Cracked fork terminal?

surfermark2012
surfermark2012 Posts: 4
in Workshop
Hi, I've noticed a crack in my carbon forks. Do you think it's terminal or could I still ride it?

Comments

  • Charlie_Croker
    Charlie_Croker Posts: 1,727
    EEK!
    Am I looking at the right thing here?
    Looks to be in the aluminum part but I'm guessing without seeing it
    Do you know a good an excellent welder?
    Probably easiest to get new/replacement forks, LBS?




  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,716
    It looks like where the aluminium crown connects to the carbon legs becoming detached. There's no chance I'd ride that.
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Is the bike a Kinesis?
  • surfermark2012
    surfermark2012 Posts: 4
    Charlie_Croker said:

    EEK!
    Am I looking at the right thing here?
    Looks to be in the aluminum part but I'm guessing without seeing it
    Do you know a good an excellent welder?
    Probably easiest to get new/replacement forks, LBS?




    Yeah, I'll go to Decathlon where I bought it and see if they've got new forks that will fit
  • surfermark2012
    surfermark2012 Posts: 4
    whyamihere said:

    It looks like where the aluminium crown connects to the carbon legs becoming detached. There's no chance I'd ride that.

    It still seems solid, no movement in the forks, but yeah, I don't feel comfortable riding it.
  • surfermark2012
    surfermark2012 Posts: 4
    darkhairedlord said:

    Is the bike a Kinesis?

    No, it's a Triban 5 from Decathlon. Had it over 6 years now so I suppose it's had a good innings
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    Definitely don't ride it.
    A cracked carbon fork is not something to chance... unless you fancy smashing your teeth in to the tarmac?
  • mr_eddy
    mr_eddy Posts: 830
    edited March 2020
    Don't even try and ride that - Cracks in carbon are BAD news - If the fork gives way suddenly (as is likely with Carbon) best case scenario you will just crash and fall off - Worst case scenario it fails catastrophically when you are on a downhill run going round a corner.

    I don't want to sound all doom and gloom but it really aint worth it - The triban 5 is a great bike (I had one myself) and it uses a standard 1 1/8th steerer so you could replace with a older style carbon fork (only ever buy new though not second hand) or to save a few quid and rule out this issue in future personally I would just bang in a steel touring fork - Yes it will be a few hundred grams heavier but as its not rotational weight it will NOT be noticeable and you have the added advantage of having a fork that even after a hard knock will at worst probably just dent a bit.

    If the rest of the bike is in good cond then don't give up on it as the Triban 5 has a really decent frame so adding new forks would not be a waste.



Categories