B.R.A.I.L.E

Yup, it's unfortunetly true.

I took my newly acquired track frame (an early 80's Bianchi Pista) to a local bike shop to have a headset and bottom bracket installed. While installing the headset they noticed the fork was slightly crooked by the way the headset was fitting. The workers then tried BENDING the fork into normal condition by HEAT TREATING it. While doing this they managed to snap the forks.

This ruined my day. I was later told by a friend that these people were idiots for doing this since the steel was already heat treated in the development of the frame which made it vulnerable to cracking the second time around. I was also told that there were other methods (ethical ones) for fixing the bent fork.

The bike shop promised to replace the fork with a lugged track fork "just like it". Bull****.

I'm currently searching the internet for a straight, lugged track fork with no drillings. If any of you can sell me one or point me in the direction of one I'd be more than thankful!

-Preston
Flightofthebehemoth@gmail.com

deathhare

What idiots? Where in hell is this bike shop?

shapelike

EVO makes two - one black, one chromed. They're both straight blade and undrilled. The Canadian distributor is Marinoni. In the states, EAI carries a few by different manufacturers.

onetwentyeight 

If the shop is paying for it, look for a nice cinelli olympic.

deathhare

are they giving you the chance to shop for it or are they choosing it? Im sure there is a price limit.

mcatano

If the crown is one of those pantographed ones, you should get the fork sent to be repaired and send the shop the bill. If they balk, show them how much a chromed Cinelli Olypmic costs...

B.R.A.I.L.E

The bike shop is called K-man cylery and it's located in Paso Robles, CA. Hicktownee USA.

Thanks for the suggestions Shapelike.

mcatano

There's a really good Pizza place in Paso Robles. You should get them to buy you a pizza to account for your pain and suffering.

Surferbruce

that is freakin absurd. heck, zinn's manual covers bent forks. take what you can get then run (or ride hopefully) away from that shop as fast as you can.

estratton

I would give them the bill for that fork, or something of your choice that is of a similar quality. Their stupidity should cost them.

B.R.A.I.L.E

Hahah, are you talking about Chubby Chandlers? I'm not allowed there due to affiliation with a worker who got fired for throwing raw dough at passing trains. Their pizza is really good though.

B.R.A.I.L.E

Agreed. They gave me a crappy road fork to use untill they can "find one". I deeply enjoy riding my bike, track fork or not, so throwing a huge hissy fit over not having a track fork on my frame makes me feel a bit anal, but this really does suck.

onetwentyeight 

a road fork and a track fork often have a different rake. tell them they "ruined the feel of the ride"

deathhare

Another testament to doing your own bike work, eh?
Cant trust anyone to do anything right.
I hope you get something sorted soon.

riotboy

ha im from santa maria. havent been up to any paso bike shops though.

dude **** those guys. go with a suggestion from above and dont take anything less than what YOU want

endo shi

Let me tell you this: strike while the iron is hot.

I've worked extensively in bike shops. They do not give a sh*t about you, and the more time that passes between this incident and you riding around all dandy on the POS replacement they gave you, the less of a case you have against them. It's a crappy thing that happened, but if you truly want your fork repared or a worthy replacement, the ball is in your court about doing something about it. Make sure to have documents (service ticket, receipts, pictures before/ after) to prove to the shop owner you are serious about this. The guy probably thinks he'll never see you again.

Don't even ask me about how much trouble I had to go through with my city to pay for my damaged Bianchi. Months later, it finally happened and then some.

B.R.A.I.L.E

Great advice. Thank you all.

12XU

Re-aligning a fork with the proper tools is not something just anyone can do. I bet less than .1% of bike owners have even the most basic frame and fork alignment tools.

estratton

*Also, I would give them a time limit to try and make this right by paying for an agreeable replacement of your choice - not just their attempt at getting their asses out of the fire. Should they fail to find an adequate replacement, I would have them cough up the cash for the fork.

deathhare

He said, "I took my newly acquired track frame (an early 80's Bianchi Pista) to a local bike shop to have a headset and bottom bracket installed."

Retem

https://trackstarnyc.com/store/catalo...roducts_id=143

this one is drilled but it is a beautiful peice of work see if you could get jacobs or vanilla to make you a nice columbus for to match the bike it would be best for you and teach the dbag wing nuts a lesson yes I a bike mechanic have said it they are declaired wing nut of the week and one second the nomination and third to confirm

deathhare

That's threadless. His fork gots threads.

Retem

it is usually pretty cheap and easy to get these threaded but oh well he should just have a custome replacememnt made or if it is just a broken fork leg have a qualified frame builder fix it

i.e. reuse the lug drop outs and steerer

fixedpip

Bernie Mikkelsen and other well-respected framebuilders will not thread a threadless fork. They claim the diameter of the tubing is too small and will fail at some point.

If they're paying for a fork, theres no need to mess around. They should replace like for like.

mcatano

I think the place is called Timmy T's or something like that - it's near a guitar store and a record store. They make a good cheese pizza. Definitely not recommended if you have peanut allergies.