That is a strange spot for a crack. I had a crack in my P4, but it was right on the top tune in front where the seat post went into the frame (stress point). The LBS sent it in and Cervelo sent a new frame. In my experience, Cervelo was very good on this.
The reason I asked about whether handlebars ever flipped around and impacted the top tube is because you’ve got a sure sign of an impact crack. It would be interesting to see exactly where that crack is by showing us a wider angle picture and in fact rotating the bars to see whether the point where they touch the top tube coincides with this crack. The top tube is a relatively low stress area in the middle so its tough to understand how a crack could form and the lower portion of the crack is wider than the upper portion. That wider portion looks like impact damage to me.
If it is a crack I know a good carbon repair guy here in Denver that does great work. He rebuilt the carbon dropout on my neilpryde Alize.
The reason I asked about whether handlebars ever flipped around and impacted the top tube is because you’ve got a sure sign of an impact crack. It would be interesting to see exactly where that crack is by showing us a wider angle picture and in fact rotating the bars to see whether the point where they touch the top tube coincides with this crack. The top tube is a relatively low stress area in the middle so its tough to understand how a crack could form and the lower portion of the crack is wider than the upper portion. That wider portion looks like impact damage to me.
More pics here…just taken this AM.
The handlebars would not come that far toward the seat tube as you can see, so I don’t think that’s the issue.
The closer I look… the more I think it is just in the paint.
What do you guys say now??
Yup. Too far back for handlebar. It doesn’t look like paint only. You can tap it with a coin and listen to hear if the area around it sounds any different than the damaged area.
Just curious - how long did the warranty exchange take? I just dropped my P3 off at my LBS for a similar issue.
Get a warranty replacement then sell it to me 
.
If its not warrantee replaceable, I’m sure someone would still buy it and have it repaired themselves, for the right price, so don’t chuck it in the trash.
If I remember correctly it took about 3 weeks. The LBS then took all the parts from my P4 and built up the P5. It was about a month end to end.
It’s hard to tell based on the photos. CycloCarbon does really great work. I haven’t used their services personally but have seen stuff they’ve repaired and it’s great…and reasonably priced.
The reason I asked about whether handlebars ever flipped around and impacted the top tube is because you’ve got a sure sign of an impact crack. It would be interesting to see exactly where that crack is by showing us a wider angle picture and in fact rotating the bars to see whether the point where they touch the top tube coincides with this crack. The top tube is a relatively low stress area in the middle so its tough to understand how a crack could form and the lower portion of the crack is wider than the upper portion. That wider portion looks like impact damage to me.
More pics here…just taken this AM.
The handlebars would not come that far toward the seat tube as you can see, so I don’t think that’s the issue.
The closer I look… the more I think it is just in the paint.
What do you guys say now??
it looks alright to me, because the carbon layer looks alright with no imperfections.
is there a raised edge where the carbon should be?
Get a warranty replacement then sell it to me
In my case (2012), Cervelo required damaged frame to be confiscated by dealer (LBS) and returned to them…so, no secondary sale.