[Closed] Is my frame about to die?

Really not good IMO - both sides as well - Warranty? Also a very odd place to put a frame sticker?

Id go with yes its going to die, if it goes with you on it its going to hurt!

Get it back to where it came from

odd the way it goes through the weld like that.

I'd get the headset out and look inside, personally.

If its under warranty then don't touch it - if its out of warranty (after ringing them) / second hand then hope - If you take the headset out it may make it worse and they may tell you to push off? Sorry WW - not trying to contradict you 🙂

I'd say that an incorrect headset installation has caused it.

Looks like the edge of stickers to me, but I'm not in a position to feel with a fingernail if that's where the edge of the stickers actually are (unlike you).

Try to peel it off.
If it's a sticker it will come off. If it's a crack...you might get a flake of paint under your finger nail, it'll hurt like buggery and be there for ages 🙂

Konastoner are you psychic?

Seems very odd, you should be able to tell fairly convincingly from looking at it if that is done by a sticker.

To me it looks like a crack though.

I managed to bend a Cube frame... the replacement frame was sent under warranty very quick, and everything was swapped over within a week.

If you ask me that's the edge of your helitape.

As mentioned, try and peel it off.

*CSI mode*
Enhance, enhance, enhance...

[img] [/img]

Surely that continuing curve is the edge of a sticker that goes under the down tube and then has the same shape edge on the other side - hence the "crack" being the exactly the same curving shape on both sides? But it that was the case I would have though it would be totally bloody obvious if the bike was in front of you so perhaps not.

*CSI mode*

That photo makes it look even worse lol

Al, nope but I installed a headset that caused a similar (though not as bad) to a Kona HT frame along time ago.

I rode it back and for work for 5 years before the bottom cup became loose.

Drop the forks, stick your finger in for a feel and look inside if the crack is on the inner wall as well. You might be able to see something as it extends above the lower bb cup.

It's very radial/curved do frames crack in a circular fashion?

That's a crack for sure.

Don't ride it anymore. Take it back to the dealer, or contact the manufacturer/distributor.

Looking like a sticker to me.

The paint 'inside' the crack (which is convieniently symmetrical) is whiter than outside the crack. It's a a non-stickered area I think.

Look at the furthest left the crack goes, second picture. The two textures either side are totally different; one matte, one shiny, one white, one off-white...

I'm going to vote for the lack of sticker (edit> as above). Is the rest of the frame covered with helitape type stuff except for that bit which allows it to be fitted without making a mess? Time to run your fingernail over it.

By the shape of it I'd say sticker but why the OP can't figure out one way or another for himself I don't know.

the curve of the "crack" is curved in the opposite way to the ribs on the welds.

But there is not visible edge to the patch at the edge of the head tube.

Still think it's tape.

+1 for OP cluelessness...

Looks some tape was there. And almost like it's taken off the lacquer

If he bought the bike new, surely he would know if he or the shop helitaped it?!

Looks like lacquer to me, you can see the different shades of white

Ride it; if you die its a crack, if your still here a year later its a sticker.

Just think how exciting riding will be while you wait to find out.

The shading variance suggest that there is protective tape on all but the par where the head tube joins the frame. My money is the line you can see is a dirt line at the edge of the protective tape. As has been said you should be easily be able to feel this with a finger nail.

As with anything like this if you have any doubts take it back to where you got it and ask then to check it.

Tis a crack.

Don't take any chances.

Drop the forks out & stick a hose clip round it to hold it together..... just in case like 😆

Looks like a crack to me. The crack would go through the weld like that.

You could push the front wheel gently against a wall and see if it opens up but I would +1 for incorrect headset installation.

Looks like the edge of the frame protection tape.

poor bloke's probably now really embarassed he thought a sticker was a crack on his brand new bike.

I reckon it looks like a sticker. Too symmetrical and too smooth, especially where it passes over the weld.

id drop the forks out and spray some GT85/TF2 externally on it and eyeball the inside. if its a crack, which it looks like to me then your finger will be wet when it comes out the headtube. If it was the sticker then surely it would run parallel to the black decal whereas that tends to curve away from the decal

Cube don't place stickers there, all the decals are paint on Cube's

There is a downtube protection sticker on all Cube's, but it starts much lower down the frame

If it is a sticker it's been put on by the shop or the owner

If it's a crack it's warranty time & back to the shop you got it from

So, which is it then OP... crack or sticker?

It's a write off, I can come round to pick it up and dispose of it responsibly

It looks like the edge of a sticker / decal.

There is a clear difference in finish 'twixt the two sides and the line appears to follow the black coloured section rather consistently on both sides.

Poke about with a fingernail before taking anything apart / going back to the shop.

If you look at the high-res images there is a feint curved line extending backwards - But I agree if you pick at it or give it a quick clean then its easy to tell IME.

It's the sticker. The frame is a different colour where the sticker finishes.

Get rid or faceplant!!!!!

Must be a sticker given the OP has not replied, must be too embarassed.

Must be a sticker given the OP has not replied, must be too embarassed.

Or he went for a ride and is now actually dead!

So which was it?

My money's on sticker/tape.

I reckon sticker