Is this cracked titanium frame safe to ride?
 

I recently stumbled across what I believed to be a great deal on a Lynskey titanium bike. A seller on craigslist marketplace had one listed with an asking price so low the groupset and wheelset were worth it alone! After recently losing two bikes during shipping, I could scarcely believe my fortune. I hastily purchased the bike.

The following morning I discovered the reason for the too-good-to-be-true asking price: The frame is cracked around the headtube. I contacted the seller and he replied: "That does not compromise the structure of the head tube, according to the manufacturer. If it completely cracks, which will not, I’ll refund you the money, or you are welcome to return it. Your call"

I've opted to keep it... So, is this safe to ride? Not interested in spending money on repair.

https://ibb.co/YXxg4Y8
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8d3ccaaad6.jpg

I'd be wary of it, seems it would be likely to spread. NOT an area where you want to risk failure.

Was this disclosed in the auction? I wouldn't ride it like that.

Was not disclosed.

Insure the wazoo out of it and ship it by UPS. Get them to pay for a new frame.

That's one scummy seller. I'd return it.

i agree with the seller being a scumbag, i'd not ride it either, but if the parts minus frame are worth the $ paid then buyer should consider himself a bit fortunate in that respect.

on a side note, can something like that be welded? i would think so but am completely ignorant to such a repair around a bearing surface. hose clamps? :innocent:

It’s insane to consider keeping and riding that bike. Having been a member of BF for over 12 years I am pretty sure you already knew that.

Setting aside the improbable claim that a representative of the manufacturer would say that that crack does not compromise the reliability of the frame, someone who concealed the existence of that crack is unlikely to be trustworthy concerning any other part of the transaction. Here's hoping that the offer to let you return the frame was sincere and not a ploy to lull you into keeping it.

I agree it was dishonest. However, to be completely objective, I didn't pay anywhere near the value of an undamaged frame. The seller clearly priced the bike taking the damage into consideration. Furthermore, the fact that it was priced so low should have sparked suspicion, and led to a more thorough inspection prior to purchase. The onus falls upon me to conduct one when engaging in a transaction with a random FB marketplace seller.

In 2017 I inquired about purchasing a damaged Ti frame here. I was advised by multiple people to steer clear. I opted to purchase it and the bike has been great to me.

Maybe you guys are too risk adverse

At the very least, I would consider drilling a hole at the end of the crack to stop further spread. That looks like any stress is just going to cause it to lengthen until it fails. Were it me, I would sell, repurpose the parts and toss the frame, or see if the manufacturer has a lifetime warranty?

Lol. In that case, keep it, have fun adjusting the preload on the headset and don't worry about that wobble.

I don't know much about bikes. But it seems to me that the frame is a core component of the build. If that's compromized, the whole bike would be. Maybe keep the parts that are worth while and get just a frame to build on?

Let's see, o-rings and foam tiles can take down spacecraft.
Do you have good dental benefits?

Well, gee, the person who wants to keep your money and get rid of the frame told you to not worry about it. I’m sure that the seller is very reliable.

I mean, seriously? You bought a frame with a cracked head tube and you wanna know if it’s safe to ride? Are you effing kidding?

contact lynskey and see what it would take to repair it

​​​​​​https://lynskeyperformance.com/contact-us/

This is exactly what I’d be concerned about if I were riding that frame.

Not endorsing this:
Since you've opted to keep it. I'd look into some sort of machined aluminum clamp to go around the base of the head tube. Something like a motorcycle steering damper clamp?
Thinking outside of the box at saving it. It's only a suggestion

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4ee5821e03.jpg

No, No, No. You have the worst of possible stress risers , a crack! Even with drilling a hole at what you think is the end of the stress riser! That needs professional; repair at a minimum. Sorry but don't want to mess with the front end of a bike, it always is the worst of outcomes, forks, headsets, stems, handlebars, wheels, even tires, etc!

Do not ride the frame, risk averse is just your way of getting out of the truth. A cracked frame is not safe to ride. Maybe it won't go further, maybe it will that is not a determination that can be made easily without going into the future but the risk is not worth the reward as hospital bills can get way more expensive than a Lynskey or even a Firefly.

If you got it for a super low price but all the parts are decent save it for the parts and see if Lynskey has a frame repair program or find another titanium repair shop and see if they are able to repair it or just get a new frame and no need to worry.

Are all your life decisions as well informed as these last two you've shared here?

Or have a machinist drill a hole at the crack end, shim the bottom of the headtube and wrap with a SS pipe clamp. (The shim shaped to make for a clean cylinder of the bottom of the DT weld and flair of the headtube above the headsetl.

That said, I had a fork fail a cm perhaps from that crack and paid for it with years of my life. We are talking the most critical area of the bike safety-wise by a lot.

Since this is a Lynskey, send them the photo and ask to have Lynskey himself look at it and comment. He's been around this stuff 30 years. If it a TiCycles and mine, I'd contact them. (Maybe 3 years fewer experience.)

Well, along the same lines of what DESERT RYDER (see post#20 09-03-22 07:05PM) suggested concerning the "bodging" & "macgyvering" methods of possibly structurally stabilizing that horrible crack that you have there.

Combine such possibilities as Mishimoto Constant Tension band clamp (essentially its like a much stronger better built radiator style hose clamp..) and strong thread (essentially in addition to the use of the constant tension clamp and JB WELD epoxy, YOU WOULD do "whipping thread", thats what it was called on GOLF CLUB wood heads' hosels when real wood heads were in use prior to their extinction around 1989 or so).
Thread by itself doesn't seem strong, but wrapped neatly and tight, and then liberally saturated with a coating of just ordinary clear epoxy will provide much strength in addition to filling the existing crack with JB WELD which is grey or dark grey depending on whether you use the original 24 hour (5020psi tensille shear strength) --OR-- the JB WELD Kwik version(3127psi ).
The JB WELD KWIK has a working time of about 4 to 5 minutes maximum before it sets and will no longer run or flow..... This is an important consideration when you are dealing with certain cracks, and you need the "epoxy"(JB WELD) to run & flow all the way in all crevices/canyons........ SOMETIMES, JB WELD KWIK begins to stop flowing and running somewhat around the one minute fifteen second mark, though it still is easily manipulated and spread for at least another minute and a half.
.............Standard JB WELD (5020psi) remains somewhat runny and flowing for about an hour, perhaps more, and doesn't begin to set up until about the three hour mark.
****ALL OF THIS IS SOMEWHAT DEPENDENT ON THE ROOM TEMPERATURE OR OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IF OUTDOORS, IN WHICH THE JB WELD IS mixed & applied.***

Anyway, here are some such possible items that might assist you in your Bodging / MacGyvering of your super dooper titanium shattered frame:
https://www.amazon.com/Mishimoto-MMC...dp/B09FYGLPZ1/

https://www.amazon.com/Mishimoto-MMC...dp/B07XC2MNDR/

https://www.amazon.com/Coats-Outdoor...dp/B00CI50QYU/

https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8276...dp/B0006O1ICY/

https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8265...dp/B0006O1ICE/

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bodge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodging

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34075407
https://www.definitions.net/definition/macgyver

-------------Yeah, you'll probably be able to stabilize the cracked area and add sufficient strengthening where it would probably be safe enough to ride it.
----------------------UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE IT LOOK NORMAL AS IT DID ORIGINALLY!
However if you do not attempt to reinforce the crack , in some way that would make Richard Dean Anderson's 'MacGyver' character proud, you will be taking chances that you don't wanna take...........something along the lines of having Gilligan or Jethro Bodine pack your parachute on your next skydiving trip...