# Carbon Dropouts Wearing



## lococarnitas (Sep 10, 2009)

I have a 2012 TCR SL. The drive side rear dropout is starting to wear. It looks like the screwer cap is starting to crush the rear outside part of the drop out. My teammate has the same bike and about a month ago he notice that when he removed the screwer it did not slide out easily. Upon further examination it turnout is rear drive dropout is wearing unevenly. This caused the screwer to bend upon tightening. After hearing the news from him I check my bike. I think I was a little to casual about it and didn't wear my reading glasses. Everything look ok to me at the time.Today while cleaning my bike i noticed that the screwer did not slide out easily, so I grabbed my glasses and sure enough the rear dropout is starting to fail. 

Has anyone else experienced this with carbon dropouts? BTW Giant warrantied my teammates frame.


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## r1lee (Jul 22, 2012)

any picture?


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

I've seen this on a Willier Cento.1 - the argument was that the user was over-tightening the QR.


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## oisiaa (Apr 10, 2012)

YES! I have had the EXACT same problem with my 2012 TCR Advanced SL3 (non ISP) frame!

I'm sort of wondering now about the possibility of a warranty replacement. Wouldn't hurt my feelings too much if I could trade up to an ISP model. 

I changed skewers and the new one is gripping flat and level. The old skewer was bent at about a 30º angle into the frame where it was chewed away.

View attachment 279754


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

nhluhr said:


> I've seen this on a Willier Cento.1 - the argument was that the user was over-tightening the QR.


"Over-tightening the QR."


Now that's a new one! It ranks right up there with, "Don't leave your (CF) bike in a hot car. The heat may affect the frame."


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## perpetuum_mobile (Nov 30, 2012)

I too have a 2012 TCR advanced SL and I have the same problem with the rear driveside dropout. Carbon there is much thinner than on the non-driveside and layers of carbon are chipping off.

I got my bike from fleabay so no warranty for me. Can anyone suggest a possible solution. I am considering gluing a layer of aluminum over the dropout so that quick-release would squeeze on the aluminum and not on the thin layer of carbon. Would using the hanger bolts to attach the aluminum layer be a better option than gluing?


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

WTF were they thinking when they made full carbon dropouts without some sort of thin piece of alum, ti or steel plating? If I'm not mistaken, my original Fondriest TF1 was one of the first frames to ever come out with full carbon dropouts but it has AL plating. I would never buy a frame without some sort of protection there. Sarto is another company that does full carbon dropouts but they too use a metal plating. Giant was just asking for trouble.


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

Ride-Fly said:


> WTF were they thinking when they made full carbon dropouts without some sort of thin piece of alum, ti or steel plating? If I'm not mistaken, my original Fondriest TF1 was one of the first frames to ever come out with full carbon dropouts but it has AL plating. I would never buy a frame without some sort of protection there. Sarto is another company that does full carbon dropouts but they too use a metal plating. Giant was just asking for trouble.


But... if it has a metal plating, it's NOT a full carbon dropout anymore is it? Whether that's good or bad is another topic but...

Anyway, my BH is a full carbon dropout and has been issue-free for many thousands of miles and hundreds of wheel swaps.


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

nhluhr said:


> But... if it has a metal plating, it's NOT a full carbon dropout anymore is it? Whether that's good or bad is another topic but...
> 
> Anyway, my BH is a full carbon dropout and has been issue-free for many thousands of miles and hundreds of wheel swaps.


I suppose technically speaking, you are correct. But when Fondriest started them back in 1999/2000, they marketed it as full carbon droputs, and the AL shell is only where the skewer makes contact with the dropout. 

Good luck with your full carbon dropouts. Seriously, not wishing failure for you. But I would never buy a bike like that. Just not that risk-tolerant.


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## AndyMc2006 (Oct 27, 2006)

I recently purchased a 2013 Defy Advanced SL, none of those issues but there is nothing about CF that is not "risk free" to me. I realize im taking my chances. When I crashed or fell on steel I didn't worry, same with Ti, however, I loved the bike enough to roll the dice. I don't plan to ship the bike and I don't race so I have that in my favor.


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## mdloc0 (Nov 23, 2011)

AndyMc2006 said:


> I recently purchased a 2013 Defy Advanced SL, none of those issues but there is nothing about CF that is not "risk free" to me. I realize im taking my chances. When I crashed or fell on steel I didn't worry, same with Ti, however, I loved the bike enough to roll the dice. I don't plan to ship the bike and I don't race so I have that in my favor.



Does anyone have a fix for this? I have the Rabobank and now it's bending the skewers like there going out of fashion. 

MDL


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