bending forks
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 14
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
bending forks
So I had a brilliant idea last night looking at my bike leaning against my wall. I had no bar spin clearance, which was a problem. But now after some creative bike repair I do! I basically took of my forks, laid them down, put a board on top, and jumped on em. That straitened them just enough to give me clearance. I know that it is not the best idea, but hey i would have broken my forks eventually anyway. My question is how weak is the steel now? What are the chances i will be landing a wheelie and just go straight down to the pavement?
And please skip the speech about bar spinning being not that big of a deal. To some it is and to some it isn't.
And please skip the speech about bar spinning being not that big of a deal. To some it is and to some it isn't.
#2
Team Beer
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Sacramento CA
Posts: 6,341
Bikes: Too Many
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 116 Post(s)
Liked 160 Times
in
105 Posts
It never ceases to amaze me just how right Darwin was.
__________________
I'm not one for fawning over bicycles, but I do believe that our bikes communicate with us, and what this bike is saying is, "You're an idiot." BikeSnobNYC
I'm not one for fawning over bicycles, but I do believe that our bikes communicate with us, and what this bike is saying is, "You're an idiot." BikeSnobNYC
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Eugene, Or
Posts: 337
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Bar spinning is not that big of a deal. Bike builders would actually probably be able to give you a better idea of how strong the steel will be after being bent, just leave out the fact that it was done to do teh bar spinz...
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Seattle
Posts: 155
Bikes: '06 DK Cincinnati, '09 Mercier Kilo TT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Bending a fork like that would scare me. I'm scared to ride my bike right now just because my fork is slightly bent back at the crown from hitting a car.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 685
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
it's steel, it's fine. i'd be more concerned with any damage to the steerer, though i don't know exactly how you went about all this. but yeah, your forks are fine.
#11
Dinosaur on wheels
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: 'sconsin
Posts: 101
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sport Triple, 1970's Peugot, Schwinn World
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I would rate this threat "Socially Redeeming and Two Thumbs Up!" -sense my sarcasm here please
#12
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 14
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
"Yeah, that was definitely a "brilliant" idea."
these are the things that happen when its been raining for days and you get bored.
these are the things that happen when its been raining for days and you get bored.
#13
slot machine
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Richmond, Va
Posts: 482
Bikes: fuji and a Meteor
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#15
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 14
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#16
...
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 216
Bikes: IRO mark V
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#21
misanthropist
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Shanghai OR
Posts: 472
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Bending the fork to a desired rake by hand is how a lot of bicycle builders do it. The fork tubes come from the factory straight.
You do however, have to do it correctly, which you probably didn't.
You do however, have to do it correctly, which you probably didn't.
#22
im just better than you
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: milwaukee
Posts: 203
Bikes: 2 white custom track frames
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
what you are missing is that the heat realigns the metal to keep its strength. when you cold bend it you are breaking bonds and compressing others, thus weakening it.
please people before you do stupid **** look into what you are doing. open up a book and read about metal working and structural strength of tubes.
XVX
jon
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 138
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
eh, its steel. people have ridden more dangerous bikes than that.
you guys posting otherwise act like a bicycle is a delicate piece of china which should never be touched except under the sanctifying caress of a torch and an a knighted professional of metalworking of the ninth degree.
fact is, people ride bikes that are rusted, cracked, scratched, bent, burned, frozen and worse, but don't expect it to last forever and you might find a large pothole causes your effort to be undone or render the forks useless. plus, they are likely not perfectly aligned which might cause further problems for your handling and wheel.
you guys posting otherwise act like a bicycle is a delicate piece of china which should never be touched except under the sanctifying caress of a torch and an a knighted professional of metalworking of the ninth degree.
fact is, people ride bikes that are rusted, cracked, scratched, bent, burned, frozen and worse, but don't expect it to last forever and you might find a large pothole causes your effort to be undone or render the forks useless. plus, they are likely not perfectly aligned which might cause further problems for your handling and wheel.
#24
Teaching Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: State College, PA
Posts: 159
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
There are much easier ways to straighten forks out (though expensive).
https://www.parktool.com/products/det...9&item=FFS%2D2
It is cold setting, but it can be done once probably without too much worry. But the fork can probably take it, even if its not probably perfectly aligned.
https://www.parktool.com/products/det...9&item=FFS%2D2
It is cold setting, but it can be done once probably without too much worry. But the fork can probably take it, even if its not probably perfectly aligned.
#25
lifewaster.
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Georgia.
Posts: 980
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
eh, its steel. people have ridden more dangerous bikes than that.
you guys posting otherwise act like a bicycle is a delicate piece of china which should never be touched except under the sanctifying caress of a torch and an a knighted professional of metalworking of the ninth degree.
fact is, people ride bikes that are rusted, cracked, scratched, bent, burned, frozen and worse, but don't expect it to last forever and you might find a large pothole causes your effort to be undone or render the forks useless. plus, they are likely not perfectly aligned which might cause further problems for your handling and wheel.
you guys posting otherwise act like a bicycle is a delicate piece of china which should never be touched except under the sanctifying caress of a torch and an a knighted professional of metalworking of the ninth degree.
fact is, people ride bikes that are rusted, cracked, scratched, bent, burned, frozen and worse, but don't expect it to last forever and you might find a large pothole causes your effort to be undone or render the forks useless. plus, they are likely not perfectly aligned which might cause further problems for your handling and wheel.
creationism could learn from this darwin thread.