Lucky Escape - Cracked Head Tube

[ABlipInContinuity]

Maffie had a Saracen X-Ray of just a few years of age. It's only had light use. She used to use it as her only bike and just recently I've used it a few times to go to and from work.

It's too big for her and to small for me. Actually, I think the geometry is a little strange having a "dirt jump" frame. This bike weighs a ton with extra welded in sections all over the frame so you would expect it to be bomb proof.

I started cleaning it up today to sell it, only to find a suspicious looking potential hairline crack on the bottom of the head tube. I dropped out the fork, popped out the bottom headset cup and shone a touch into the headtube. Sure enough, the crack is just visible on the inside of the tube.

I feel like we have both had a lucky escape.

There was a small sticker on the bike warning that it should not be used for competition, down hill, stunts or agressive off road cycling.

[rogerzilla]

Cracked headtube is OK unless the whole tube falls off, like on some old Cannondales.  Cracked steerer...now you're talking.  They always go under the crown race where they can't easily be inspected 

[Wobbly John]

I cracked a head tube most of the way up on my old 'trackie' bike when I was a teenager.

We were jumping over things on them.

The forks splayed forwards and I landed on chainring and cranks - without falling off. 

[ABlipInContinuity]

Cracked headtube is OK unless the whole tube falls off, like on some old Cannondales. 

So I shouldn't have spent my evening stripping off all the parts to sell?

To be honest I wouldn't be happy selling a bike in that condition. I'm kinda dissapointed that our first b0rked frame was something like this instead of a bike we had ridden to within an inch it's live. After a few years of hard use off road would have sounded a lot more impressive!