Scrap it or not

Question

I purchased this Bottecchia full-carbon frame a a few years ago and built it up using Shimano 105 components. Shortly after the build was done it came off the rear mounted rack on my car and went under a U-Haul truck and was dragged for at least a few hundred feet. Upon inspection there appeared to be zero damage to the frame itself...not one scratch. However, the crankset, front fork, handlebar, one shifter, seat, both wheels and rear derailleur were destroyed. I replaced the 105 group with Ultegra, new seat, replaced the crankset, upgraded the wheelset and upgraded to a Easton EC70 fork and bars.

That was 6 years ago and due to rotator cuff issues I have never ridden the bike. Now I am interested in getting back on it, but am concerned about the integrity of the frame. If needed I'll replace the frame and swap over all of the components, but I'd really like to use this frame if possible.Any suggestions on inspection and/or testing the strength of the frame would be appreciated.

Lien028 · Answer

The adage, "If you think safety is expensive, try having an accident applies here. While visual inspection may reveal no cosmetic damage, there is no safe way to verify the integrity of the carbon layup after the aforesaid crash.
You've mentioned you've came from an injury and are looking to get back on the saddle. It would be a wise and pragmatic idea to invest on a new frame or a second-hand one which you could verify for issues. The amount of money you'd have to spend to get the frame assessed along with the hassle of doing so is just not worth it when decent and affordable frames could be had for the cheap these days.
At the end of the day, cycling is your hobby and not your source of income. If something happens to you on the bike because you skimped on safety, your personal life would definitely be affected.

Scrap it or not

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