Cracked head tube gusset steel frame

Do you think that your face slamming into the road is a good thing or a bad thing?

Most highly stressed part of a frame. If tubes not cracked now the cracks will propagate unless you get it sorted. Dependent on how frame is constructed, it may be possible to braze a ring reinforcement to the head tube - depends on how much you want to save the frame?

Thanks both.

Should have specified the crack is mostly on down tube gusset behind head tube and smaller in top tube gusset behind head tube.

Am thinking it's not worth fixing and have been building up a replacement bike. I do like the frame though!

Cheers

Put it on the wall as a piece of art, ride something without cracks! You can always get a like for like replacement 

If you like it, get it repaired. 

Thats the point of a steel frame isn't it?

I assume £500 gets a lot of frame fixing

https://alpkit.com/products/sonder-signal-st-frame?variant=32632533614697&country=GB&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AfmBOopFaD5181RzQsGzOpOsA3SzCCiVYSWAmnq22bF9m7Aa4vplSjo_YpI

Any pics?

Thanks guys.

The frame doesn't really owe me anything but has given me some good times 🙂
Will post some pics (if I can figure it out)
Cheers!

Am thinking it's not worth fixing and have been building up a replacement bike. I do like the frame though!

It's an old frame. I'd have thought you will find it tough to get something with similar geometry.

👆 Can't help with crack advice but I have one of those Sonder Signals up there. 

Brilliant 😍

Bin it.

It's metal, it has a fatigue life. The idea you can repair steel is fine if it's a get you moving repair in Mongolia but if a frame cracks it's telling you something, listen up and bin it.

The fatigue failure crack is a localised thing. You may be able to have it repaired by brazing the area, or the HT is removed, TT and DT mitred back to be a fraction shorter and a new HT is fitted. Whether that's possible or economically viable is another Q. Ask a frame repairer like Alfano frameworks, or maybe mick_r on here. 

Sounds like mine just before it snapped under me: pics in here: https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/other-peoples-bikes/#post-13662645

loved riding it, up to the point it broke. Frame's on the wall, bits are being spread around other bikes - bars, cranks, EBB onto the Signal, brakes to the Jones, CK headset onto the wife's Swift. 

Agree with the others on the Signal - it's a great bike, could be an ideal successor to the Alpine. I got the Ti one on sale in 2019, done all sorts on it from Dyfi to kiddie wagon towing to big days out on South Downs, bit of racing Southern Enduro, I SS'ed it for SSUK 2024 and it's not had gears on since.

right now your repair would essentially be a headtube replacement - headtube off, clean up, reweld (either the old one, or a new one so you can use newer forks - you could tweak the geo as well.  You've then got a repaired hammer-time bike, but one with old geo that maybe you don't trust like you did before.  and even though you've repaired that issue, are there others lurking in other tube joints? 

Repair would probably cost hundreds, which could get you most of a Signal ST frame, but you'll have to buy forks, wheels, tyres on top at a minimum.  

I probably would have got mine repaired pre-snap, if it was a case of headtube off, clean up, reweld.  I wouldn't have resprayed the whole frame, which would have saved some money, and all of the old bits could have been re-used.  Repairing now would need new top tube, new downtube, new headtube.  Not really worth it! 

If you want as close as possible to a like for like replacement, maybe have a look at having one made by Marino Bikes.

https://www.marinobike.com/

https://postimg.cc/G8XjbRdb

I've got this hung up in the garage and it's never going to get used again so if it's of any use to anyone their welcome to it, I think it's a medium frame

Well, if we're doing Dialled Bikes, and I think we are, here's my Prince Albert when I took it on holiday to Peru. 

Thanks all for your replies much appreciated!
Some interesting information and varied opinions as always 🙂
I can't post pics unfortunately I don't think.
I don't think the frame is worth fixing safely as has been said other tubes or welds might fail. It has had a hard life and I don't want a £6000 dentist bill!
StuE have messaged you.
Cheers all and ride safe