Hey r/bicycling, love my Fondriest T3, but it has a big problem: a crack on the top frame.
I wrapped it with a fresh layer of carbon fiber myself to try and stabilize it (you can see the black layer in the photos). I know a DIY fix on a carbon frame is risky, but I wanted to save the bike.
Now I’m questioning the long-term safety.
Should I retire this frame and start looking for a replacement?
If so, are there any modern carbon framesets or full bikes that offer amazing performance and value for a decent price? I'm not looking for the most expensive upgrade, just the best bang for my buck.
by Totally_NotForSale
3 Comments
This is a literal band aid and the bike is still going to be compromised structurally.
You can send it to a carbon repair place, but unfortunately carbon from that era has all gotten brittle over the years. I don’t know if it would be worth trying to have this frame fixed.
The good news is that nice rim brake frames that aren’t broken are plentiful and cheap
Not related to your questions sorry but how do you find that bike rack? I was considering getting one
One would need to examine the original damage, and the detailed process of your patch to make a proper recommendation.