Originally Posted by
neurocop
OK. If somewhat fewer than 50% of the frames with crash damage have damaged fork/steerer/head tubes, I suppose this means that the fork assembly, which is designed to absorb front-end shocks, is good at doing so, and the top/downtube part of the frame will give out (structurally) before the fork assembly when the latter is subjected to excessive shock in a front-end crash.
Technically (or rather,
ideally), the fork is supposed to give before the frame, thereby giving the rider an opportunity to swap the fork after an accident - but that isn't always the case.
Originally Posted by
neurocop
I shouldn't have said "almost certainly," but I think we agree the fork assembly should be checked out for damage when you see this kind of frame tube buckling.
Absolutely - bent blades are just the beginning. In fact, intact fork blades usually suggest a bent steerer tube.
-Kurt