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Crack in my MTB bike?

Old 07-29-22, 01:16 PM
  #1  
tinofenotti
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Crack in my MTB bike?

Hi folks, purchased a used Mountain Bike, a 2011 Giant Faith. Gave it a wash and noticed what I think is a crack. Hopefully its just the paint/gel coat splitting and it doesn't flex when I apply pressure or anything but hoping someone out there has seen this before and can confirm for me. Thanks all!!

Last edited by tinofenotti; 07-29-22 at 01:18 PM. Reason: Adding pics
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Old 07-29-22, 02:21 PM
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You're kidding, right? No photos? How is anyone supposed to give you advice on something that is purely visual?
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Old 07-29-22, 03:05 PM
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Pic's

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Just in case you haven't worked it out yet, you can't post pictures until you have Ten posts.
It's an anti-spam thing!.

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Old 07-29-22, 03:24 PM
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You can still put pictures in your album. Maybe you could tell us where said crack is located.
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Old 07-29-22, 03:28 PM
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Picture assist
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Old 07-29-22, 03:40 PM
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That's a crack. You should be able to feel that easily.

Whomever sold it to you is a crook.
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Old 07-29-22, 04:50 PM
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Doesn't look good but take it to a shop so someone can see it in the flesh which will be more accurate than anyone here could could do with just a photo.
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Old 07-29-22, 04:54 PM
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Sure looks like a crack to me.
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Old 07-29-22, 05:24 PM
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Pull the post out. Drip oil into the seat tube with the bike positioned so the "crack" is on the bottom, wrap paper towel around the crack. Come back later and see if the oil wept out through the crack and into the paper towel. Andy
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Old 07-29-22, 08:49 PM
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That is a crack and for future reference if you decide to stick around always post photos for visual if you have an issue you don't you just needed to make a few more posts till you get to 10 which is super easy because this is a bike forum and you must obviously love bikes to join a bike forum and there are always plenty of active threads to join in. Welcome and enjoy, and yeah still a crack.
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Old 07-29-22, 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by tinofenotti;
hopefully its just the paint/gel coat splitting
I seriously doubt it.
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Old 07-29-22, 10:36 PM
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Originally Posted by veganbikes
That is a crack and for future reference if you decide to stick around always post photos for visual if you have an issue you don't you just needed to make a few more posts till you get to 10 which is super easy because this is a bike forum and you must obviously love bikes to join a bike forum and there are always plenty of active threads to join in. Welcome and enjoy, and yeah still a crack.
And try to avoid using run-on sentences.
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Old 07-30-22, 12:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Andrew R Stewart
Pull the post out. Drip oil into the seat tube with the bike positioned so the "crack" is on the bottom, wrap paper towel around the crack. Come back later and see if the oil wept out through the crack and into the paper towel. Andy
OK Andy... Ya got me... Why oil?
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Old 07-30-22, 02:08 AM
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Originally Posted by zandoval
OK Andy... Ya got me... Why oil?
Thin enough to still flow through the crack.
Non drying so it will leave evidence.
Non corrosive in case the frame isn’t toast.
As an added bonus, surface tension won’t keep it from getting someplace.
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Old 07-30-22, 02:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
Whomever sold it to you is a crook.
Why? your assuming that the seller knew it was there.

Being that the buyer said they needed to wash it to find it, would indicate that the bike was sold is a dirty condition, which would indicate that it was being used prior to purchase, and the seller possibly didn't know it was there.

The question then should be, why buy a bike that's dirty/not washed, as it can potentially (like in this case) have major issues not immediately visible.

If you're going to buy a dirty bike, the price should reflect this, no mention of if they buyer paid market value or less, not a lot of info supplied to go on.
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Old 07-30-22, 04:50 AM
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That was a predictable failure and I'd bet that every one of those frames will fail in the same spot. Putting a bend in that section of tube, that is subjected to resisting the force of the shock spring with every hit, turned that tube into a hinge that flexes with every suspension cycle.
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Old 07-30-22, 08:56 AM
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Originally Posted by jimc101
Why? your assuming that the seller knew it was there.
Yup. I am also presuming that the seller was a sentient being capable of a cursory inspection, or had at some point ridden the bike. There is no chance that crack appeared coincidently.

Being that the buyer said they needed to wash it to find it, would indicate that the bike was sold is a dirty condition, which would indicate that it was being used prior to purchase, and the seller possibly didn't know it was there.
Or covered it up.

​​​​​​​The question then should be, why buy a bike that's dirty/not washed, as it can potentially (like in this case) have major issues not immediately visible.
​​​​​​​

See previous response.

​​​​​​​If you're going to buy a dirty bike, the price should reflect this, no mention of if they buyer paid market value or less, not a lot of info supplied to go on.
Well, we have no idea what the OP paid, but the seller does have a moral (and probably legal) obligation to disclose known issues.
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Old 07-30-22, 08:59 AM
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Re-reading, the O.P. says "gave it a wash." We have no idea how dirty it was.
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Old 07-30-22, 09:23 AM
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That’s a shame. It’s a pretty cool bike
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Old 07-30-22, 09:43 AM
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I'm not so sure it's more than a scratch. You'd expect a crack there at the outside of the curve. May be where a stick got jammed between the frame? It looks bad, but that's an aluminum frame. I think the oil drip is a good idea.
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Old 07-30-22, 09:46 AM
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Originally Posted by curbtender
I'm not so sure it's more than a scratch. You'd expect a crack there at the outside of the curve. May be where a stick got jammed between the frame? It looks bad, but that's an aluminum frame. I think the oil drip is a good idea.
That's pretty obviously a crack.
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Old 07-30-22, 10:29 AM
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OK... So whats the FIX!

External or Internal Sleeve?
External Support Bracket?
Cut out the tube and graft in a steel one?

Cover with a Decal and Ebay it... NOoooo!
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Old 07-30-22, 10:56 AM
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Originally Posted by zandoval
OK... So whats the FIX!

External or Internal Sleeve?
External Support Bracket?
Cut out the tube and graft in a steel one?

Cover with a Decal and Ebay it... NOoooo!
Remove all the parts and send the frame off to recycling. Then start looking for a new frame. There’s not much that can be done to aluminum frames for a long term fix.
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Old 07-30-22, 12:57 PM
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Find out if the seller was the original purchaser of the bike. Doesn't giant have a lifetime warranty on their frames and rigid forks for the original purchaser?
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Old 07-30-22, 08:21 PM
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Originally Posted by zandoval
OK... So whats the FIX!

External or Internal Sleeve?
External Support Bracket?
Cut out the tube and graft in a steel one?

Cover with a Decal and Ebay it... NOoooo!
That actually made me laugh out loud. Uhhmmm, no.
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