What's this?

[jonny jeez]

My Commute may be taking its toll.

last week my rear rim shattered around a spoke and yesterday I spotted this at the business end of my (carbon) forks

If I didn't know better I'd swear my carbon forks are showing signs of rust??!

A small group of craters with a raised surface around the group, you can make out the slight bulge in the second shot.

No flaking or crumbling, all solid and the fork even sounds the same as its twin when I tap it...no dead/dull noise

Forks are just over 18 months old.

Any thoughts as to what this is, I'm a little nervous of travelling at speed in case the forks decide to go the same way as the rear rim did. Planning on taking it to the LBS tomorrow but not sure (as its the shop I bought her from) whether I can fully trust their diagnosis without some information of my own, that's where I was hoping you guys could come in handy.

Cheers

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Aren't the drop-outs made from alloy and integrated into the cabon forks?
If so, could be salt pitting - your bike been subject to rock salt?

 

[Gary E]

You've not been riding a carbon bike in the rain have you?

Looks like the onset of plastic corrosion

 

[jarlrmai]

The dropouts are getting corrosion pits by the looks of things

 

[Crankarm]

The Pox. Terminal I'm afraid.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

It may be fine, probably just a few salt puts, however, worth you getting it looked over at your LBS.
Probably need a good clean and a lacquer dabber.

Also, from the fork down onto the dropout, is it a trick of the light, or is there a fault under the paint job?

 

[jonny jeez]

It may be fine, probably just a few salt puts, however, worth you getting it looked over at your LBS.
Probably need a good clean and a lacquer dabber.

Also, from the fork down onto the dropout, is it a trick of the light, or is there a fault under the paint job?

not sure where you mean...which shot?

I suspect its a fault with the paint as it all seems to be a little raised around these pits.

 

[jonny jeez]

The dropouts are getting corrosion pits by the looks of things

thanks, I'll rest a little easy as soon as the LBS have taken a look

.

Aren't the drop-outs made from alloy and integrated into the cabon forks?
If so, could be salt pitting - your bike been subject to rock salt?

Never knew that....so it is rust...of sorts.

 

[jarlrmai]

Dropouts are aluminium alloy glued into the carbon frame

Corrosion pitting in aluminium is caused by a galvanic reaction which is enhanced by salt water etc, once the pits have formed they tend to grow as they form more areas for the reaction.

Sometime the corrosion can be worse under the pits, I would definitely have the LBS take a look.

So clean your bike after riding in the wet

 

[jonny jeez]

Dropouts are aluminium alloy glued into the carbon frame

Corrosion pitting in aluminium is caused by a galvanic reaction which is enhanced by salt water etc, once the pits have formed they tend to grow as they form more areas for the reaction.

Sometime the corrosion can be worse under the pits, I would definitely have the LBS take a look.

So clean your bike after riding in the wet

What is it with flippin road bikes. i'm one of those...er...fastidious types...a clean freak perhaps, when it comes to my bike.

I cant ride her when shes dirty or has any creaks or rattles.

As a result i'm often found cleaning her in the office after a dry ride...sadly

What this means is that she's never left to dry outdoors, always cleaned after a wet ride, unless i cant do so until i get home in which case she'll dry at the side of my desk in a warm dry office and be fully cleaned, lubed and pimped ready for the next day.

And still she's suffering fatigue. Just how pampered do road bikes need to be to allow us to ride them? I've replaced all the cables twice in 18 months, the rear block once and the chain once, rear rim exploded at the weekend and both bearings were suffering pitted cones despite cleaning and re greasing, along with a freehub that started to grumble... so that's a set of new wheels bought and fitted on saturday

after 18 months, I've spent almost as much in replacement parts as she cost when i bought her.

Now it looks like i'll need new forks because she was ridden in the rain a few times and not cleaned for a good 9 hours afterwards


Road bikes are total wusses

My 20 year old mtb has had a new block, chain and 3 spokes in her entire life. Same cables, same brake blocks...thats a proper bike!

 

[jarlrmai]

I've had my Specialized Tarmac (Carbon frame/forks with 105 group and Mavic CXP rims) for 2 years+ now looked after pretty well, i've put a new saddle on after the old one broke and replaced the pads/tyres/rear mech and chain a few times as is standard for the miles i've done but apart from that everything has been solid cables brakes shifters BB etc all running like a charm, I'm actually still on the original tube on the rear tyre....

Lithium grease and a nice coating of ptfe spray on the major metal bits.

I think the firmer ride has side effects on the bike components also.

 

[Moodyman]

What is it with flippin road bikes.

Road bikes are total wusses

My 20 year old mtb has had a new block, chain and 3 spokes in her entire life. Same cables, same brake blocks...thats a proper bike!

Road bikes, in my opinion, don't make the best year round commuters. I believe a rigid MTB with disk brakes is pretty solid and fast enough.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

jonny, how did you make a single pair of brake blocks last 20 years? Or did I misread your post? Mine are lucky to last 6 months, particularly since my commutes and weekend rides are all hilly.

 

[jonny jeez]

jonny, how did you make a single pair of brake blocks last 20 years? Or did I misread your post? Mine are lucky to last 6 months, particularly since my commutes and weekend rides are all hilly.

Nope you didnt mis-read...although I did exaggerate, I do recall swapping them once, so that's still 10 years a set.

the secret was low mileage I suspect.

 

[jonny jeez]

I've had my Specialized Tarmac (Carbon frame/forks with 105 group and Mavic CXP rims) for 2 years+ now looked after pretty well, i've put a new saddle on after the old one broke and replaced the pads/tyres/rear mech and chain a few times as is standard for the miles i've done but apart from that everything has been solid cables brakes shifters BB etc all running like a charm, I'm actually still on the original tube on the rear tyre....

Lithium grease and a nice coating of ptfe spray on the major metal bits.

I think the firmer ride has side effects on the bike components also.

out of interest what's your average annual mileage?