Tarmac SL7 Downtube Repair

Last month we took on a Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 with a damaged down tube. This bike had been crashed at the Tour of The Gila. 

The first step of any repair is to survey the frame to see if there is any more damage than what is easily visible. 

Next we create a basic mold of the area to be repaired. The mold will be used to create an inner wall that we are able to build the repair on. 

Once the mold is ready we remove all of the damaged carbon fiber. Damaged carbon is not just what you can visually see but also layer that have been delaminated. Once removed you are left with a whole that must be bridged. We now use the basic mold we created to cross this bridge and make a solid foundation to build on top of. 

We do our best to recreate the same layup that was original to the frame, we do this by inspecting the damaged carbon we have removed. We can determine the number of layers and their orientation from this inspection. Once we have that recipe we rebuild the Downtube with multiple layers of carbon fiber and resin. 

After a few days we are finished with the rebuild and start to ready the area for paint matching. This Tarmac had a gloss red candy and a matte back fade with gloss black logos. It was not an easy task for our technician to blend. But with many years of experience and thousands of jobs under her belt she is an expert. 

Once the paint is completed it is ready to be back out on the road and racing up the mountains of the Gila next year. 

If you have questions about your Tarmac or any other frame give us a call. We would love to help you get back on the road.