Hi,

My 2010 zesty frame seems to have a miniscule crack (about 2cm long, 1mm thick) between the top tube and down tube, where it joins the headtube. However, I am unsure if it is just the paint or the metal itself which is cracked. How can I tell? Do I need to just keep an eye on it to see if it gets worse? I’d try and add a picture but I don’t think it would show up with my camera.

Thanks for any advice, Tom

I don’t know. If I was really worried I’d take the paint back. Or take it back to the shop if it was still in warranty and see what they say ‘for the record’

This is unlikely to be helpful unless you know the right people… But an x ray will release what’s going on.

Get it back to the manufacturer for inspection.

pics needed, ideally followed by flame and flounce.

Can be shown up by a very bright light shone onto crack and see if any light penetrates into frame.

Its a Lapierre what do you expect……?

1mm is a big gap. At that size a magnifying glass would probably be enough to see if it is just the paint.

I would definitely take it back to the shop where you got it. I had a similar crack on seat tube, one look and the shop tech confirmed it was the frame, followed by no quibble replacement under warranty. But, To be honest I could tell the frame was screwed as it seemed more flexy under pedalling, possibly easier to tell for me given where it was broken.

Send it off a biggish drop?

Scrape the paint back ,if it turns out that its just the paint at least it can be touched in.
Better that than the frame seperating when your miles from home or even worse causing injury.