# Repair info for cracked top tubes on 2007 Orcas



## ni4detail (Jun 10, 2007)

As mentioned in a previous thread, the 2007 Orca has a very thin top tube. Another issue is that the very cool looking top tube is very susceptible to damage. Mine developed a 2" long crack. I think my damage was caused by a minor bump against a tiled wall.

My bike is now at Calfee for repairs. Previous posts have shown repairs to other parts of the frame, but my LBS wasn't sure if Calfee could repair the unusually shaped Orca top tube. Depending on the damage, Calfee can either wrap the whole top tube or patch it, and then repaint to match.

The bike has to be stripped before sending it to Calfee. It takes several weeks depending on their backlog (and there are currently a few other Orcas in line ahead of me).

The gentleman at Calfee mentioned that he's seen 7 or 8 2007 Orcas in their shop for the exact same repair to the top, so consider yourself warned if you purchase this bike. I'm meticulous about taking care of my bikes, but you need to be extremely so with the Orca.


----------



## kkowalsk (Sep 5, 2005)

I am no carbon fiber expert however that looks like clearcoat separation in the picture. Is there an impact or a witness mark where the damaged occurred from? I can't seem to find one in the pics. I know you said Calfee has seen this a few times however I just have a hard time believing a minor bump would cause that. I could see it if the bike fell against a sharp edge or was laid against a sharp edge and then leaned on. Have you checked with Orbea, they might help you out? They have really good customer service.

I have a 08' Orca and it just doesn't seem to feel that fragile. I mean the top tube is thin but I don't feel like I could grab it and crush it.

Hope it works out for you. Keep us informed.


----------



## ni4detail (Jun 10, 2007)

You can't see the hairline crack in the photo. A month ago, my LBS thought the problem might just be that bit of clear coat separation that you can see in the photos. There was a very small hairline crack, but they (and me) hoped that it was just cosmetic. They asked me to keep an eye on it for the time being. Over the past month, the crack has lengthened and Calfee has diagnosed it as a major structural issue. They are going to scrape down the clear coat on the entire top tope and then completely wrap it in new carbon fiber. I'll post photos once it's all done.

The gent at Calfee says "it doesn't take much" to damage this frame. I should note that neither Calfee nor my LBS think that it is a production defect, but they do think that the design is inherently susceptible to damage. Calfee gets their fair share of other light carbon frames like the CR-1, Madone, and Cervelos too.

Orbea did offer a crash replacement discount on a new frame, but the the repair is a lot less expensive.


----------



## edmundtan (Dec 12, 2001)

Doesn't Orbea have a lifetime warranty for their Orcas? If it were me, I'll insist on sending the frame back to Orbea for a thorough assessment.


----------



## ni4detail (Jun 10, 2007)

Unfortunately, the lifetime warranty has exclusions:-(

Also, warranty claims have to start with an authorized dealer, and mine was not supportive of my case. My LBS was initially insistant that I had done something horrible to the bike and wouldn't entertain the idea that the frame design was an issue. After talking to Calfee and learning how many other Orcas are in the shop for the same repair, they backed off a bit and acknowledged that the top tube shape/carbon fiber material is easily susceptible to damage.

I should add that the repair bill and repainting is under $400. In addition, there's the cost of stripping, shipping, and reassembling the bike ($200).


----------



## kkowalsk (Sep 5, 2005)

I would second the notion of having Orbea look at it. I had a couple issues when I first bought my Orca. I contacted Orbea directly they then followed up with my LBS. Orbea was very easy to work with and quickly fixed the problem which resulted in a new frame.

Why does it matter to your LBS if it gets sent in for warranty repair or not?


----------



## Stratmosphere (Feb 28, 2007)

Hmm. From my experience Orbea USA has bent over backwards to support their customers, me included. Same goes for the LBS that has sold me two new bikes.


----------



## jefflimpt (Apr 2, 2006)

*It can be repaired*

I just left from visiting with Edgar from roadrunnervelo.com. He can repair the frame for you at a pretty good price. He is a great guy with 14 years of experience building carbon frames and repairing them as well. He learned his carbon repair work while working for Calfee. He is going to repair my frame that I though was a gonner for a lot less than a new frame.

He was repairing an Orbea with the same top tube problem that it sounds like you have. He says that it is quite common on the Orbeas for some reason.

If you can't get a new one through your LBS or Orbea, then I would definitely send your frame out to him.


----------



## ni4detail (Jun 10, 2007)

Thanks. My frame is at Calfee for repairs. They're not far from my house, and they've offered to give me a tour once my frame is fixed.

As a side note, one of the guys at my LBS used to work at Calfee. He told me that Calfee's carbon fiber repair service is the only thing that is keeping that pioneering company afloat these days.


----------



## jefflimpt (Apr 2, 2006)

*How much did they charge you?*

Just wondering how much they charged you. I checked with their pricing and with roadrunnervelo's and they charge twice as much. Edgar used to do quality control for Calfee so he is well aware of safety and strength when repairing carbon. Others on this forum have used him as well.

If you need your frame fixed I would check with him as well. He is just starting his business so might be a little rough, but rest assured he is a good man - he showed me around his place when I dropped my frame off.


----------



## ni4detail (Jun 10, 2007)

For this repair, the charge is $250 to wrap the top tube and $135 for the pearl white paint. For a patching just one side of the tube, the cost would have been $150.

I checked your friend's website. The Mantis frame is very cool. I will keep him in mind next time. I keep my bikes forever, and a little voice is telling me that I will likely need to have the frame fixed again. If only the Orca weren't so beautiful...


----------



## prschatt (Aug 19, 2007)

Any indications that they "thickened" the TT in the 08 models?


----------



## ni4detail (Jun 10, 2007)

I've heard that the '08 frames are the same as the '07s, and the guys at Calfee say that they've been repairing a few of the '08s as well. The problem is the shape.

I have attached some pics of the repaired TT. The patch is noticeable from some views, but nearly invisible so from others. Overall, the guys did a very good job considering the complexity of the TT shape. The did a great job matching the paint:thumbsup:


----------



## BunnV (Sep 7, 2005)

ni4detail said:


> I've heard that the '08 frames are the same as the '07s, and the guys at Calfee say that they've been repairing a few of the '08s as well. The problem is the shape.
> 
> I have attached some pics of the repaired TT. The patch is noticeable from some views, but nearly invisible so from others. Overall, the guys did a very good job considering the complexity of the TT shape. The did a great job matching the paint:thumbsup:


I can easily see the patch although it looks like a great repair.


----------

