Cracked frame(?)

[ny biker]

I was cleaning my bike last night (Madone 4.7 carbon frame) when I noticed something odd on the top of the top tube. Like, is that a crack? Or maybe (hopefully) just a crack in the paint?

So I brought it to the bike shop today and asked them to look at it. First a mechanic looked at it and said it appeared to be a crack. Then the service manager examined it and agreed with the mechanic. Then the store manager who sold it to me walked by, and I told him what was happening, so he looked at it and tapped on it with a dime, and based on the sound of the tapping on different parts of the top tube, agreed that it was probably cracked.

The bike is slightly more than a year old. I have not crashed on it.

So, they immediately emailed the warranty person at Trek, so he knows to expect it, and they are shipping the bike to Wisconsin today. We should have an answer next week. While we hope for the best, they told me the possible outcomes:

1. Trek determines it was caused by a manufacturing defect, and replaces the frame at no cost under the lifetime warranty.

2. Trek determines it was not defective, and I can buy a new frame at a 20-30% discount. Replacement frame will have the same lifetime warranty as the original.

3. Another company can repair the frame. No warranty under this scenario, but it costs less.

The replacement frame might not be available in the same color, but I'm not in love with the gray color anyway.

Last night all I could think was that I can't afford a new bike right now. It didn't even occur to me that all the components are still good. I could manage the cost of a new frame, though I'd prefer not to spend that money, especially not with holiday expenses on the horizon.

Anyway, I guess my mountain bike will finally get some attention this weekend. I haven't ridden it in years. It's been in a storage shed on the balcony, but I did get it cleaned and tuned last spring so it should be good to go, maybe with some fresh chain lube.

I really hope they replace the frame under warranty...

[Tokie]

Oh, I hope that Trek gives you a replacement at no cost - that's just not right to crack like that, when your bike is almost brand new! good luck! When I crashed my Ruby I had my frame sent off to Calfee (I live in California) and they fixed my chain stay for I think 450$ - not cheap. That was without a paint job to cover/match the repair to my frame. I have put many miles on it since, but did stop racing on it (I figure it might not hold up well in another crash). when you haven't even crashed your bike, no reason for the frame to crack like that. Glad you spotted it before it failed - yikes! tokie

[jennyrc]

Good luck! I have been curious about how well treks lifetime frame warranty works with Carbon. I have a Madone as well (4.5) and thankfully no cracks yet, but I would hate to have this happen as it was a major splurge to buy this bike to begin with.

Good luck! (And have fun with your MTB...mine has been neglected ever since the Madone)

[OakLeaf]

A friend of mine had his Madone frame replaced under warranty last year. It took a while IIRC, but he had nothing but good to say about the way they handled it. He actually got an upgrade to the next level frame at no extra cost, I don't remember why.

[ny biker]

Oh, I hope that Trek gives you a replacement at no cost - that's just not right to crack like that, when your bike is almost brand new! good luck! When I crashed my Ruby I had my frame sent off to Calfee (I live in California) and they fixed my chain stay for I think 450$ - not cheap. That was without a paint job to cover/match the repair to my frame. I have put many miles on it since, but did stop racing on it (I figure it might not hold up well in another crash). when you haven't even crashed your bike, no reason for the frame to crack like that. Glad you spotted it before it failed - yikes! tokie

Calfee was the company they mentioned for the repair option. It's good to know that you had a good experience with them.

This potentially messes up my plans to re-test the Affinity RL saddle to see if it's more comfortable than I had thought back in the spring. I figured my butt is as tough as it's going to get at this point in the year, which is ideal for saddle testing. If I'm off the road bike for too long, it will be too cold for long test rides.

Oh well. This is certainly not the worst thing in the world. Just a bummer.

[westtexas]

I worry about this a lot with my carbon frame. It fell into a wall about a month after I had it, but luckily the paint was just scratched. Plus with all the travelling I do with it - I worry every time when I unpack it that it will be smashed to bits. But I came to the same conclusion as you - I can afford a new frame if it breaks because the parts will still be good. But I really like my frame (the colors are why I got it) and I don't know if it's replaceable.

[ny biker]

I think if carbon frames were really fragile, there would be plenty of us posting about cracked frames here. So I think they are generally reliable. Of course I might feel differently about them by the time this little adventure is over.

