i had a crazyass night last night...i don't really understand half of what happened after awetistic, my friend josh and i parted ways. but i do understand that my front fork is bent backwards. i'll look into a new fork soon here (i was going to anyway, and citybikes on 20th here in pdx has a **** ton). but until i can get one, should i try bending it back? the jobst brandt article on sheldon's site is all i've found on the topic, and it says to bend it, but it focuses on side impact and the bike tending to the side. this is bent backwards, and the problem i have is heinous toe overlap. just bend it? cromo, oughta work, right?

How sharply bent back?
I'd be concerned about your headtube, too.

Just bend it. I bent my Steamroller fork so far back that I had three inches of downtube overlap (yeah). The guys at the shop put the steerer in a fixed piece of larger piping and just moved it back to where it was supposed to be. I've been riding it with no issues since it happened last summer. I'm buying a new fork soon though, as the geometry isn't exactly what it was and I still have a little too much overlap. So if you're content with pretty close, go right ahead and you'll be fine.
(Caveat: This is personal experience and not the opinion of a certified metallurgist.)

I hope you have dental insurance.

endform, do you mean bending it back could be trouble?

grimlock, that's pretty damn bent. in response to both you and hyperRevue, my front wheel is almost, but not quite, touching my frame. you have to look closely to tell.

After you bend it back, I hope what happened to George Hincapie in the Paris-Roubaix doesn't happen to you. The steerer tube failed just below the stem and he flipped over.

Holy crap my friend. you weren't the one throwing your bike through the air either. what the hell happened to you? I saw Josh's ride today so I know he stayed between the lines. I have bent lots of forks back wo get back to me and I'll show you how.

No, but riding around on a bent fork, is going to seriously mess up the handling, which is going to probably screw you up when it matters most.

It could be trouble. Any time metal is plastically deformed (bent and it stays that way) the metal becomes more brittle. Bending it back into its original shape makes it even more brittle. Depeding on how overbuilt the bike is, it may be no problem, but I would steer clear of potholes.

okay, so i see how it could be trouble, handling and all. i'm talking more of a temporary fix till i can get a new fork in there. the paris-roubaix thing isn't good...

and awetistic, let's totally kick it, maybe this'll be a good reason to do so, maybe not. yeah, after we all split up, things got a little crazy, i'll tell you about it later.

Dude, throw it away. Then, check your top and down tubes for bulges/flaking paint (indicating trauma). This ****'s no joke.

steel is real, bend it back and don't sweat it.

Yeah steel is real, but a fork that bent and you don't know how, now that doesn't speak highly of the fork to begin with.

Buy/beg/borrow one to replace it with. If you're really poor, throw yourself on the mercy of someone who knows their stuff and get them to bend it and check it for cracks etc. But someone probably has a cheap, generic fork that will fit with little money down.

Its just not worth taking the risk IMHO. Plus new forks are fun.

In the top ten of worst bike-related mottos ever, but true.

With the way bend has been described, I'd say you're safely within the limits of the strength of the steel if you get it bent back by a shop. Key point there: I'd rather you get it done by a knowledgeable shop then attempt it yourself.

I've read worse advice, but not recently.

At least take it to someone who knows what they're doing if you try to get it bent back.

i may ask for help for a temporary fix, but i do want to get a new fork asap. i don't intend to keep this for long as it's obviously been compromised.

as far as not knowing...it was a combination of alcohol and adrenalin. i was being chased by a car, a la the scene in quicksilver, and i'd been drinking, so the combination of things leads to a little fuzziness on how the fork got bent and my face and chest got all ****ed up.

this picture gave me an idea that i jokingly suggested to awetistic. that resulted in a temporary fix for the fork.

edit: i should that the way the fork was bent, this took me from almost rubbing the tire and frame to having about an inch of clearance, like before.