Tiny Dent in Steel Frame - No Big Deal, Right?
11-09-21, 12:51 PM
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Tiny Dent in Steel Frame - No Big Deal, Right?
Greetings from Philly...
This is a bit of a venting session but also question about the integrity of steel frames. I was riding to work this morning and passed a garbage truck. A beer bottle flew out of a garbage bag that was being tossed into the truck, hit me and my bike and shattered all over the place. I was pissed. I stopped for a minute and assessed the damage. Noticed some paint chips but whatever. I was fine and luckily had a clean rag to wipe the trash juice off my frame and fender. Later noticed the dent on my seat tube. It's annoying because the bike is new but I guess it's a funny story to tell and now my bike has a proper battle scar. But I want to make sure this is strictly cosmetic. I've found some conflicting info online about the dangers of dents so I just wanted the input of others. From what I understand, because it's Reynolds 725 steel I should be good for many more years. Wish I could include a pic but this is my first post. It really is just a small ding. What do think?
This is a bit of a venting session but also question about the integrity of steel frames. I was riding to work this morning and passed a garbage truck. A beer bottle flew out of a garbage bag that was being tossed into the truck, hit me and my bike and shattered all over the place. I was pissed. I stopped for a minute and assessed the damage. Noticed some paint chips but whatever. I was fine and luckily had a clean rag to wipe the trash juice off my frame and fender. Later noticed the dent on my seat tube. It's annoying because the bike is new but I guess it's a funny story to tell and now my bike has a proper battle scar. But I want to make sure this is strictly cosmetic. I've found some conflicting info online about the dangers of dents so I just wanted the input of others. From what I understand, because it's Reynolds 725 steel I should be good for many more years. Wish I could include a pic but this is my first post. It really is just a small ding. What do think?
Last edited by vincentjay93; 11-12-21 at 08:29 AM.
11-09-21, 12:54 PM
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Small ding, cosmetic only so as long as the appearance doesn't bother you don't sweat it. A picture would help as someone's "small ding" may be someone else's "collapsed tube" or something like that 
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11-09-21, 01:03 PM
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see all those dents and crimps in your chain stays? a lot of stress focused in that area. i don't know what you've read, but a dent is nothing to worry about
11-09-21, 01:47 PM
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Hard to imagine that a beer bottle dented the seat tube. But hitting it just right, I suppose it is. And even if it did and it did the worst it could do, it's something that you'll see when bad things are about to be happening if you just look at it every now and then. It's not going to suddenly explode or break in a dramatic and sudden fashion. Unless of course you never again look at it to see if anything is happening.
11-09-21, 05:28 PM
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11-10-21, 11:10 AM
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Greetings from Philly...
{snip}
... I was riding to work this morning and passed a garbage truck. A beer bottle flew out of a garbage bag that was being tossed into the truck, hit me and my bike and shattered all over the place. I was pissed. I stopped for a minute and assessed the damage. Noticed some paint chips but whatever. I was fine and luckily had a clean rag to wipe the trash juice off my frame and fender. Later noticed the dent on my seat tube. ...
{snip}
... I was riding to work this morning and passed a garbage truck. A beer bottle flew out of a garbage bag that was being tossed into the truck, hit me and my bike and shattered all over the place. I was pissed. I stopped for a minute and assessed the damage. Noticed some paint chips but whatever. I was fine and luckily had a clean rag to wipe the trash juice off my frame and fender. Later noticed the dent on my seat tube. ...
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11-10-21, 11:53 AM
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I guess I am a true Philadelphian nowadays. It is a pencil eraser sized ding. I will do my best to forget about it. Thanks for easing my concerns. I am just having trouble accepting the fact that commuting by bike in Philly is a contact sport.
Last edited by vincentjay93; 11-12-21 at 08:30 AM.
11-12-21, 07:36 PM
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My rear brake caliper put a decent size dent in my 725 Reynolds frame after the force of getting hit by a car pushed it into the frame (and completely twisted the brake arm). Dent is about 2mm deep however, the powdercoat filled it in some (the bike was repainted a few months later after the crash). Been riding that bike for several thousand miles with that dent (including another crash, this one on the front end) with no issues. That's the nice thing about steel. It can be considerably more durable than frame other materials.
11-13-21, 02:12 AM
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I have a Paramount with a small ding on the top tube. About the same size as the red frame in the pic above. I've put over 20,000 miles on it with no issues.
