Ride or Replace?

[KneesUp]

When last I put my bike on the car rack, it was evidently touching the next bike, or at least began to rub on something at some point in the 450 miles it was on there, so my front fork now looks like this:



I rode it to work and back yesterday before I'd noticed and it felt fine, but that's only 6 miles or so. Once I've tidied up the hosepipe from the background, would you recommend replacing it, or would that just be my 'carbon is fragile and dissolves in fresh air' paranoia?

 

[Drago]

Have it inspected by a carbon specialist. It might very well be OK, but I'm neither qualified nor have the equipment to determine that.

 

[si_c]

If you're not comfortable riding it, then surely that tells you all you need to know.

You could speak to PlanetX and see what they say.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I'm sure it will be fine, until it rains, at which point it may essplode.

 

[MiK1138]

Looks like it is only the paint job that has rubbed, but if it is going to prey on your mind you are as well swapping it out,

 

[I like Skol]

Looks cosmetic to me. I am no structural engineer or carbon specialist but it looks like paint damage and rubbing of the top layer in the carbon. The location isn't the worst place either, I would be more worried if it were at the crown or on the front/rear edge of the fork blade.
IMO ride it and keep an eye on it for a few weeks then forget about it. I'd be more concerned with those nasty rusty spokes failing if it were my bike......

EDIT: Probably a waste of time taking it to get it checked. They can only really give you one answer due to liability concerns and it won't be what you want to hear!

 

[biggs682]

I'm sure it will be fine, until it rains, at which point it may essplode.

And i thought this was just something i said

 

[Yellow Saddle]

It's just superficial. Ride on and let the bike wear its scars with pride.

 

[MikeG]

A mate of mine died when his forks collapsed. I'd get it checked.

 

[oldfatfool]

Sellotape

 

[I like Skol]

A mate of mine died when his forks collapsed. I'd get it checked.

Not wanting to be disrespectful to the deceased, but isn't this a bit like saying a cycle helmet saved my life? There is no correlation between the OPs situation and your unfortunate tale, other than they both involve forks.

 

[andrew_s]

I'd call it probably OK to ride.
It's one of the least stressed parts of one fork blade, and there's always the other blade to keep the wheel in place, at least long enough to stop.
A mate brought his dead (steel) forks in to the pub one day to show off a crack that extended all the way from an old tyre rub point on the inside, right round the blade to about 3/4 inch above where it had started. You could put your little finger in the dropout and waggle the blade from side to side.

A problem with a fork crown or steerer, on the other hand, is grounds for instant scrappage. You can't keep an eye on it, and any failure is total, or can be.

 

[Tangoup51]

It's absolutely fine. Carbon and the resin itself have solid abrasion resistance, to skim down carbon parts to being structurally unsound would require tools that you couldn't improvise with a poorly spaced bike rack and bumpy roads.

I'd further sand it down properly and paint over it imho.

 

[MikeG]

Not wanting to be disrespectful to the deceased, but isn't this a bit like saying a cycle helmet saved my life? There is no correlation between the OPs situation and your unfortunate tale, other than they both involve forks.

It is true that my friend's forks had a manufacturer's fault, and the collapse was not a result of wear or damage. However, it highlights how important and vulnerable this part of the bike is, and if the owner/ rider has any doubt whatever, they would be better getting them checked. Any failure of forks can be catastrophic, so the wise might err on the side of caution in this situation.

I don't see a connection with helmets.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

It is true that my friend's forks had a manufacturer's fault, and the collapse was not a result of wear or damage. However, it highlights how important and vulnerable this part of the bike is, and if the owner/ rider has any doubt whatever, they would be better getting them checked. Any failure of forks can be catastrophic, so the wise might err on the side of caution in this situation.

I don't see a connection with helmets.

C'mon. Failure of plenty of things can be catastrophic, not just the fork's failure that's top of mind because of a mishap you know of. Allow common sense to prevail over emotion.