Hi all, found a very minor crack in my Santa Cruz Blur xc (2009) frame, there’s a slight indentation in the same area (I wouldnt call it a dent as its very slight) so I wonder if some sort of impact has caused it rather than the frame failing itself as it seems a very strange place to have gone. The crack itself is about 1/2 a cm.

I can get a new rear end from the U.S but just weighing up if its worth it. I know a welder who can no doubt sort it, just wondered if anyone else has had a similar thing happen on a blur or other similar area?

Was thinking of a change to something else anyway so what do you think I should expect to get for the frame as is and/or welded? Its just had new bearings and I have a spare set as well, the rest of the frame is in excellent nick.

cheers

Matt

pics: http://wenanwhere.pinkbike.com/album/bits-for-sale/

?

Chuck…..skip……as in ”chuck it in a……..

I think he means its buggered and you should CHUCK (Pic 1 well known hard man chuck norris) it in a SKIP (pic 2 well known rubbish removal method, a skip).

Its a heat treated frame therefore unless you are prepared to get it heat treated after welding then the fix will not be as good as the original frame by a long way…

I can get a new rear end from the U.S but just weighing up if its worth

How much would that cost? Warrenty or ‘purchased’?

Trouble is now you’ve spotted it, you ‘have’ to tell any prospective purchaser about it, which I would expect to lower the overall price. Even if you have it repaired, & even if their a really really well ‘known’ specialist, I don’t believe ppl will want to pay the full value for a ‘repaired’ frame….

Have you shown those pictures to Santa Cruz? It doesn’t seem to me that the frame would be under stress in that area unless the bolt for the link wasn’t fitted properly or had sheared. It’s hard to see how it could flex in such a way as to provoke a fracture. I’d be getting a SC to look at that before I did anything rash…

looks like its been shot blasted? was this before or after the crack?

That’s the factory finish. Shot peened?

Shot peened?

somewhat ironically in this case, specifically to reduce the chances of cracks appearing.

Hi, havent sent the pics to jungle but a shop had described it to them. They basically won’t give any firm opinion (for obvious reaons) but just give the option to buy under crash replacement at £300.

So trying to work out if its worth spending that on it if I’m going to sell anyway.

Of course I’d tell any buyer and show all these pics and then the subsequent weld etc but I’m sure many wouldnt!

Are you not the original owner? (Or US import?)
As IIRC they should have at least a 2 year warrenty, if it’s a UK one under warrenty get it back sharpish!

S’lot of money to try to re-coup.

I had a Blur XC crack in exactly the same place, but it was a US e-bay purchase so no warranty for me. It was also about 3 years old.

Seems to be a weak point – also having the bearings changed 3 or 4 times tends to weaken that general area. The shop noticed the crack when they were doing mine – Sold the front end and shock on and bought a Nicolai!

Still miss the Blur though – top bike.

The suggestion of asking SC (in the US) is that they can (maybe) say if it’s a stress fracture or one caused by an impact, and also if it is actually a threat to the integrity of the frame. It’s about getting the opinion of a frame designer/maker rather than the opinion of a parts distributor who is merely after a sale.

EDIT posting at the same time as ferrit. It doesn’t look good if it’s a weak spot on the frames, but still worth a conversation with the right folk, in my opinion. What do you have to lose?

cheers ferrit and others, how much did you get for the sale of the front end and shock? Will get on to SC direct.

Can’t remember, a few £100 I think.

Got snapped up fairly quick, if you pardon the pun!