Cracked headtube

Graham wrote:
On cleaning my bike today I noticed a crack about an inch long running
up the centre of the headtube (looking from the front) from the bottom.
The frame is a Columbus Altec 2 aluminium frame and it has in it a
Richey headset carrying a carbon fork with a threadless steerer.

My first question is what might have caused this. The roads in the UK
are appauling after a severe winter so impact damage might be a
possibility but the front wheel is true and the wheel and headset
bearings are running smoothly. There has been a lot of salt used to
clear the snow and ice so my other thought is that this could be a
corrosion related problem with aluminium oxide building up between the
bottom headset race and the head tube. Could the resulting pressure
crack the tube.

My second question is - is this a terminal problem requiring a new
frame. I guess the most effective solution would be to get it welded if
that would be both possible and cost effective. Alternatively it might
be possible to modify a large diameter set tube clamp and use that to
prevent it from failing catastophically.

Any sensible answers to the above will be most welcome as will as any
other suggestions as to how I might safely prolong the life of this frame.

The correct process is to remove the finish, anneal the
frame, cut out damaged areas, weld in new tube then temper
and re-finish. The dicey part is avoiding warping due to
heat expansion of a closed figure. I don't know anyone still
offering that service in USA as new frames cost less than
repairs.

So you have nothing to lose with a weld attempt but that
likely won't be a permanent fix.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971