What happened to my carbon frame?
 

Today I had a minor crash - lost balance while climbing too slowly on a steep road. I landed on my left side, got a bruise on the left thigh but no other damage. Or so I thought until I noticed a big scratch or crack on top tube. I don't understand how could it happen? The bike is Bianchi Infinito 2016, one month old, no other crashes. All my previous bikes were steel, I had a few of minor crashes, never any damage to the bikes (except scratched saddle in one case).

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Have you been clamping the top tube in a bike stand?
Other than that I would guess in the fall your leg slammed into it Or you torqued it with your body somehow.

No, I didn't clamp it in any way. It is quite possible I hit it with my right leg when going down. Does it mean carbon frame are such fragile that may not survive a minor fall? I'm going to the shop where I bought the bike first thing when they are open. I'm wondering what would they tell me...

Yes.
Hopefully it's not a surprise to you that the failure mode for carbon fiber is to break. It doesn't bend.
And hopefully Bianchi has a lifetime frame warranty. Or at least 5 years.

But does Bianchi warranty cover damage caused by a crash?

this is not going to end well

You mean this discussion or my situation?

splode?

:popcorn

Both. Bianchi is not likely to warranty a crash, though no harm asking, since they may offer a deeply discounted replacement out of sympathy.

As for the thread, any moment the "ride CF and die!" folks will find it, and tell you all the reasons CF is dangerous and unpredictable.

BTW, it's possible, even likely, that the frame didn't fracture because your knee hit it, but if the circumstances of the crash were right, your knee might have acted as a fulcrum with both ends of the tube bent across it. Not saying that's what happened, just that I don't think a knee bump alone caused the damage.

Can you still ride the bike? Or do you think it might snap in half if you tried?

I'll ride just about anything, but that's beyond my limit. It would probably be safe if splinted properly, and there are skilled people who repair CF, but riding as is, is foolish by any definition.

Super expensive material destroyed by a single minor drop. Crazy. :cry:

I don't even want to ask how much it would cost to fix it.

less than $500. The repair will be stronger, albeit heavier, than the original.

there's no predicting what happens in crashes. Often the lowest speed crashes do the most damage. Personally, I've crashed bikes at speeds over 30mph without any serious injury, yet my worst crash (measured in healing time was at well below 10mph when I hit a gravity wave (solo crash, no car or road defect).

Likewise Deb, broke her pelvis in a zero energy fall when her front wheel slipped out on a sub 5mph turn. There was no other injury, not even road rash, and not a mark on the bike, yet despite excellent bone density the pelvis cracked -- go figure.

So, I agree it's sad, and feel very bad for the OP, but compost happens, and can happen to anybody riding anything at any time.

He might also consider that if a knee impact was a factor, the breaking frame absorbed large amounts of energy, and his knee might have done much worse otherwise.

The marketing is top notch though:

"This process uses nano-scaled particles to reduce the microscopic gaps between the resin and the carbon, increasing strength and fracture-resistance by a claimed 49% compared to standard epoxy resin."

I slipped walking down an icy ramp with my bike at the start of my morning commute, the full weight of my body came down on top of the bike, it ended up on its side under me(full carbon felt frame). No damage, this happened a year a go, so you are mighty unlucky to have damaged your frame in the way you describe

It's also totally possible that the frame was already slightly damaged (small crack from shipping or whatever) and your accident just finished it off. I wouldn't be so quick to throw the blame on yourself when you ask your LBS about it. Just tell them the bike took a hit and then that gash appeared, but that you honestly feel like it wasn't hit hard at all.

You need required replacement frame in shop where she bought!

Please tell me this is the result of Google translate.

only part:o. I want write about change frame in the shop. 1 month old:eek:

10 year member but these are his first posts?

Career lurker or just shy?

Does Bianchi offer crash replacement, usually half price of MSRP?