Alloy frame took a beat down. Is she ridable?

[Shredden]

While riding in Queenstown last week I had a 'yuuugee stack, pretty much fell about 3 meters directly onto my head and chest. I have a broken sternum, but my bike took some heat too. Upon arriving back in Australia and unpacking it, I see there is a pretty bad dint on the side of the headtube, where the fork bumpers contact it. It was deep enough that it cracked the paint around the edges of the dint. I have scratched the paint off and there are no cracks in the alloy, but wondering if this dint would fatigue the frame significantly enough that its unsafe to ride. I love this bike. Don't want to (and can't afford to) replace it if I don't have to.

 

[mtb101]

yes you mean wink wink after opening bike box it was somehow damaged so you're really asking who to contact regarding the damage right? nasty baggage handlers I say.

 

[Tubbsy]

. I have a broken sternum

Fuck, you poor bastard. That must hurt.

Completely non-expert in these matters, but a hit that produced that dent so near to those structural welds would concern me.

I don't think I'd have complete confidence in that, and if the head tube snaps off suddenly you may face worse than a broken sternum.

Hope you recover quickly though!

 

[Shredden]

Fuck, you poor bastard. That must hurt.

Sure does. Sneezing is the worst part. Endone helps a bit though.

The fact that it's so close to the headtube concerns me as well. If it was in the downtube or something I wouldn't be so worried.

 

[Shredden]

yes you mean wink wink after opening bike box it was somehow damaged so you're really asking who to contact regarding the damage right? nasty baggage handlers I say.

Unfortunately I'm a terrible liar. And between this post, the conversations with the staff in the hostel and bike shop in Queenstown, and all the facebook messages I've sent, I've left a nice little paper trail to incriminate myself. I'm too good looking to do time in jail for insurance fraud.

 

[DMan]

Fucking ouch man!! Did you come off in the bike park? What has the bike shop said about the dent or hasn't anyone seen it?

 

[Flow-Rider]

If you can find a good old school panel beater that worked on Euro cars, he will be able to pop that out. They can spot weld an aluminium plug and use a slide hammer to pop it then grind the plug away, Not sure how cost effective it will be or how it affects the structurally integrity.

 

[andrew9]

Not sure how cost effective it will be or how it affects the structurally integrity.

I'd reckon that popping it out would be worse than leaving it, lots of aluminium alloys love to grow cracks when you try and straighten them. Skilled application of heat could help if you did try.

I reckon it's fine keep riding it, but it would always be in the back of my mind

 

[born-again-biker]

I can't believe all these 'burners gave you free advice without demanding to see the gratuitous crash vid first.......tssk.....

I reckon if there's definitely no cracks in the alloy, ride the shit outta that sled!

 

[Shredden]

Fucking ouch man!! Did you come off in the bike park? What has the bike shop said about the dent or hasn't anyone seen it?

Yeah it was in the bike park, I was riding by myself in the late arvo. Theres a left berm with a little jump into it in the lower part of the park, I think it was "New Original" or "Thundergoat" - I overcooked the jump and landed front heavy, then went off the top of the berm on the front wheel. The sort of crash you have often riding DH and normally just slide out of, except this time there was quite a large drop onto some rocks and logs on the other side. Have a fair bit of skin off my shoulder which is weird, because I didn't slide at all, it must have just been the force of the impact. Couldn't lift my arms above my head afterward so had to get a hand to get my bike back up onto the trail afterwards, then rolled down one handed. I took a (shakey) panorama pic afterwards - you can see my gold handlebar and grip sitcking upwards down the bottom of the pic, I think I landed about another meter to the left/downhill of that. As always is the case, I promise its much further and steeper than it looks

Ended up having to fly back early to go to hospital in Melbourne as there were Q wave irregularities (can indicate having had a heart attack in the past) in the ECG they did in Queenstown... Have had the works now though and been given the all clear. Having a nurse for a Mum is great in times like that haha.

I did get the shop in Queenstown to box the bike up for me, but they didn't have a proper look at the dint. They did point out that I snapped my Saint shifter, which I hadn't really noticed

I would consider popping the dint out, but as the others have said I'd imagine from a fatigue point of view you'd want to bend it as little as possible. Could do more damage than it's worth?

I can't believe all these 'burners gave you free advice without demanding to see the gratuitous crash vid first.......tssk.....

I reckon if there's definitely no cracks in the alloy, ride the shit outta that sled!

