Catastrophic Front fork failure: Trek 5900
11-01-12, 12:12 PM
#76
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I'm betting there was a crash and the resulting fork was just a by product of the accident. Another possible scenario is that something...who knows what...caused this fork to break.
It's not likely that this fork just self destructed and caused a crash.
It's not likely that this fork just self destructed and caused a crash.
11-01-12, 12:35 PM
#77
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OP, sure glad you are alive and able to write about this. A fork snapping or failure of any kind is what is in the back of my mind the most. Kinda weird for me, but I think more about fork failure than I think of being road kill.
11-01-12, 12:53 PM
#78
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Judging by the magnet on the wheel, there was some sort of magnetic pickup right at the break point on the broken fork. But there is one still there on the other fork. What happened to the monitor on the broken side? Is it possible that it had something to do with the break?
11-01-12, 12:53 PM
#79
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Damn bro. Gnarley bump to your head. Glad you're ok!
That break is crazy. Have you contacted LBS to help with getting ahold of trek?
That break is crazy. Have you contacted LBS to help with getting ahold of trek?
11-01-12, 01:01 PM
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I did NOT have absolute proof when it was the other person's fault. Therefore I now wear a video camera whenever I ride. I also have forward and backward pointing cameras in my car, for the same reason. I know how I ride and drive and I stand by what I do on the bike and in the car, 100%, so I have no fear of recording myself doing something I want to hide. At the same time I have much less faith in how other people drive and ride.
In other news, when carbon fails it does so dramatically. In another sport, I was in a rowing crew practicing a start before a race, and one guy's oar literally split in two after 5 strokes or so. And if you look really hard on YouTube, you can see George Hincapie's big crash in Paris-Roubaix where his carbon head tube failed. Admittedly PR is a heavy-duty race but many other pros get to the end with nary more than a puncture or two.
You might not be able to find the video because I think Trek works really hard to make sure it's hidden. My guess is they don't want folks too know their bikes assplode from time to time.
11-01-12, 01:17 PM
#81
Professional Fuss-Budget
Any frame that you're not checking regularly can "fail dramatically."
Incorrect.
It was the aluminum steerer that failed, not the carbon. And it failed because he crashed on the bike earlier in the day and continued to ride on a course that generated a lot of stress on the damaged part.
So much fail.
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=hincapie+fork+video
Originally Posted by Gordy748
you can see George Hincapie's big crash in Paris-Roubaix where his carbon head tube failed.
It was the aluminum steerer that failed, not the carbon. And it failed because he crashed on the bike earlier in the day and continued to ride on a course that generated a lot of stress on the damaged part.
Originally Posted by Gordy748
You might not be able to find the video because I think Trek works really hard to make sure it's hidden.
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=hincapie+fork+video
11-01-12, 04:24 PM
#82
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Judging by the magnet on the wheel, there was some sort of magnetic pickup right at the break point on the broken fork. But there is one still there on the other fork. What happened to the monitor on the broken side? Is it possible that it had something to do with the break?
I use a GPS for tracking now but back when I had a wired one, had to really tighten those zips because they tend to slip down given the tapered shape of blades. I don't think it's impossible for the ties to start a microscopic groove/fracture.
11-01-12, 05:04 PM
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZg1vrvGbdE
11-01-12, 07:03 PM
#85
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Wow, I'd not expect it to break there. I had some carbon parts that I took a sledge to and usually it splintered long ways in the tubing. Nasty road rash. I guess your cheekbone survived. Thanks for posting and keep us updated when possible. Goodluck.
11-01-12, 07:37 PM
#86
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I had a sudden failure of the steel steerer tube on the fork of our tandem. It cracked without warning right at the fork crown resulting in the front wheel and fork separating from the rest of the bike and the bottom of the head tube impacting the pavement (along with my face, palms, etc.).
Examining the area of the crack later showed that, yes, there was evidence that the crack had existed for some time already. But it hadn't been there a few months earlier when I last regreased the headset bearing. And I sure don't pull the steerer tube out of the head tube before each ride to check for a possible crack.
Examining the area of the crack later showed that, yes, there was evidence that the crack had existed for some time already. But it hadn't been there a few months earlier when I last regreased the headset bearing. And I sure don't pull the steerer tube out of the head tube before each ride to check for a possible crack.
11-01-12, 07:39 PM
#87
Senior Member
Had the same thought when I saw the pic. The failure is exactly at the location where the sensor would be. Such sensors stay in place usually with a couple to zip ties.
I use a GPS for tracking now but back when I had a wired one, had to really tighten those zips because they tend to slip down given the tapered shape of blades. I don't think it's impossible for the ties to start a microscopic groove/fracture.
I use a GPS for tracking now but back when I had a wired one, had to really tighten those zips because they tend to slip down given the tapered shape of blades. I don't think it's impossible for the ties to start a microscopic groove/fracture.
What is odd to me is only one fork leg seems affected. Were the lawyer tabs filed off? My guess, since we are all talking about it, is the wheel somehow got turned sideways, maybe due to speed wobble or hitting/avoiding an obstacle. One side of the axle slipped the dropout; the other forced the fork breakage.
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"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
11-01-12, 07:55 PM
#88
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What is odd to me is only one fork leg seems affected. Were the lawyer tabs filed off? My guess, since we are all talking about it, is the wheel somehow got turned sideways, maybe due to speed wobble or hitting/avoiding an obstacle. One side of the axle slipped the dropout; the other forced the fork breakage.
Additionally, are the marks on the inside of the intact fork leg scuff marks from a rotating wheel/tire?
