Originally Posted by
Trakhak
If a frame was hit with enough force to show paint chipping/cracking at the tube junctions, the force was beyond the yield strength of the steel. It won't spring back to its original state on its own.
well, let’s look at it another way. With the bike above, there is no deformation. All the tubes and welds look to be undamaged. Only the paint shows some cracking. I would tend to think the frame is OK. Prioritizing healthy tubing and welds over paint condition.