No footage, had the GoPro on my head but the fkn thing wouldn't turn on at the top of the run. It snapped clean off in the crash, surprised I remembered to pick it up afterwards actually.

Thinking I'll strip some more paint off and have a good look, even around the welds, and then proceed with caution.

Chest protector is up next on the shopping list for sure BTW... This is the first big crash I've had in 10 years of riding DH.

 

[redbruce]

Take it to Grip for assessment.

 

[born-again-biker]

Jeebus!!!

 

[Nambra]

+1 on redbruce's suggestion. You should also look to getting the ding and nearby welds tested (ultrasonic perhaps) to determine if there is truly any weakness.

Hope you have a speedy recovery too.

Edit: Looks like your brake line copped part of the impact too.

 

[slowmick]

lucky you didn't wind up with branches sticking out of you like a half dead Christmas tree. You is one lucky man given the location.

 

[Dales Cannon]

Reckon it is ok. Take it easy on the recovery, I broke a rib under the sternum and was too stupid to let it heal properly. 6 month injury became 14 months...

 

[DMan]

Yeah it was in the bike park, I was riding by myself in the late arvo. Theres a left berm with a little jump into it in the lower part of the park, I think it was "New Original" or "Thundergoat" - I overcooked the jump and landed front heavy, then went off the top of the berm on the front wheel. The sort of crash you have often riding DH and normally just slide out of, except this time there was quite a large drop onto some rocks and logs on the other side. Have a fair bit of skin off my shoulder which is weird, because I didn't slide at all, it must have just been the force of the impact. Couldn't lift my arms above my head afterward so had to get a hand to get my bike back up onto the trail afterwards, then rolled down one handed. I took a (shakey) panorama pic afterwards - you can see my gold handlebar and grip sitcking upwards down the bottom of the pic, I think I landed about another meter to the left/downhill of that. As always is the case, I promise its much further and steeper than it looks

Ended up having to fly back early to go to hospital in Melbourne as there were Q wave irregularities (can indicate having had a heart attack in the past) in the ECG they did in Queenstown... Have had the works now though and been given the all clear. Having a nurse for a Mum is great in times like that haha.

I did get the shop in Queenstown to box the bike up for me, but they didn't have a proper look at the dint. They did point out that I snapped my Saint shifter, which I hadn't really noticed

I would consider popping the dint out, but as the others have said I'd imagine from a fatigue point of view you'd want to bend it as little as possible. Could do more damage than it's worth?



No footage, had the GoPro on my head but the fkn thing wouldn't turn on at the top of the run. It snapped clean off in the crash, surprised I remembered to pick it up afterwards actually.

Thinking I'll strip some more paint off and have a good look, even around the welds, and then proceed with caution.

Chest protector is up next on the shopping list for sure BTW... This is the first big crash I've had in 10 years of riding DH.

I thinks it's Thundergoat? My partner and I were there last Dec and I think I know the place you mean. Good to see you're mending though!

 

[Shredden]

Nambra, that's actually my gear cable. They cross over just before they go past the seat tube. Luckily its a bit easier to replace. Will look into taking it to Grip or getting it professionally inspected. Conscious of how fast the cost would add up though, considering that the entire bike only cost me $1700 2 years ago :/

Very thankful to not have any branches sticking out of me, I've seen some disgusting videos along those lines on Facebook.

And yes, I do think it was Thundergoat the more I think about it.

Anyone ridden the new track "Bubba"? I loved it, one of my favorite tracks I've ever ridden. Just the right mix of high speed and blown out.

Note taken on going slow on the recovery Dale, cheers

 

[Ultra Lord]

That really sucks about the injury mate, hope you have a speedy recovery.

But going off your past dodgy bike stuff posts, how can you not keep running it? Maybe fill the frame with water?

Seriously though, send it to grip and start saving for a new frame I reckon. Should be some killer frames floating around. I assume it’s 26 too? Hopefully something decent

 

[Shredden]

That really sucks about the injury mate, hope you have a speedy recovery.

But going off your past dodgy bike stuff posts, how can you not keep running it? Maybe fill the frame with water?

Seriously though, send it to grip and start saving for a new frame I reckon. Should be some killer frames floating around. I assume it’s 26 too? Hopefully something decent

Could fill the frame with water and freeze it like they do with motorbike expansion chambers?

It sure is 26", gonna keep my eyes peeled on FB for a cheap replacement. Have wanted a trail bike for ages, so it's hard to justify spending cash on the DH rather than adding a trail bike to the fleet.

 

[safreek]

Ride it, all good. I would do anyway