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While attaching an equipment on my bike, I accidentally started to screw into the bike frame. I only realized a few weeks later when I dismounted that said equipment.

I'm pretty sure I used a ratchet set at 5 N.m, the dent is 6mm wide (1/4 inch). The bike has an aluminium frame.

  • Should I be worried about that dent?

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Since this is on the central vertical tube of the bike that carries your weight on top of it, I'd say that this is just cosmetic. This tube not under tensile load, so it is not prone to fatigue failure, and it's not likely to buckle either. And since it's aluminum, your tubes all have rather thick walls.

I'd be more worried if this was on the down tube (connecting bottom bracket and head bearing) because of the danger that the damaged area allows fatigue cracks to start. In that case you wouldn't know anything's wrong until your down tube suddenly breaks apart. I wouldn't want this damage on a chainstay either for the same reason. But the seat tube, that should be fine.

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    Concur - it only looks like surface abrasion. OP could lightly sand it then add some colour matched paint and it would be invisible from arm's length. Nail polish is a great source for coloured paint in small applicator bottles with a convenient brush.
    – Criggie ♦
    Aug 3 at 11:53
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    @SaltyVinegar It’s the same advice and reasoning I’d give. There’s a good reason the bottle cage bolts are located there. I would recommend trying to smooth out the damage somehow (maybe wrap sandpaper around the end of a chopstick and twirl it over the damage) just to reduce stress concentration and prevent injury if it’s sharp.
    – MaplePanda
    Aug 3 at 16:22
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    +1 to sanding it - if there are sharp crevices in the drilled area, they can become a stress riser. Not likely to matter, but if you really wanted to be careful, sanding it smooth would be the safest thing to do.
    – Jack Gifford
    Aug 3 at 17:36

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