Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Painted carbon fork dropouts?

Just bought my first singlespeed bike (Cannondale '09 Capo) and am concerned about the assembly job from the bike shop. My question is what level of scraping of the paint on the fork dropouts from the tightening of nuts is acceptable? This has a Slice Ultra fork which I believe is all carbon (with aluminum steerer). My previous road bikes have had unpainted aluminum fron dropouts so I never had this issue before.

I'm wondering if the paint is likely to chip off much more, and if there any structural ramifications. Obviously the teeth have to have something to grab into, but the other side just has imprints without any real scraping (but perhaps that's only temporary anyway?) As the main reason I bought this bike was obviously for the frame and fork, should I take this back? (I can return if I like)

Also, besides the aesthetic issue, I planned on switching to a quick-release axle for the front - which now seems to me like an impossibility due the extra tightening/loosening. Does anyone have an opinion on using a quick-release on a painted drop-out?

Couldn't find any info on this specific issue after looking around for a while - thanks in advance for the newbie help!

Return your bike immediately, it was factory defect.
Cannondale had to recall all the bikes that show signs of this issue. The forks are prone to failing catastrophically.

it would probably be better to take it back to your LBS and show them the issue. they should be more than helpful with a minor and common issue like that...

Thanks for the response - that seems to settle that.

Would you say that I should expect that a painted carbon (or aluminum/steel for that matter) fork shouldn't scrape from the axle nuts? (In case I can exchange, or get something similar.)

there should be no paint flaking. and make sure they adjust the floating troll bearing in the bottom bracket while you're there. the first batch of 09 capos had that problem....

This is the customer that I hate at my shop.

(Also those drops are aluminum bonded into carbon legs.)

Return your bike immediately, it was factory defect.
Cannondale had to recall all the bikes that show signs of this issue. The forks are prone to failing catastrophically.

lol

Zipp front track nuts are smooth...and expensive.

http://www.zipp.com/_media/images/dynamicproducts/track_nuts.jpg

Just bought my first singlespeed bike (Cannondale '09 Capo) and am concerned about the assembly job from the bike shop. My question is what level of scraping of the paint on the fork dropouts from the tightening of nuts is acceptable? This has a Slice Ultra fork which I believe is all carbon (with aluminum steerer). My previous road bikes have had unpainted aluminum fron dropouts so I never had this issue before.

I'm wondering if the paint is likely to chip off much more, and if there any structural ramifications. Obviously the teeth have to have something to grab into, but the other side just has imprints without any real scraping (but perhaps that's only temporary anyway?) As the main reason I bought this bike was obviously for the frame and fork, should I take this back? (I can return if I like)

Also, besides the aesthetic issue, I planned on switching to a quick-release axle for the front - which now seems to me like an impossibility due the extra tightening/loosening. Does anyone have an opinion on using a quick-release on a painted drop-out?

Couldn't find any info on this specific issue after looking around for a while - thanks in advance for the newbie help!

:twitchy:

It's paint. Paint is not a structural component. I think you need to read-up on bicycle maintenance. This should have zero effect on a quick release.

And you have to be careful with the aluminium rusting where the paint is damaged. That corrosion can spread to the carbon in the fork and deform the steering tube. Once that happens you get an ovalisation in the head tube and you need to re-face the head tube. If that fails then it's new frame time.

And you have to be careful with the aluminium rusting where the paint is damaged. That corrosion can spread to the carbon in the fork and deform the steering tube. Once that happens you get an ovalisation in the head tube and you need to re-face the head tube. If that fails then it's new frame time.

8 out of 10 for effort.

You have no idea how many forks I've seen come into the shop that have been destroyed from lack of dropout paint.

Thanks, someday I hope I'll know enough about bikes to be just as sarcastic to those who know less. BTW - the condescension is one of the things that causes many people to avoid visiting (and spending at) their LBS more.

Is Bikeforums an LBS?
Lots of BS? Yes

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lolololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololol

http://a.deviantart.net/avatars/e/x/excitedplz.gif

your nuts will cover it up. Thank God for nuts.