10858.PDF
5
Inspection & Crash
Damage of Carbon Frames
WARNING
AFTER A CRASH OR IMPACT:
Inspect frame carefully for damage (See
PART II, Section D. Inspect For Safety in your
Cannondale Bicycle Owner’s Manual.)
Do not ride your bike if you see any sign
of damage, such as broken, splintered, or
delaminated carbon fiber.
ANY OF THE FOLLOWING MAY INDICATE
A DELAMINATION OR DAMAGE:
An unusual or strange feel to the frame
Carbon which has a soft feel or altered
shape
Creaking or other unexplained noises,
Visible cracks, a white or milky color present
in carbon fiber section
Continuing to ride a damaged frame
increases the chances of frame failure,
with the possibility of injury or death of
the rider.
Repainting Or Refinishing
You should not paint over the existing finish,
refinish or repaint your bike. The carbon fiber
composites making up the frame are held
together by some extremely strong bonding
chemicals. However, these bonds can be
attacked or weakened by paint stripping or
refinishing chemicals.
WARNING
Repainting, painting over, retouching, or
refinishing your frame or fork can result in
severe damage leading to an accident. You
can be severely injured, paralyzed or killed.
Refinishing chemicals : Solvents, and
strippers can attack, weaken, or destroy
the important composite chemical bonds
holding your frame together.
Using abrasives or sanding the frame/fork
structure, original paint, decals, or coatings
through the use of mechanical actions
such as plastic or glass bead blasting or
other abrasive methods such as sanding
or scraping can remove frame material or
weaken it.
