Identical lines on the Inside of carbon fork. Is it failing?

Veronica Bottoms

Five or six lines have appeared on the inside of my carbon fork. You can run your nail along them.

I only noticed this when removing my wheel and they definitely weren't there before.

They are all exactly the same length and above one another. Is this classic signs of delamentation of the carbon?

I'm going to contact the place I bought them from tomorrow as I only bought the bike a few months ago and has a three years manufacturer warranty which I'm guessing will cover faults as these.

As you could imagine I haven't dared ride it since as I'm fearing for the worst.

cougie

Any photos ?

If you are worried I would take it back to the shop.

Veronica Bottoms

cougie wrote:

Any photos ?

If you are worried I would take it back to the shop.

Unfortunately not. I tried taking some but they wouldn't show up with the reflective coat on the frame. I'll have to wait until it's daylight.

I will be taking it back for a second opinion.

It just seems strange how their all identical and above one another. I was just wondering if this was a common sign of carbon fiber failing.

cougie

Never had CF fail, so I cant help you. Have you had any massive hits on the bike at all ?

Personally I doubt its a problem.

Veronica Bottoms

cougie wrote:

Never had CF fail, so I cant help you. Have you had any massive hits on the bike at all ?

Personally I doubt its a problem.

No nothing out of the ordinary. The roads are generally good around here.

I've had a another look and I can confirm they are definitely very very thin hairline cracks. You can run you nail along each one. The fact that there is multiple cracks above one another which look identical in shape and curvature is worrying, especially as it's appeared on the fork.

Anyway I'll talk to the bike shop tomorrow and get it checked out.

ride_whenever

return to shop and let us know!

Legshaver

Check your tyres for short rubber injection pieces that protrude from the side walls. These are produced when the tyre is moulded and can be removed as they serve no purpose and will cause thin marks on the fork/frame as the wheel rotates.

keef66

My guess it's just cracks in the lacquer, so structurally safe. Not sure if that then means the composite underneath is more vulnerable?

snailracer

Sound like lacquer cracks where the edges of the various layers of CF cloth sit.

spinndrift

Do they run the length of the fork legs or across the fork legs?

Is it a full carbon fork or a fork with carbon legs and an alloy crown?

I had a pair of alloy crowned and carbon legged forks that cracked on the leg/crown joint after two months. Took bike into the shop I got it from and forks were replaced under warranty.

Monty Dog

Without photos, can't really profer an opinion - but make sure you eliminate the obvious like debris getting caught in the wheel and scoring the underside of the crown / top of the fork legs.