Advice wanted - Look HSC6 fork steerer compromised?

thenumber8

Hi

I wanted to get some opinions and thoughts on whether the steerer from a Look HSC6 fork that was on a 595 frame was damaged beyond use, or whether there was life in it.

I took the bike to get a full service and the mechanic found discovered that the fork steerer had a mark scratched in to the carbon as a result of one of the headset rings being installed upside down. He refused to put the bike back together with the existing fork, without me signing a waiver. In the end, I bought a different Look frame and fork as a replacement and haven't used the frame since, but it has been a great frame and I really don't want to bin it. I can't find a replacement fork for this 2007 model of the 595 anywhere, so short of getting Look to make me another one, I'm coming to the conclusion there isn't another option. Opinions welcomed.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b89zztd28qwq2xu/P1020382.JPG

More photos:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mboip5zm66k2 ... XMLQ_X7wWa

thanks

ugo.santalucia

It's hard to say... let's put it this way... I wouldn't ride it... you can have a look at the video of Hincapie crashing at Paris-Roubaix to have an idea of how damaging it can be if it fails.

However, you can get a new fork, which doesn't have to be Look, as long as it matches the steerer diameter... Columbus forks are ace and not dramatically expensive

Bozman

Could I ask what rings were installed incorrectly.
I've got the same forks and when I took my headset apart there were three really thin razor sharp rings that seemed to be used as packing. It concerned me just how tight these rings were to get back on and whether they would eventually cut into the steerer.

thenumber8

Agree, Ugo - if this were not the steerer then it would be less of an issue, but I'm not keen to face-plant in the event of a break. The Columbus forks that I can find are about £200. Look will make me a new fork for £400, and although it will take ages to make it, I might take that route if I can ever get the Look rep to get back to me.

Bozman - not sure which ring in question it was, but it looks as though it was the split tapered bushing, as per page 25 of the Look document found here: http://www.lookcycle.com/media/catalog/product/f/i/file_2_4.pdf

ugo.santalucia

thenumber8 wrote:

Agree, Ugo - if this were not the steerer then it would be less of an issue, but I'm not keen to face-plant in the event of a break. The Columbus forks that I can find are about £200. Look will make me a new fork for £400, and although it will take ages to make it, I might take that route if I can ever get the Look rep to get back to me.

Bozman - not sure which ring in question it was, but it looks as though it was the split tapered bushing, as per page 25 of the Look document found here: http://www.lookcycle.com/media/catalog/product/f/i/file_2_4.pdf

I would get a Columbus fork... it will be at least as good at half the price... and Columbus is a nice sticker to have...
400 quid for a fork is bonkers... even Enve is probably cheaper

mamba80

yeah but a LOOK isn't a LOOK with a Columbus fork fitted.

what would a carbon repairer make of bonding a spigot in the steer tube? seems there is still enough steer to fit the ahead bung.

also, I was told by look in france that the outer layer on my hsc 5 fork is cosmetic, I thought I needed a new fork but they said no, that was 5years ago.

ugo.santalucia

mamba80 wrote:

yeah but a LOOK isn't a LOOK with a Columbus fork fitted.

It's a fockin' bike not a Parma ham that needs the DOC stamp...

rolf_f

mamba80 wrote:

also, I was told by look in france that the outer layer on my hsc 5 fork is cosmetic, I thought I needed a new fork but they said no, that was 5years ago.

My 585 was a special order, painted white. The only weave on it is the top and down tubes where the weave is exposed where the 'Look' lettering is formed by masking during painting. The rest of it is all UD carbon. The standard model, in unpainted black carbon is all woven cf - so they only put the cosmetic weave on when it can be seen.

Ugo - £400 for a fork is probably in proportion to £2000 plus for a frameset. If I needed a new fork for my Look and £400 would get me one in the correct finish straight from Look then I wouldn't hesitate!

As for this fork - I'd be basing my decision on what cf repair specialists said rather than forum members!

mamba80

I agree Rolf about the price and seeking a carbon repairers advice and yes ugo, a LOOK does come with a DOC stamp the 595 was nr the 2.7k rrp mark for frame and forks, 400 isn't sooo bad! and if that includes matching paint, its bargain!
I thought the steerer tube was damaged where the stem clamps, they - look - said the "creasing" was on a cosmetic layer that was for finishing only, I assume they know what they r talking about.

thenumber8

Well, I wouldn't say "bargain", but £400 it's not totally ridiculous. And I'm kind of with Rolf and Mamba - I'm not sure I'd ever get comfortable with looking down and seeing a Columbus fork.

The damage is under where the stem clamps. It's about the area where the headtube of the frame ends. I think it's gone slightly deeper than the cosmetic layer, but isn't particularly deep.

I was kind of hoping a cf expert might be knocking around these parts to wade in. Thanks to all for comments thus far. Maybe I'll send the pic's to Look and see what they say.

Wheelspinner

There's a guy on Ebay in Australia who's selling a few NOS Look forks, although I think they are HSC5 models, not the 6.

Here's one for a linkie, but he has a couple of different colour ones... he's asking $500 each, which is about 260 pounds, maybe you can haggle,

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LOOK-HSC5-SL-fork-NOS-Full-carbon-/301268639888?pt=AU_Sport_Cycling_Parts&hash=item462502a090&_uhb=1

ugo.santalucia

thenumber8 wrote:

I'm not sure I'd ever get comfortable with looking down and seeing a Columbus fork.

I've done it for over 30 years... all respectable bikes in Italy had a columbus sticker on the forks, including PInarello, Colnago and De Rosa... funny how at the time it was a "must have" and now is frowned at.

If it's a problem of stickers I rest my case...

thenumber8

I've done it for over 30 years... all respectable bikes in Italy had a columbus sticker on the forks, including PInarello, Colnago and De Rosa... funny how at the time it was a "must have" and now is frowned at.

It's not the fact that it's a Columbus fork, which I'm certainly not frowning at. Nor the Columbus sticker. It's just that it's a Look frame, which goes with a Look fork. So maybe it is a question of stickers.