The issue of frequent travel is an interesting one. I wonder what the pros do to protect carbon bikes and components when they travel.

[westtexas]

The issue of frequent travel is an interesting one. I wonder what the pros do to protect carbon bikes and components when they travel.

Obviously, I am not a pro. But I got the Helium Biknd case and so far have been very satisfied with its ability to protect my bike despite airline luggage handlers' best efforts. It's a softshell, lightweight case (bike + case is less than 50 pounds) that utilizes air bladders to protect the frame from the wheels and from injury. The frame itself is bolted to the bottom of the case on a quick release skewer and it has nice wheels to move it along with. I pack my bike according to the case's instructions and put foam PVC pipe protectors around the top tube/down tube/seat stays/etc. etc. (also the derailleur). It got lost in Dallas on my last trip but arrived a day later without a scratch. Seems to be working so far. Supposedly this is the case that a lot of pros use, too. After my first flight with it, and now having it been lost in the airport at a plane change, I feel pretty secure using it and don't have any anxiety concerning it's condition while travelling. But then there's always that moment when you unzip the case and see the frame...

[Kiwi Stoker]

Pros have multiple bikes and just contact their bike sponsor when something happens.

One triathlete broke her carbon seatpost while on the bike leg and RODE the entire way standing up. WOW.

New carbon seatpost was urgently DHLed to her the next day.

[goldfinch]

I worry about this a little with my Madone 4.7 because I am clumsy and I am afraid I will do something to hurt the frame, and if I had to make a claim Trek can't replace it because they don't make that frame size anymore. So, I am not sure what would happen.

The very few people I have heard talk about making claims to Trek on their frame warranty have reported a good experience.

[Biciclista]

lucky for us, frame fractures are rare!
My husband had the same thing happen to a Raleigh he bought (he had had it a few years by then), and although they didn't entirely replace it, they put a good amount of money towards the next bike he bought.
SAVE your receipts!

[Grog]

Some bikes seem to be more susceptible. My husband's R3 Cervelo (2009 or 2010 model, can't remember) developed a crack near the bottom bracket, and another of his teammates had the exact same thing happen on the exact same bike. They were both replaced by the company by the "new and improved" R3 model. Apparently it was an issue with the bike's design.....

[bluebug32]

I tend to freak out even when I find a chip in my carbon fiber frame's paint. It still doesn't keep me from riding dirt roads though:p

[ny biker]

Some bikes seem to be more susceptible. My husband's R3 Cervelo (2009 or 2010 model, can't remember) developed a crack near the bottom bracket, and another of his teammates had the exact same thing happen on the exact same bike. They were both replaced by the company by the "new and improved" R3 model. Apparently it was an issue with the bike's design.....

The LBS manager said something about another customer having a similar problem recently, so maybe there is a design flaw.

Meanwhile I'm about to leave for my first mountain bike ride in years. I'm riding the canal towpath, not single track, but it will still be fun. It took lots of prep -- getting out the right shoes, finding spare tubes for the tires, making sure the frame pump was set to schrader valves, etc etc. I found 2 packs of gu in my camelback with "best by" dates in 2007 -- has it really been that long?!?

[Seajay]

We try to encourage our clients to treat carbon bikes just like any other bike.
Paint chips, stones thrown up off the road and minor impacts will not cause a failure in a high quality carbon frame.
Its a lot tougher than we think. There is impact resistance built into the design.
The very nature of how the composite works tends to stop crack propagation at the microscopic level.

I think with a metal frame we assume paint chips and small dings are no problem so we tend to ignore them. With a carbon frame we are unfamiliar with the material and how it works so we tend to be hyper sensitive to any small thing.

The guy at the shop doing the tap test was on target. I have seen surveyors of high end ($1mil+) racing yachts do the same thing.
However, simply a change in sound is not a death sentence. There are other reasons the sound could change. Your frame has no history that would make me assume it is de-laminating. If it were a no name "black plastic" frame MAYBE...but the odds of a modern Trek just delaminating with no history is so remote.

Here's how I approach suspected "cracks" in frames
What is the history?
If there was a big impact that would have damaged ANY material frame....we assume some damage may have taken place.
If it's minor impact, typical stuff....and we are all standing around wondering if its an issue....its probably not an issue.
Keep riding it. Do the tap test on it from time to time to see if it changes over the next month or so to make yourself feel better. Likely it will not change.
If it changes and becomes more apparent...then explore your other options but this is a pretty rare case.

