CERVELO DROP-OUT REPAIR – PART 2

For those who are not aware – If your carbon drop out breaks, in most cases the entire frame is useless unlike an alloy one. The drop out is the most critical part of any frame. It not only aligns the rear wheel but it also supports the rear mech. The shape and size of this area is critical to both structural robustness and functionality. I will say this for the record – In my view, currently, carbon dropouts are a disadvantage for the longer term owner for many reasons which I will not go into here. The 2011 Cervelo dropout problem has highlighted this issue.

Can you upgrade my 2011 frame safely to the new drop-out shape?

Yes. After much fiddling and grinding and failure I can safely say yes. Mainly because I have managed to find a process that keeps my time at a minimum and therefore the cost to the customer makes it, in some cases, worth the modification.

Is it that much better?

Oh yes! This upgrade is much more solid. The 2012 Cervelo hanger is vastly more realistic and for those campag guys who simply couldn’t get consistent gear selection, this should put a smile back on your face.  In addition, the frame should hold a better resale value

So now you have 2 options: Repair the old design or invest in the 2012 upgrade.

Contact me for costs as each rear fracture requires a different approach so send me pics please (in focus :-)). Suffice to say it’s a damn side cheaper then replacing an otherwise perfectly good frame.

If some bike manufactures (no particular reference to Cervelo) continue to offer unrealistic out of warranty solutions to customers then customers are left with little choice. Sell more spare parts for the bikes already out of warranty!