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2012 Roubaix- warranty job?

7K views 38 replies 13 participants last post by  Jackhammer 
#1 ·
The frame near one of the rear dropouts on my beloved 2012 Roubaix seems to be rusting under the paintwork- see the bubbles in the attached photos.

As I am the original owner, would this be covered under Specialized's warranty? If so, I doubt that I would receive a new version of the frame I have, so any ideas how Specialized would address this?

Thanks in advance for the insight.

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#2 ·
I can't be rust because that's not a steel frame.

So I'll presume that's an aluminum frame. Salted water i.e., sweat or road spray, will penetrate small cracks in the paint. The aluminum will bubble on the surface but it won't structually damage or compromise the frame.

I doubt Specialized will warranty it; their view will be you failed to take care of the frame properly. And that's true; after those sweaty or salt-influenced rides, you HAVE to wipe the frame down with plain water. Trust me; as a long time steel frame owner, I've learned a lot.
 
#3 ·
I'd take it in to the shop where you purchased the bike and ask them. The frame is carbon, but the dropout is Al. My completely arbitrary (based on internet pictures) guess is that the joint is corroding between the two and failing. As long as your the original owner with proof of purchase, it never hurts to ask.
Even if they say it's paint failure and the warranty for paint was only one year, they are usually pretty good with offering 'crash replacements' where you can get a new frame at a steep discount if you turn in the damaged one.
 
#11 · (Edited)
There were E5 Roubaix frames back in the early life of the model. The one in the picture clearly is not though, the dropout design is a dead giveaway. That said, the dropouts are Al moulded into the carbon tubing. I don't know how extensive the joint is though which is why he should get it looked at by a dealer.
 
#12 ·
Quick update if anyone is interested, my LBS has taken photos and a copy of the original receipt to send off to the Specialized rep on Monday. Stay tuned...

Peter P, it is a full carbon frame with alloy dropouts. I probably should have used "corroded" rather than "rust" in the initial post, sorry for the confusion
 
#13 ·
A curious thread. Can you tell us the history of the bike? Do you live near the ocean?
Most of us have never seen that level of corrosion on a Specialized Al bike.

Lastly, I wonder where you get the Roubaix name from? The bike you show is not a Specialized Roubaix FWIW. Perhaps the bike is an Al Roubaix from another brand.

If you insist the bike is a Specialized Roubaix, please post pictures showing the rest of the frameset to prove this. Only other wildcard if it is a Roubaix is...it maybe a very early example when the bike was created well over a decade ago.
 
#16 ·
#20 ·
#17 ·
Can you show us pictures of the bike?...and not just the drop out. Is that the factory paint job? Believe many here believes that's an Al bike. Perhaps it isn't. Most of us...me...have never seen a carbon bike...any bike...bubble like that.

Unless you show greater context, it isn't a stretch to incredulity to believe that isn't a carbon Roubaix. I own a 2012 carbon Roubaix SL3 Pro FWIW. I am very familiar with that bike.

Show us more pics. If the frameset is carbon and was repainted this may explain the bubbling...if the frame was contaminated when repainted. The carbon lay up may in fact be OK...or maybe not. Generally Al doesn't bubble aka rust either...more common with steel and that isn't a steel frameset because the downtube shown is too large in diameter. Show us pics of the 'bike'...as requested.
 
#19 ·
By the way, your cassette looks REALLY clean, were you spraying any sort of degreaser or anything onto that area of the bike that may have damaged the paint?
No degreaser, the cassette is brand new in the photo. I've actually just replaced the entire groupset with Ultegra 6800 as one of the original 10 speed shifters broke. Hence why I'll be a bit upset if the frame is no good.

11spd, it's not been repainted or crashed. I'm not sure why you're so suspicious. If you won't take me at my word I'll just say thanks thanks for your contribution to this point and leave it at that.
 
#28 ·
Good stuff tig. Somewhat agree with Butcher as well...his assertion.
I believe what we have here is likely galvanic corrosion. Hard to ascribe a different root cause.

I have been around the sport for many years. Will say again, I have NEVER seen it.
This maybe a first. A black swan. Very rare. Virtually never discussed on bike forums because it virtually never exists. CF has been around for well over a decade on bicycles.
So, this maybe a clear and blatant instance. If others here have seen it before on homogenous carbon fiber frames...not carbon/Al or carbon/Ti composites, please post your experience.
 
#29 ·
You see it when you work in a shop, not an overwhelmingly large number of bikes, but it is out there. It's simply a numbers game, decades of riding many bikes will never compete with what comes through the door in a single year at a busy shop. Best example is Al nipples in carbon rims in a wet and salty environment. Give it a few years and they look absolutely nasty. I've seen plenty of other failures too, it's just not worth the effort to blast them out on the web everytime I see something like that. I'd rather spend my time riding than frame bashing online.
 
#31 ·
Perhaps in not your best interest rcb...but that doesn't excuse others from talking about galvanic corrosion of CF frames on the web. Guess what? It is virtually never discussed in the context of carbon fiber as a common or uncommon failure mode. Galvanic corrosion of carbon fiber is virtually a non issue. I admit, this looks like galvanic corrosion of the OP's bike. I ride with owners, techs and workers at lbs. Galvanic corrosion would be discussed if it is an issue. It isn't. But looks like we have it here and hope the OP gets support from Specialized. As discussed, I own literally the identical bike and model year with 10r carbon in a very salty environment near the beach on the coast of FL and no issue...about 30,000 miles on the bike.
 
#35 ·
Cool. Feel ya. I do look through the lens of probability. All of us do as bike riders...including if we believe that galvanic corrosion is a game changer every time we get on our bikes...including living along a salty sea coast like I do and my other 200 carbon bike riding club friends. We don't have a problem with it.
Does it exist? Yes...appears so. So do CAT 1 racers on MUPs. Rare.
 
#33 ·
If you have a look at some of the Youtube videos from Luescher Teknik (he has a background in aerospace, bike design and does carbon bike repairs) he often talks about and shows Galvanic corosion on carbon frames and in carbon wheels (he cuts them up). Usually around water bottle mounts, spoke nipples, carbon bars/ alloy stems etc caused by sweat. Cycling Maven and Shane Miller also have videos featuring Raoul Luescher talking about Galvanic Corosion in carbon parts. (Usually has an associated alloy part with it)
 
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