Keep in mind what happens when your bike falls over.
The pedals, wheels, seat and handlebars take the impact. Imagine even the bike falling out the back of a truck onto the road. Its going to tumble over the wheels, handlebars, saddle and pedals. All the while dissipating energy. The odds of the frame taking the first and hardest impact is remote. If it did take a direct impact here...it would kill steel, aluminum, carbon and probably titanium, so it wouldn't matter the material

The place you can hurt a carbon frame is clamping. This is where things are different than ferrous frames.
If you are clamping your frame into a workstand or old school thule rack, adjusting stems on steertubes or seatposts without a torque wrench you are asking for trouble (ie the hamfisted Trek mechanic a couple years ago)

An interesting read is Craig Calfee's white paper on Carbon (http://www.calfeedesign.com/tech-papers/technical-white-paper/). It's out of date but an informative read anyway, I wish he had time to update it. Calfee knows his stuff when it comes to CF composites. Re the Ruby...If Craig fixed it, I wouldn't worry about it failing ever.

[ny biker]

Update: I'm still waiting to hear from Trek. I've spoken to the guy at the LBS and he was hoping to hear from them today.

Meanwhile, there is this article on repairing damaged carbon frames and components from velonews.com, which discusses various companies in the US, UK and Australia that do repairs.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/10/bikes-and-tech/carbon-repair-options-for-repairing-carbon-bike-frames_196178/1

I finally managed to get out and ride the mountain bike yesterday. I took it to ride on the canal towpath last weekend (at Great Falls, Maryland), but discovered a big spot on the side of the rear tire that looked like massive failure was imminent. So I put the bike back in the car and spent a few hours hiking instead.

A couple of days later I went to the LBS and got new tires. They're designated "light trail," for use on easy dry single track, fireroads, and even pavement, but are not good for technical single track because they're not very knobby. I figured they would work for my current situation. So I put the new tires on the wheels along with new tubes, and the next day found that one of them had gone flat due to a defective valve. Good thing I had just bought some additional spare tubes.

After all this, I figured my best bet would be to ride on the paved trail near the LBS, so that I would be able to quickly6 resolve any additonal mechanical issues that might crop up. So that's what I did yesterday. I was also curious to see how fast the light trail tires could go on pavement. Pretty fast, as it turned out -- I averaged 14 mph over 36 miles, which is not much slower than my road bike.

The trail I rode yesterday (WOD) has a dirt path running parallel to much of it. I think it will make a nice change of pace to ride the mountain bike on it, especially in colder weather when I won't be doing such long rides. And I would like to get back to the towpath.

Still, I really would like to get an answer from Trek.

[bluebug32]

Interesting points, Seajay. I wish you could be a guest speaker at our weekly ride where we tend to do lots of dirt roads. There's lots of freaking out about causing damage to carbon frames.

[redrhodie]

I was thinking about this thread the other day. I was in my lbs as they received 2 frames repaired by Calfee. I took a really close look, and I could not see any evidence of the cracks, or the repairs. I also saw the "before" pics of the damage, which looked pretty bad. They looked perfect, as good as new. They were both Specialized frames. I was impressed. Just thought you'd like to know, if you end up going that route, they seem to do great work.

[Seajay]

RR Yes, Craig Calfee has been doing the carbon thing a long time. I think the early Tetra frames were late 80's. Smart to get into carbon frame repair but his Tretra Pro and DragonFly frames are well worth considering if looking for a new bike. He does excellent work. No, I don't work for him. :)

BlueBug. The clear tape that is used for protecting cars and boats works well on bike frames on underside of tubes. It makes a nice little barrier if people are concerned about rock chips on dirt roads. It's basically the same product used on "invisible car bras" I think its called Vantage by 3M. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJPOWxth5Vc&feature=player_embedded#!)

[zoom-zoom]

I hope they will replace your frame. My hubby had a Specialized Roubaix that developed a crack where the top tube meets the seat post tube when it was only 3-4 years old. They shipped him a comparable frame and fork within a really short time. He kept his components.

