Bent Fork?
05-20-09, 11:49 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Bent Fork?
Hi, I just joined the forum and have a question about how I can tell if my fork is bent. I was in a large group training ride, doing about 25 MPH when two guys in front of my locked wheels and went down. I had no where to go and slammed into one of their bikes. A collapsed lung, 10 broken ribs, 3 fractured verterbra and a shattered clavicle laid me up for months. I finally got around to checking out my steel Pinarello. The front tire was blown out and it looks like the bike flipped and landed on the saddle and the tops of the brake hoods. The bars are definitely bent. The frame tubes look good. The fork looks good to my eye. But, I noticed that the brake blocks are now about 3mm above the top of the rim. Could the fork blades have straightened out (less rake?) from the impact? Thus, effectively making the distance from the drops to the crown longer. If so, how can I be sure. Or, should I just scrap the fork or the entire frame? Thanks.
Last edited by gearbasher; 05-21-09 at 07:07 AM.
05-20-09, 11:54 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1,437
Bikes: NOYB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Forks don't "straighten out". From the sound of it, they're bent. Good thing about steel though is that it may be able to be bent back.
The fork blades should be perfectly in line with the headtube of the frame - are they? If you could post a clear side shot of your bike, an experienced eye or 2 could help.
The fork blades should be perfectly in line with the headtube of the frame - are they? If you could post a clear side shot of your bike, an experienced eye or 2 could help.
05-21-09, 12:22 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Jose, California
Posts: 3,504
Bikes: 2001 Tommasini Sintesi w/ Campagnolo Daytona 10 Speed
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 145 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 35 Times
in
30 Posts
Assuming you know how to strip down and later re-assemble your own bikes...
Seriously consider bringing the frame and fork in two separate pieces to a shop with serious alignment equip - or a frame builder for a work over. You are going to do a rebuild anyway, right?
Steel bikes including Pinarello's can take alot. I've seen a Pinarello Model "Twisted Sister" visit my local frame builder...and depart 2 weeks later as a Pinarello Model "Heaven's Door".
=8-)
Seriously consider bringing the frame and fork in two separate pieces to a shop with serious alignment equip - or a frame builder for a work over. You are going to do a rebuild anyway, right?
Steel bikes including Pinarello's can take alot. I've seen a Pinarello Model "Twisted Sister" visit my local frame builder...and depart 2 weeks later as a Pinarello Model "Heaven's Door".
=8-)
