# Crack in paint or frame of Look 585?



## miney (Nov 25, 2008)

Hello All,

Riding a 2008 585 that I purchased in April. I have been extremely happy with the performance and handling of the frame. There is an issue that has my concern with the frame however. There is a crack in the paint or possibly the frame that has gotten bigger over time. This crack runs along the top of the headtube just below the headset. I took it in to my local shop, and they told me there is aluminum cups inside that is causing it and is more than likely just paint damage. Just to let you know, the bike has never been crashed, extremely well taken of and only raced a few times. 

Cosmetic or structural?


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## Aushiker (Mar 23, 2008)

G'day

Personally I would be a little concerned. I assume there is someway of verifying if it is just paint cracking?

Even so, that would suggest some significant movement in the tube I would have thought for that to happen.

Andrew


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

Look has 1 yr warranty on finish, so even if the cracking is "just" cosmetic, if it was my bike I'd want Look to repair or replace.


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## oily666 (Apr 7, 2007)

I had a paint crack in my 481 tested by an aircraft tech who inspects CF propellers. In my case, it was a hair line crack just above the BB lug. He took a quarter from his pocket and "sounded" the seat tube all the way around just above the joint. There were no dead sounds, claps, or variations in pitch so, he pronounced the frame safe to ride. I was suspicious but he assured me that's how propellers are checked in the field. In your case, I'd drop the fork and remove the headset and tap all the way around the bottom then, the top of the head tube. If it's more than just paint, you'll hear some sound or pitch differences followed by some level of cursing.

That said, I still think it's unacceptable to have to live with that kind of needless defect. I have 18+ years in high performance polymer coatings and find it bizarre that CF frame builders cannot find a paint/clear coat matrix that doesn't crack, especially on some of the strongest, stiffest frames made. It's not that hard to do. You can kick a 1" deep dent in the door of any car without a paint failure so, why the problem with a $2,800.00 frame where the total flex is probably .070 of an inch?


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## rward325 (Sep 22, 2008)

I just went through a similar situation with one of my other bikes. I watched the crack grow at the crown of my carbon fiber fork. I had it checked by several mechanics and it was pronounced safe to ride. This looks exactly the same as mine and it would appear it is only the coating that is cracking. As the previous poster said Look has a 1 year warranty on finish and I would get it replaced,


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