[bluebug32]

BlueBug. The clear tape that is used for protecting cars and boats works well on bike frames on underside of tubes. It makes a nice little barrier if people are concerned about rock chips on dirt roads. It's basically the same product used on "invisible car bras" I think its called Vantage by 3M. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJPOWxth5Vc&feature=player_embedded#!)

I just have a small paint chip right now. Is it a problem to leave it uncovered? Any chance of it getting larger?

[ny biker]

Well, some progress but not great. Trek says it's definitely cracked, and they need to cut the top tube off to determine if it's from an impact or not. The LBS manager is getting the impression that at this point they think the cause was an impact, and it looks like it won't be covered under warranty. They asked him for more information, and he told them I don't race, ride recreationally, have not crashed, etc.

Anyway, I can tell them right now to stop, and have the bike sent to Calfee for a repair. The LBS manager estimates the cost for them to repair it (with repainting) would be about $400. A new frame would be > $1000 after the discount.

If I authorize them to cut the top tube and they decide the cause was an impact, then the repair cost would be more, if it's repairable at all, since the whole tube will have been cut off.

I need to call him back with an answer.

[zoom-zoom]

Geez, that is really crappy. Specialized could have used my hubby's weight to deny frame replacement (he's generally 225-250#...6'2" guy who looks more like a football player/decathlete than a cyclist), but they didn't give him any crap. Certainly would make me think twice about a Trek/Gary Fisher in the future.

[Jo-n-NY]

Same response from Trek for a person in our bike club. His bike is only 13 months old. I got really angry when they told him they wanted to cut the top tube. I think has changed with the way they are processing these warrenty claims. I wouldn't want the bike after the cut it.

[ny biker]

Looking at the Calfee website (http://calfeedesign.com/repair), I think they could repair it even with the top tube cut, though I'm sure that would increase the cost of the repair. Their repairs have a 10-year warranty.

I'm going to call the bike shop with more questions and to get a full picture of the total costs involved, including costs to strip the components if I send it to Calfee and the cost to rebuild the repaired/new frame.

I would also like to try to find out what kind of impact Trek thinks caused the crack. It runs along the length of the top tube. I'm wondering if this could be caused while riding, such as by hitting a pothole, or if it's something that would be caused by an object striking the frame.

[ny biker]

Well alrighty then. I decided to go ahead and have Calfee make the repair, without getting a final warranty answer from Trek.

I'll go through all the details, in case it helps anyone else in a similar situation.

First, here is an interesting article on carbon care, from the LBS website.

http://thebikelane.com/articles/carbon-bicycle-and-component-care-pg699.htm

I confirmed with the manager that my frame was not damaged by the handlebar turning too fast and smashing into the top tube (based on the location of the crack).

So. Whether I get the frame repaired or get a new one, there would be a labor cost to rebuild it afterwards, which would be about $50-75.

However, if I got a new frame (whether covered under warranty or not), there would be some incompatibility with my current components due to differences between the 2010 Madone (my bike) and the newer frames. I don't remember them all, but for example the seat tube is different and the way the front derailleur attaches to the frame has changed. So I'd be looking at a couple of hundred dollars cost for components to work with the new frame.

If the frame is not covered under warranty, it would cost more than $1000 for a new one, after the discount from Trek's replacement program.

Looking at the information on Calfee's website and the size of the crack, the LBS manager estimated it would cost $400 to repair, including painting the repaired area.

If I have to buy a new frame, a conservative estimate of the cost would be 3x the cost of that repair ($1000 plus some new components).

If I have Trek cut the top tube, and then I decide to have the frame repaired, I expect the cost of the repair to be $600 at least, maybe more.

If Trek cuts the top tube, decides the crack was caused by a defect, and sends me a new frame, I still have to pay a couple hundred dollars for new components.

So, although part of me really wants a final decision from Trek regarding defect vs. damage caused by me, I don't want to risk the higher cost of having to pay for a new frame, or even repairing the frame after Trek cuts it. And I don't want to have to get any new components. Therefore I told them to have Trek ship the bike back to the LBS, where they will remove everything from the frame and send it to Calfee for repairs.

Of course it's possible that Calfee will say the repair will cost more than we're expecting, but based on the information in that Velonews article I am optimistic that our guesstimate is accurate.

Calfee says 3 weeks for the repair, plus it will take time to ship there and back, so I think I'm looking at 5-6 weeks from now before I see my bike again.

