Flattened chainstay

[Shoogle]

Should I try to flatten this chainstay back to shape or just leave it? It's a steel Genesis Longitude. It happened yesterday when the bike fell over with one of these Decathlon kickstands, which I had deliberately not over tightened so's not to flatten the chainstay. Now it has flattened it due to not being tight enough, and rotating when the bike fell over.

[Brucey]

the usual way to address this would be to use a series of internal dollies (which can be attached to something flexible, like cable housing and introduced via the BB). If this is done well, the paint need not be marred.

[Shoogle]

Thanks Brucey but what should the dollies be made of?

[tenbikes]

I'd leave it alone, I can't see any benefit in trying to get it back to the original shape.

[Manc33]

What about a cloth around it and G clamp the widest part?

If it breaks, it's not my fault. Surely it can only weaken it by bending it back.

[Brucey]

Thanks Brucey but what should the dollies be made of?

ideally steel or Al, but even wood might do. FWIW gently squeezing the tube using a vice equipped with soft jaws can work too.

[TheBomber]

If it was mine and assuming a round cross section stay…

I’d drill the end grain of a block of wood (eg 4” x 4”) with a drill bit the diameter of the chainstay. Then cut the block of wood in half so it can be clamped around the stay in a vice. By gently squeezing the vice and rolling the stay (ie whole frame) you should be able to bring a lot of shape back. Watched a frame builder do the same to my dented downtube once, though obviously he had the pucker half round blocks for the job. It will damage the paint and you’ll need to get some of the kit off that bike to be able to work.

[Shoogle]

If it would be OK to leave it, I'll do that. I'm not bothered about how it looks.

[Cyclothesist]

I can see 531colin rolling his eyes at that. Maybe not the best design of bike stand. Those that clamp on the chainstay and seatstay look better. Even the traditional stand clamping behind the BB across both chainstays is better.

The best solution is a frame with a kickstand mount plate welded behind the BB across the chainstays. European bikes commonly have them. Paired with a double leg stand it provides a very stable platform. I don't understand why they aren't more commonly specced on touring bikes in the UK.

[rareposter]

If it would be OK to leave it, I'll do that. I'm not bothered about how it looks.

Yep, leave it alone. Chainstays are pretty thick material usually - although they're still not designed to have that terrible version of a bike stand clamped to them.

But trying to bend it back will just weaken it further.

[PH]

If it would be OK to leave it, I'll do that. I'm not bothered about how it looks.

Considering that any chainstays have a similar dent, deliberately bashed into them during manufacture, to give clearance for the small chainring, I'd leave it alone.

[Cyclothesist]

I would also bin that bikestand and get one braced on at least 2 tubes

[Brucey]

the dent is probably fairly harmless; however, I wouldn't forestall repairs for fear of cracking, because the steel used is normally quite ductile, and should respond well to repair attempts.

[Brucey]

I would also bin that bikestand and get one braced on at least 2 tubes

or add a bracing strut?

[Cyclothesist]

I would also bin that bikestand and get one braced on at least 2 tubes

or add a bracing strut?

Any excuse for a spot of welding