Is the still wheel true?
Is there spoke damage?
11-01-12, 08:03 PM
#89
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This is BS. If you could collapse a fork this way, we'd all have broken forks. Unless you are using metal hose clamps, it is impossible to get enough tension on a zip tie (I've tighted my fair share of these to failure) to do anything to the carbon structure. Maybe it can dig in somehow, perhaps with road grit, but before it saws too far into the carbon, it'd lose tension and would have to be replaced. Besides, you'd get a pretty good notch in the carbon before you'd affect its integrity. After all, the top layer is mostly for show and protection any
What is odd to me is only one fork leg seems affected. Were the lawyer tabs filed off? My guess, since we are all talking about it, is the wheel somehow got turned sideways, maybe due to speed wobble or hitting/avoiding an obstacle. One side of the axle slipped the dropout; the other forced the fork breakage.
What is odd to me is only one fork leg seems affected. Were the lawyer tabs filed off? My guess, since we are all talking about it, is the wheel somehow got turned sideways, maybe due to speed wobble or hitting/avoiding an obstacle. One side of the axle slipped the dropout; the other forced the fork breakage.
11-01-12, 08:14 PM
#90
Senior Member
I am a little surprised the drop-out on the intact leg isn't mangled.
Another hypothesis is that the QR wasn't done up tightly enough.
It really does need an assessment by a composites expert to determine what actually caused the breakage. Hence the need to get Trek involved directly, rather than through the LBS.
11-01-12, 08:21 PM
#91
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The scuff marks on the other fork leg should have come from the wheel as it collapsed sideways when the break occurred.
I am a little surprised the drop-out on the intact leg isn't mangled.
Another hypothesis is that the QR wasn't done up tightly enough.
It really does need an assessment by a composites expert to determine what actually caused the breakage. Hence the need to get Trek involved directly, rather than through the LBS.
I am a little surprised the drop-out on the intact leg isn't mangled.
Another hypothesis is that the QR wasn't done up tightly enough.
It really does need an assessment by a composites expert to determine what actually caused the breakage. Hence the need to get Trek involved directly, rather than through the LBS.
Another possibility (hence the wheel/spoke questions) is that something got jammed in the spokes (stick), whipped around and slammed into the fork causing failure. A quick look at the wheel can support or rule this out.
11-01-12, 08:34 PM
#92
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I've heard about these type of catastrophic failures but they are usually at stress points. This one looks like it occurred in the middle of the fork which seems very odd.
Glad you are recovering from your injuries.
Glad you are recovering from your injuries.
11-01-12, 09:26 PM
#93
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Sorry you're hurt. That's rotten. Glad you're ok.
A crash occurred. It's a distinct possibility we accept every time we clip in. Now you want to sue someone?!
When was the last time you got an expert to inspect your bike for signs of failure, wear and tear, anomalies, etc? Did you ever lean your bike up against anything? Has anyone ever touched / moved your bike outside of your sight? Does your bike have any dings, scratches, damage? How did each one appear? How many times have you crashed / tipped over? How do you know the QRs were attached correctly? Are you the orig owner? How do you know you didn't hit something? How do you know you didn't pass out then crash? Etc.
A crash occurred. It's a distinct possibility we accept every time we clip in. Now you want to sue someone?!
When was the last time you got an expert to inspect your bike for signs of failure, wear and tear, anomalies, etc? Did you ever lean your bike up against anything? Has anyone ever touched / moved your bike outside of your sight? Does your bike have any dings, scratches, damage? How did each one appear? How many times have you crashed / tipped over? How do you know the QRs were attached correctly? Are you the orig owner? How do you know you didn't hit something? How do you know you didn't pass out then crash? Etc.
11-01-12, 09:39 PM
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Sorry you're hurt. That's rotten. Glad you're ok.
A crash occurred. It's a distinct possibility we accept every time we clip in. Now you want to sue someone?!
When was the last time you got an expert to inspect your bike for signs of failure, wear and tear, anomalies, etc? Did you ever lean your bike up against anything? Has anyone ever touched / moved your bike outside of your sight? Does your bike have any dings, scratches, damage? How did each one appear? How many times have you crashed / tipped over? How do you know the QRs were attached correctly? Are you the orig owner? How do you know you didn't hit something? How do you know you didn't pass out then crash? Etc.
A crash occurred. It's a distinct possibility we accept every time we clip in. Now you want to sue someone?!
When was the last time you got an expert to inspect your bike for signs of failure, wear and tear, anomalies, etc? Did you ever lean your bike up against anything? Has anyone ever touched / moved your bike outside of your sight? Does your bike have any dings, scratches, damage? How did each one appear? How many times have you crashed / tipped over? How do you know the QRs were attached correctly? Are you the orig owner? How do you know you didn't hit something? How do you know you didn't pass out then crash? Etc.
11-01-12, 10:03 PM
#96
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Lots of custom frame builders will make you a steel fork. Some will do ones with Reynolds 953 stainless blades (https://road.cc/content/image/18270-r...53-fork-blades). Ti Cycles in Portland will weld you a titanium one for $1100 (frame not included).
11-01-12, 10:06 PM
#97
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Sure. But the upgrades for many handbuilt titanium and steel bikes are... carbon forks! 
11-01-12, 10:23 PM
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a stick would totally $%^& you up had it been large enough. a friend and i were on a ride when we were teenagers and he got a stick caught in his front spoke. didn't even see it on the road but we were going at pretty good clip, it lodged in his spokes and the bike totally endo'd.