Agwan

pic attached!

Fork is bent.

RobbieTunes

Lemans model, much like the NOS ones being sold on line recently.
Needed to stop a little sooner, it appears. Unfortunate, but those forks are out there.

Agwan

where should I start looking for a matching fork? I want to build this up, but not spend a whole lot. singlespeed and V brakes.

RobbieTunes

It is most likely a 27" and many 27" forks are out there, on eBay. I'll check under my back porch.
I've even seen the chrome 27" forks go for as little as $10 on eBay. Measure your steerer tube length and put an ad in ISO/Trade here. Don't offer cash, and work in PM's.

T-Mar

27" with cantilever studs are hard to come by. It may be possible for a good LBS to straighten what you've got, provided the metal itself isn't creased. For posterity, please add pics of the current set-up and the serial number to the Centurion Serial Number database thread in this forum.

RobbieTunes

I totally missed the cantilever studs. totally.
Of course, now I haven't a clue.

And welcome to the forum. Glad to have you here.

Agwan

All of the sudden I feel bad for throwing the fenders and the little wire run through the frame away... though they were mangled anyways.

It is a steel fork, depending on how tempermental the brazing is I can always torch it till its orange and bend it back. but that will mean a repaint.

cudak888 

There's no reason why that fork can't be cold-set right back into place; wouldn't dare heat it.

Question is - did the frame bend behind the headlugs during the crash?

-Kurt

Agwan

Is there a reason that a skilled metalsmith could not heat and squelch this fork? and what are we looking at for a "cold set" repair? unless this bike is sacred to someone I'm just going to torture it in various ways till I'm bored/learned how to do stuff.

does this bike really have 27" wheels? would 650b parts work well? I was kinda hoping I could strip it and convert it to 700c.

I dunno. this is just a project bike for me. My Soma is my baby.

the frame is not bent, nor are the wheels. and its got very few scratches. I get the feeling the fork damage may have come from being in storage... I plan to single speed it soon.

T-Mar

How can you tell us the frame and wheels aren't bent, yet not know the wheel size? Do you have this bicycle in your possession or not?

Personally, I wouldn't even be considering a conversion, given the extra cost and hassle. The tires should be 26" x 1.5, on Araya 7X rims. These rims are aluminum, hooked bead, so you could simply go with a high pressure tire and be done with it.

As for the fork straightening, I'd be taking it to a good LBS. First off, they're much better qualified to assess the damage and the feasibility of repair. Secondly, they have the proper tools to do the job in a more effecient manner. I doubt a metalsmith could properly align the fork afterwards and even if they could, it would probably take twice as long and cost you more in the end. Of course, it costs nothing to get an estimate from both an LBS and metalsmith.

cudak888 

Why weaken the tubing any further with heat? Cold setting has been the accepted method of fork repair - it requires a Park FT-4 and the Park FFS-1 (or FFS-2).

Following are photos of the FT-4: https://www.flickr.com/photos/planetj...th/3965132805/

This is the FFS-1:

-Kurt

Agwan

I am still at a loss when talking to cyclists... they seem to see wizardry and superstition at every turn. I'm coming from an automotive background and I honestly don't understand how mystifying certain things seem to them. these are simple machines.

Honestly, is there a magical version of steel that doesn't act like steel when treated like steel thats used only in bicycles? Or did all that fancy schooling I got in metal shop in high school and college not mean anything? Cold bending steel will take tensile strength out of it. heating it to a orange glow, reforming and dipping it in cold water will give it a fresh temper.

At least thats what I was taught. my big worry is flowing the brazing out of the joints. I've never worked with brazing. so I am out of my element there.

As for not knowing the size of my tires. I only doubted it because people stated 27" without context.

I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but I LIKE learning how to do these things myself. I am more interested in learning the nuances of bicycle repair than I am in riding this bike. I got this bike for free and I'm not afraid to ruin it. If it means anything to someone they can have it for not much more than free+ shipping. but if not... like I said. I'm messing with it till its dead.

jack002

I hope the fork doesn't fall off at some unopportune time, if not, then experiment away.

ColonelJLloyd 

Your LBS can get you a hi-tensile, chrome fork with cantilever studs for about $35-40 in either 26" (559) or 700c (622), or a Cr-Mo fork with studs in 700c for about $50.