Is this fork bent?
 

Am looking to buy this bike, but from the picture, fork looks bent to me. What do you think?
Picture at http://tinyurl.com/ydx2nco.

Thanks ...
Bob

Looks slightly bent back to me, but that poor quality photo is hard to make a judgment from.

If it is bent, it prolly wouldn't take much to fix it... bit of muscle and checking it laterally with string would sort it I reckon.

It looks slightly bent back, but not too badly. Since it is a steel fork, it can be repaired. I fix forks like that all the time.
Find a LBS that has a Park fork alignment tool and let them have at it. In the worst case, you could get a new replacement fork.
Good luck.

If this is your bike, have it straightened, or continue to ride it as if the handling is OK

If it's one you're considering buying, take a pass. If a front end collision bent the fork, there's also the possibility that it buckled the frame. This is usually obvious by slight rippling under the down tube up at the head lug, but can't be seen either way in the photo. Anyway, there are enough great values in used bikes that you don't need to get involved with one that already has a repair bill attached.

Thanks to all who responded.

I still wonder how people bend their forks? I've never had a situation where I might have bent mine in all the many miles and years I have ridden. Are these riders just goofy curb jumpers or front wheel standers or something??

Chombi

You're kidding, right. have you ever noticed all the cars with dented or crushed front ends? You bend forks the same way.

Well I hope most people who drive out there are like me who do not make it a habit to dent and crush the front ends of my cars too...........I still can't believe how many bikers bend their forks.....

Chombi

I once bent a steel MTB fork back to zero-rake just by dropping the front wheel into a manhole depression in a grassy area.
Particularly embarrassing because I tried to quickly remount and ride away from all the bemused spectators after the dramatic endo. But the new cable tension had caused the front cantis to lock up.

BTW, the bike in the original "Is this fork bent?" question sold for $126.00.

It's just misunderstood.