The only good thing about this is that it didn't happen during the spring or summer.

[redrhodie]

Wow, it sounds like Trek has discovered a huge loophole in their warranty. I'm sure most people would do what you're doing, to avoid a more costly option. I guess the warranty is always at their discretion, but this makes it even more expensive for you should they rule against you. That really sucks.

One of the 2 Specialized frames I mentioned above was repainted without the decals, and it looked better. It was also cheaper. You should consider that, because why would you want to display their logo when they've not honored their warranty?

Well, I really hope you get your bike back soon, and it's as good as it was. You seem to be handling this very well.

[Blueberry]

Thanks for posting your experience.

That really stinks. I have not been a carbon person (for a lot of reasons), but I'm now starting to consider a tri bike in a few years (and once I feel like I've earned it). It will likely be carbon. I can guarantee it won't be Trek. That is not IMO an appropriate way to treat a customer (cause more damage to see if they will cover it). I would love to know what percent they actually decide to warranty....

FWIW I think you're making a wise decision. However, I hope that your LBS will share your dissatisfaction with trek and steer their customers towards other lines.

[TsPoet]

FWIW I think you're making a wise decision. However, I hope that your LBS will share your dissatisfaction with trek and steer their customers towards other lines.

I've been following this thread out of curiosity and I agree, I'd love to have people know about this, and I'd like Trek to know that people know.

Calfee will do a fabulous job, though.

[zoom-zoom]

I've been following this thread out of curiosity and I agree, I'd love to have people know about this, and I'd like Trek to know that people know.

Perhaps someone should direct them to this thread... ;)

As for new graphics on the repainted frame, I would definitely not have Trek's branding associated with it in any positive fashion. They've not done right by you or other cyclists, from the sound of things.

[OakLeaf]

Wow, that s*cks. That's so different from the experience my friend had just last year. IIRC Trek also paid the difference to replace any components that weren't compatible with his new frame (seatpost I believe, I think both FDs were clamp-on, but I could be totally wrong about both). Sorry to hear what happened to you.

[Seajay]

Perhaps someone should direct them to this thread... ;)

I'm certainly going to inquire about this "cut and check" thing with our Trek rep to be able to help our clientele better if it happens here. Sorry NY that you had a bad experience. It sounds like your local shop tried to take care of you as best they could though...that's good.
I think the Calfee idea "pre cut" is a good idea. If its cut, I would imagine that CC would have to 12:1 bevel the entire section then assure it's alignment during reassembly. Sounds much more complex.

[aicabsolut]

My boyfriend cracked the top tube of his Specialized this summer. Or rather, all the dudes falling down in front and on top of him in a race cracked the top tube. It was just a tiny crushed area, not a through and through crack. Tube was intact. He sent it to Calfee, who is going to repair the carbon for $250. Single color paint is $150 for him. Redoing some of the stripe designs with paint would be really expensive.

I had substantial damage to a carbon frame some years ago, when Calfee's prices were cheaper. My bike was involved in a rear impact while on the car bike rack incident. The downtube was connected but cracked through (highest level repair). Turns out the seat tube was also cracked due to some overtorquing (low level repair) (which I suspect was the LBS because I didn't do much tinkering with my bike at that time). I also killed the fork, which Calfee doesn't fix. I was looking at something like 600 for the repair including shipping, plus buying a new fork. Calfee's repair and paint prices have gone up a good big since then. For a low level frame, I decided it wasn't worth it. I just did crash replacement through the manufacturer, which cost me $1100 but allowed me to get a much higher level frame.

Anyway, I've seen some of Calfee's work (my boyfriend's is still out there getting worked on). They do a good job. You can tell the weave/layup is different, but I wouldn't hesitate to ride a bike after they repaired it.

[pll]

I have been following this thread with curiosity to find out the outcome. I dislike the Trek strategy. Could they not accomplish the same with x-rays or some other non-destructive technique? It just seems like a strategy to push customers away from claiming the warranty. Of course, now I wonder what Cannondale does (given I have one). And good for Specialized!

NY_biker: I hope you get the frame repainted... without any Trek logos!

[zoom-zoom]

Of course, now I wonder what Cannondale does (given I have one).

