Confirm my worst fears - damaged frame

NotAGolf · 6 Mar 2021 at 16:08

I gave the bike a quick clean today and noticed what appears to be a hole behind the bottom bracket between the seat tube and the chain stays. At first, I thought it might be some weird drainage hole or something similar that I'd not noticed before, but I think that is just wishful thinking. I'm guessing something got wedged in the tyre and was then flung with a crazy amount of force and just tore a hole straight through the carbon

. I've not had a crash, I didn't even hear any loud bangs/dings either. It's a Vitus Vitesse Evo CRi.

Do you think it's crazy dangerous to ride in this condition, or do you think it should be ok temporarily while I wait for a replacement?

Absolutely gutted as riding my bike is about the only thing I look forward to at the moment, and funds aren't looking too good at the moment

resurgam · 6 Mar 2021 at 16:18

Is there any chance that's where the cable would run for a non Di2 front derailleur and there's just a rubber bung gone missing?

Hotwired · 6 Mar 2021 at 16:21

That's bizzare if a bit of road debris could do that.

Looks kinda clean too.

Dis86 · 6 Mar 2021 at 16:23

That looks pre-drilled tbh.

Dis86 · 6 Mar 2021 at 16:27

@NotAGolf https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url...ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCIjw96eKnO8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAX

Looks to have a hole in the same place.

SexyGreyFox · 6 Mar 2021 at 16:30

I'd email the company - https://vitusbikes.com/collections/vitesse-evo

SexyGreyFox · 6 Mar 2021 at 16:31

Dis86 said:
@NotAGolf https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://picclick.co.uk/Vitus-Vitesse-Evo-CRS-Disc-Road-Bike-Carbon-184580119160.html&psig=AOvVaw0rWJShtaKWXXgRyBNmxahM&ust=1615134308490000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCIjw96eKnO8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAX

Looks to have a hole in the same place.

Well spotted

NotAGolf · 6 Mar 2021 at 16:50

Wow, thanks for all the quick and helpful replies.

I've had the bike for 18 months now and have never noticed it before, but yes it certainly looks like a clean hole (as if pre-drilled), perhaps there was a bung that sat quite flush which I didn't notice.

It's in exactly the same spot as the image Dis86 has linked, so I think resurgam could be right in that in that it's for a cable.

Thanks again guys. I can sleep a bit easier at night having spent the last few minutes looking at the price of frame sets :eek:

-westy- · 6 Mar 2021 at 22:23

That's pre-drilled - it has a draft on it. On a carbon frame it would likely have cracks or a ragged edge as the failure mode. It may be a good idea to see if anyone can supply a rubber bung to stop water and general debris getting inside the frame.

SexyGreyFox · 7 Mar 2021 at 11:57

-westy- said:
That's pre-drilled - it has a draft on it. On a carbon frame it would likely have cracks or a ragged edge as the failure mode. It may be a good idea to see if anyone can supply a rubber bung to stop water and general debris getting inside the frame.

Or a simple bit of Gorilla Tape

platypus · 7 Mar 2021 at 19:40

It's pre-drilled as others have said - it's a cable run for mechanical shifting

.

Jonny ///M · 7 Mar 2021 at 20:00

That's the mechanical gear cable hole as has been said. It's when you find a hole in a chainstay that the tyre put there you should be worried.