Hi. A rock kicked up from the trail and hit my Bronson cc. Jungle say it’s unridable. £720 for a replacement triangle. What do you think?

I don’t even remember if happening!

https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D8904734_07243944_6620141

That looks **** mate

loads of carbon repair companies around – can’t really see where on the frame it is but I’d be looking at a repair. I’d trust a carbon repair done by a competent company. I wouldn’t ride it.

Oof!

I’m not even gonna joke about it being a sticker.

Maybe worth contacting a carbon repair specialist. Is it the old Bronson?

Struggling to work out exactly where that is and even how big it is – do you have another picture, zoomed out a little?

Out of interest, was this £720 their “crash replacement” price, or can you not make use of this (i.e. you’re not the original owner)?

No-Fault Replacement

Santa Cruz Bicycles will make replacement frame parts available to the original owner at a minimal charge in the event of a crash or other non-warranty situation for the life of the bike.

(ref here: https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-GB/warranties)

I’d be calling Target Composites. Saved my mates totally snapped in half Road frame, cost less than 700 quid too…have a look at thier work on FB, I’ll be sending my cracked ibis tranny there soon.

6 months old! It was itself a warranty replacement!
Going to fit a Rockguardz on the next one. Rockguardz

£720 is their cheap price!

Another photo here.

never mind the carbon damage, for the love of God man, trim your zip ties neatly!!

Based on the 2nd pic, I’d have a word with a few carbon repair places.

Looking at the 1st, I’d cry 😥

Are you covered on your house insurance? I bust a carbon Yeti and was able to claim on the insurance as it covered the bikes and accidental damage

It is rubbish for you but £720 doesn’t sound that bad for a replacement front triangle. What’s the frame new, £2,900? £720 must be getting towards cost price when shipping etc is all factored in.

Have a word with Adrian at Swarf cycles. He does carbon repairs and makes his own carbon swing arms for his mtb frames so may be more aware (if its relevant) of the stresses an mtb frame is subjected to.

I don’t think anyone would say, Go on ride it’, just in case it snapped. The problem is it’s summer and I need to ride!

I may have been riding it like that for a month. I just don’t know when it happened.

I don’t think I’d ride that, although it doesn’t look quite as bad as in the first pic.

For < £300, I’d get it repaired at a specialist. If it was to cost any more than this and I’m afraid I’d pony up for the Jungle “discounted” replacement.

I’ve always wondered how much it would cost if I dinged mine…now I know. Errrurk!

Worth fitting a Rockguardz methinks. The rubber bumper should be slightly large imo

Remove all doubt and buy the new triangle. Seems reasonable for what is a typically up there frame.

Did you want us to tell you to keep riding it? If so…

Keep riding it, it’ll be fine.

£720 is not unreasonable if it’s the current Bronson, but questionable value for the older one.

I’d be sending it to a carbon repair place.

Is it ‘soft’ when you push it in?

Carbon repair and rock guard. I fitted one to my Enduro after that bloke put up pictures of rock damage in the same area as yours on his Enduro.

On a lighter note, maybe some P38 and wet n dry?

How far under the bash guard does the damage go?

Personally I would go for the new front triangle.

If £720 is too steep, would SC sell you the C or alu front triangle?

I’m going to pay the cash I think…. – its a 2017 model so worth it. It may take some time to come.. which is why I was wondering whether I should ride it in the meantime…. doesn’t feel soft – but it’s a highly stressed part of the frame, and you’ve no idea whats happening inside the layup.

+1 for the rockquardz. It was the first thing I bought after I got my first carbon frame. Until it arrived I rode the bike with a strip of camping sleeping mat strapped to the downtube! They look pretty cool as well – the rockquardz that is.

You can’t see it when riding so officially you’re good to go.

Problem with riding it as is, is your head, you know it is broken, would you be happy to push it?

I managed to crack the downtube of a road bike a year or so back, and from the creaking i had been ignoring for a couple of months!!! But as soon as i knew forget it, likewise i managed to damage a carbon steerer which in hindsight i had been using for a few weeks. No way i was going to use it once i knew.

You can’t see it when riding so officially you’re good to go.

^^^This^^^

Out of sight, out of mind.

Are the Rockguardz a bit more frame friendly these days? I bought one for a Trance years ago but sent it back as was really rough inside.

P.s. Hope you get sorted OP.

Expanding foam and gaffer tape will sort it.

Repair is cheap but it will be worth naff all in resale. Spend out on a replacement and at least your investment will be worth some thing and be under warranty.

Tomaso. I agree.

All my bikes have a strip of old tyre cable tied to the downtube. Granted it looks sh1te, but I prefer that than this kind of damage.

Frames should be robust enough to take a rock strike its a normal part of riding.

Did you send jungle just the 1st pic?

No I sent jungle a load of pix. BIKETREKS looked at it too and agreed.

I think get a new front triangle is best bet.

I think a repair will cost more than a repaired frame is worth!

Hope they send it quick :-0

A couple of years ago we trashed two carbon frames in the Alps two days apart halfway through a months trip. My Enduro after it bounced a bit down the mountain. Damage was on the top tube where it had struck a rock whilst detaching its self from me. Kevins down tube was alot worse than yours approx in the same place but also alot furthur up. You could see through the tube in places. Both frames were replaced when we got back under the crash assistance deal that Specialized has.
They have to tell you not to ride it just in case, however as we had a couple of weeks left we used an old windsurfing trick. Duct tape the damaged area and keep any eye on it. If the tape ruffles or cracks then dont use it. We did this for the rest of the trip and all was OK.
At the EWS in Valburg last year one of the riders hit a rock with the chainstay in practice. Not alot you can do at the time so they didnt race. Kevin told them about the tip however they didnt want to risk it. Two weeks later in Finale the same rider turned up with a new rear end in the van and the old one taped over. The tape hadnt moved in the meantime and they practiced and raced the event with it taped up.
If it was me the new front would be on order but it wouldnt stop me riding it.
Kevins bike had a Rockguardz fitted but it didnt make any difference.

Id go for crash replacement and wouldn’t ride that. Your neck not mine. A few days off riding isn’t important.

How about filling the gaps full of epoxy resin then putting a rock guard over the top?

You used to get stickers on look-a-like bikes that said “Not suitable for off road use” Your bike should have came with one – rock strikes are part and parcel of riding off road

Hope it gets sorted fast OP

You used to get stickers on look-a-like bikes that said “Not suitable for off road use” Your bike should have came with one – rock strikes are part and parcel of riding off road

If you want bikes to withstand That, you’ll be looking at carbon steel, and beefed up to around 25kg.

Sand it down, save the dust/ bits, mix it with 5 min epoxy slap it over the cracks use selotape sticky side up to get smooth finish.

** this may not be good advice and result in injury **

How about filling the gaps full of epoxy resin then putting a rock guard over the top?

I do this whilst waiting for the new front triangle.