Bashed Aluminum Fork... Need replacement forks.

[Tom B]

So... I'm a bit of a twit.

Went out for a ride with the little lad today. Finished the ride, put the bike on the roof and set-off. Went under a height restriction barrier... Or at least the car did.

Bike was wiped clean off the roof rack falling into the road behind.

Roof rack mounts have broken around some thin stripes and the bike was pulled out of the open ended grab arm. The bars between the rails are a bit twisted and bent around the wheel holders but they're made of soft steel.

As for the bike Front wheel was fully pringled, luckily it was an elcheapo that I hadn't got around to swapping with my refurbished propper wheel. Not that my normal wheels are anything special.

The bike is pretty muddy and I havent checked it fully over yet but it appears the only other damage I can find is a mudguard rivet that's pulled out, a bent mudguard stay and a ding in the top of one fork leg.
Judging by the transfer It looks like this got a passing blow from the barrier. The ding is perhaps a few mm over an area of about 20mm on the leading edge of the leg. It's located roughly around what would be the bottom of the brake block if it was a rimbrake.

I know ally is funny stuff, what does the jury think about this damge, safe or not?

Bike is a Ridgeback Flight 01 2013. So not terribly expensive but I love it.

The only other thing I can see at first look is a possible bent rear axle / QR skewer but that might have already been there. A scuff to the seat (I already have a new one Ive been meaning to fit for months). And the rear brake lever (hydraulic BRL615) now clicks but that might be more due to it being upside down for a bit and that brake was already a pit peculiar.

I've never replaced a fork, what are my chances of getting something that's going to fit in a sensible colour. What dimensions do I look for?

I could blame everyone, but it's my fault and shoot happens. And no, it wasn't McDonald's.

 

[Tom B]

Had a bit of a second look now. Not good news.

Another bash mark and scuff on the other leg and I think I can see a hairline crack on both.

Looking like fork shopping

 

[Gravity Aided]

Forks are not an expensive proposition, but getting the right steerer tube length is a bit of a chore, and diameter of the steerer tube, as well as the trail.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Cheaper to replace forks than teeth, is my philosophy. If it's going to worry you, it's not worth it. Forks are cheap enough. At Rancho Gravity, I usually first consult the voluminous down home fork library, then wind up at the co-op, in the cave of spare parts. Then I usually wind up on Amazon as a last resort. I may even have a Yamaha replacement for the storied Viscount "Death Fork".

 

[Sharky]

So... I'm a bit of a twit.

Went out for a ride with the little lad today. Finished the ride, put the bike on the roof and set-off. Went under a height restriction barrier...

You're not the first. Many years ago I was given a lift to the start of a race and my bike went on their roof rack. When we arrived, the driver drive onto the grass verge where all the cars were parked, but didn't notice the low branches overhead. When we got out and looked, the whole of the roof rack had been pulled off the car roof and my bike was still attached! Luckily no damage to the bike.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Ridgeback Flight 01 2013

https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/flight-01
With the frame size, Ridgeback should be able to provide the necessary data.

 

[Tom B]

Cheaper to replace forks than teeth.

Or in my case forks are cheaper to replace then the already replaced teeth damaged in a cycling collision as a teen.

https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/flight-01
With the frame size, Ridgeback should be able to provide the necessary data.

I phoned them and they could supply a new, anatomically correct fork for the bike for less than many of the aftermarket retailers.
Im not sure I would have ever found exactly what i was looking for anyway in terms of for. Id have needed a straight steerer that would take 30c tyres, with disk caliper post mounts, a drop out for a mudguard and ideally in matt black / would look acceptable with a one matt black bike, oh and ap appropriate off set/angleywatsit.

Ridgeback called it alloy, rather than alu.

I've stripped off the fork and Im not actually sure that this collision has caused the crack as there appears to be lots of corrosion around the crack line. I have had a creak on an off that I have been unable to trace. Its have a few good whacks over the years could have happened anywhere.

As GA says, its probably worth it just for the peace of mind.


Anyone think of anything else i should be checking on the bike?

 

[Tom B]

The ding on the nearest leg is definitely new and the lower scuffing on the inside edge is definitely old. Most of the scratched off paint and sanding is what ive done today.



Found this line of bubbling paint on inside of the fork normally hidden by the mudguards.


Possible hairline crack? (pointed at by the screwdriver?)



Not sure about this? There was a hairline in the paint with some bubbling, ive scratched the paint off and scraped it. There is a definate line but ive probably made it worse scraping. Are forks made up of two lower legs, a crown and a steerer?

They seem to "ring" okay when struck, but i dont have a particularly musical ear.

 

[si_c]

I'm guessing I wouldn't want to ride those forks - from the photos it does look like they're fooked. I'd suggest either a set of steel or carbon replacement forks. Luckily the ones you have are black so matching colour wise should be relatively easy. Spa cycles have a selection available of steel / carbon at varying prices.

You can get unpainted steel forks from eBay that would do the job well for under £50 but if experience is anything to go by they'll probably need to have the crown race fitted by a bike shop as they tend to be unfinished and need cutting down a bit.