Cracked Fork?
01-05-12 | 10:35 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 39,897
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From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
If you can't tell looking at in the flesh, I certainly can't from a photo.
Given the direction of the crack, try removing the wheel and gently flexing the blades apart like a wishbone, while watching the crack. Any movement, or spreading and the fork is toast.
If this were any other part of the frame, I'd probably say ride it and monitor it daily for any change. However, I'm much more conservative about forks, since there's no redundancy, and any failure will have sever consequences. For that reason, I wouldn't ride it until the maker certified that it's safe. In all likelihood they won't want to take the financial risk an injury would involve and rather than certify it safe, would replace it and get it off the road.
Given the direction of the crack, try removing the wheel and gently flexing the blades apart like a wishbone, while watching the crack. Any movement, or spreading and the fork is toast.
If this were any other part of the frame, I'd probably say ride it and monitor it daily for any change. However, I'm much more conservative about forks, since there's no redundancy, and any failure will have sever consequences. For that reason, I wouldn't ride it until the maker certified that it's safe. In all likelihood they won't want to take the financial risk an injury would involve and rather than certify it safe, would replace it and get it off the road.
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Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
01-05-12 | 10:41 PM
#3
Velocommuter Commando
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,683
Likes: 38
From: Houston, Texas
Bikes: '88 Specialized Sirrus, '89 Alpine Monitor Pass, two '70 Raligh Twenties, '07 Schwinn Town & Country Trike, '07 Specialized Sirrus Hybrid
01-05-12 | 10:53 PM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,571
Likes: 223
No way to tell for sure from the photos, but I can tell you that we've sent photos of pretty much identical suspicious areas on forks as that to the warranty departments of brands that we carry and in all cases we've had a replacement fork in hand in a few days, no further review needed. YMMV.
01-05-12 | 10:59 PM
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 295
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Forks are cheap, bin them and buy a new set, if for nothing else than the piece of mind. Do you really want to be descending at high speed or driving into corners if you aren't 100% sure?
I had a friend whose fork failed during a race - a week in hospital and ended his season. YMMV
I had a friend whose fork failed during a race - a week in hospital and ended his season. YMMV
01-06-12 | 03:13 PM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,559
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From: The 'Wack, BC, Canada
Bikes: Norco (2), Miyata, Canondale, Soma, Redline
If it's a forged alloy crown then I'd say that this is the joint between the carbon leg and the crown letting go. The flexing tests suggested by the others will likely show if the crack is able to open and close with flexing. If it does then it's certainly dead meat on a stick.
01-06-12 | 03:20 PM
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,765
Likes: 3,935
From: Louisville, KY
Don't ride it until you know it's safe.
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Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),1990 Concorde Aquila(hit by car while riding), others in build queue "when I get the time"
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),