It sounds like Cannondale is pretty fair about things, at least from what a friend of mine is experiencing. He had an old guy pull out in front of him while he was coming down a hill (he's lucky to be alive). The bike he was on was destroyed. So while he waits for the man's insurance to divvy-out damages he decided to fix up an old Cannondale languishing in his garage. He discovered some stress damage in the aluminum, so he brought it to his LBS. Cannondale is replacing the frame (even 1 size smaller, since the existing bike was always bigger than he felt comfortable with), he is purchasing a new fork and seat post and keeping his existing components.

[ny biker]

Thanks everyone for your support. I'm really not happy about the situation, but working with a helpful LBS manager is helping to keep me calm.

I'm going to ask him to let me know when the bike arrives from Trek so I can scoot over there and take some "before" photos. I think they've actually removed the paint around the crack, so it won't be a true "before," but I would still like something to compare the end product to.

The frame is mostly gray, and the crack is in an area covered by a white stripe (which is not centered correctly on the tube -- it makes centering the saddle really hard because it never looks right). So I don't think repainting (or decal-ing) "Trek" is an issue, but I will check.

Oh, also, Trek Madone cracked carbon frame Trek carbon frame crack Trek carbon warranty Trek carbon replacement. (I'm trying to add phrases to get this thread to show up in google searches, in case it's helpful to anyone else out there dealing with a similar problem. ;))

[Blueberry]

Oh, also, Trek Madone cracked carbon frame Trek carbon frame crack Trek carbon warranty Trek carbon replacement. (I'm trying to add phrases to get this thread to show up in google searches, in case it's helpful to anyone else out there dealing with a similar problem. ;))

To sum it up: Trek customer service for cracked carbon madone frame sucks. Trek's replacement policy for a cracked carbon madone frame also sucks.

Here's hoping Calfee will do what you're hoping for and more!

[ny biker]

So, this is taking a long time.

Three weeks ago, the frame arrived back at the LBS from Trek. I went and took a few photos of the cracked tube. I don't know how long it took to ship the frame out to Calfee after that. I called the LBS last week for an update, and they had not yet gotten an estimate from Calfee. Then the service manager at the LBS who is handling this for me was out sick. He was finally able to get the estimate today.

The actual repair will cost $180. For painting, I have two choices. The original paint job was silver with a white stripe running along the top of the tube, and the Trek logo on either side. My choices are: repaint the whole top tube silver for $150, or repaint to keep the original stripe and logos for $225. Since the stripe was actually not properly centered, and I'm not feeling the love for Trek right now, I told them to go ahead and paint the whole tube silver.

The Calfee website says it generally takes 3 weeks for a repair, so I guess there's still a chance I will see my bike again before 2012. But at this point I'm just assuming there's a backlog, and I'm not holding my breath.

Meanwhile, some things I've realized in the past few weeks:

- It's really easy to clip in and out with the SPD pedals on my mountain bike.
- My mountain bike is really heavy to carry up a flight of stairs.
- On a paved trail, I'm faster on my mountain bike now than I was before I got the road bike in 2003.
- I don't even know what components are on it, but they shift really smoothly.

[ny biker]

FINALLY!!!!!! Finally finally finally finally finally. My bike has arrived back at the LBS and they're building it up now.

I was starting to think Calfee had shipped it back here by boat via the Panama Canal, since the LBS manager told me almost 2 weeks ago that they had received notification that it had been shipped at the end of December. But apparently there was a paperwork mixup that delayed things.

If all goes well, I will be riding my bike this weekend on my new indoor trainer, since we're having actual cold winter weather this weekend.

[indysteel]

Thank goodness. What an ordeal, but I'm happy that you and your bike are finally being reunited.

[hid558]

Thank God! I know what it is waiting for a bike. Pictures Please:D

[redrhodie]

Yay! I hope it's as good as new. Can't wait to see pics.

[jusdooit]

So gald you finally got it back. Please poast bike porn!!!

[Brandi]

I've been following this thread out of curiosity and I agree, I'd love to have people know about this, and I'd like Trek to know that people know.

Calfee will do a fabulous job, though.
I am just ticked! There should be no question! Someone should send trek a link to this thread so they can see what their business model is getting them! I won't buy from them knowing now this is how they handle their customer's after less then a year! Not cool at all!

[pll]

ny_biker: did you ever post before and after pictures? I know Calfee does great work (a friend had his repaired there after a crash during a race).