New frame advice, please...

[Shadow]

Yesterday I learnt my pride and joy of only 12 months is going to the great peloton in the sky. There is a small ding and crack in the nearside seat stay. Being fully carbon, it is irreparable. This was caused, I believe, by a minor off sustained coming to a stop on my first sportive sunday last. I felt like crying!

After discussion with my not-so-local BS (NS-LBS), it seems the best option is to take 105 groupset, aksium wheels, seatpost etc off the bike and attach to new frame. Having lost a little confidence with carbon, despite protestations of guys at NS-LBS of incident being so exceedingly rare never to happen again, I am reluctant to go down carbon route but could be persuaded. (I cannot afford a new carbon frame every 12 months but it might teach me to stay more upright!)

Comfort is main criteria, not necessarily speed or weight. Probably looking in £500-£800 range.

Any ideas/thoughts or other options?

 

[MacB]

If you don't want to change every year then, at that price range, a custom steel frame would be on the cards and for not much more a high end steel or a ti frame.

 

[P.H]

What make frame is it? Some manufactures offer discounted frame replacements for the not so rare circumstance you find yourself in. I'm sure Trek do and I think I've read Specialized do as well, I'd assume others will offer something. If not and it was an expensive frame, it might be worth looking into repair whatever the shop say, these have a good reputation from what I've read on forums, though I've no experience;

http://www.carboncyc...uestions_4.html

Really a small off shouldn't destroy a frame, otherwise some MTBers would be buying a frame a month, I'd be talking to the distributor before spending any money. As for frame material for your next bike, I haven't a clue, I have a steel, an aluminium and two ti bikes and find going up or down one tyre size has more affect on comfort than frame material. Of course geometry has more affect than that, but that's a whole other story...

 

[montage]

Have you looked into repairing the carbon frame? It can be done

 

[Shadow]

Thanks for the replies.

MacB: any particular steel frames you'd recommend? I think ti is likely to be over budget!

PH: it is/was orbea. A replacement is around £1k apparently. Ludicrous, under the circumstances, IMO.

Monty/PH: yes, briefly considered repair. Discounted it due to relative expense to new frame and would feel even less confident with carbon repair than new carbon frame but I fully appreciate what you are saying. Will follow up the link anyway, thanks.

 

[MacB]

Any of the well known framebuilders would fit the bill, though you may be limited by waiting times on some. Ti can be had for about £1k via Burls, I have one.

 

[amaferanga]

What about a replacement carbon frame bought direct from China? A few ebay sellers doing them for £250-£350 frame/fork and if you look ever on Bikeradar you'll see lots of happy owners. Not heard of anyone getting stung for import duty and VAT so its a cheap way to get a very nice frame (the same frames used by many of the big manufacturers just without the branding).

 

[montage]

Could try and wang it on the warrenty if the bike isnt obviously crashed