Re: Bent Forks

Simon Brooke said:

Also, you won't get new 27" forks; they'll be 700c.

St John Street Cycles and some local bike shops still have 27" forks.
700c ones might do for a 27" wheel anyway* as the difference in radius is
only 4 mm.

* Depending on brake mounting hole position, reach of calipers, tyre size,
mudguards.

Quoted message said:

Also, your old forks are
presumably threaded. If you can only get unthreaded forks, getting a
headset that will fit might be interesting. I don't actually _know_
that a threadless headset bearing _won't_ work with the sort of cups
on old threaded-headset frames, but I sort of suspect they won't.

The upper head cup might rarely be compatible with some models but some
new parts would be required anyway.

Threadless forks can be used with any frame, and a new headset could be
fitted if necessary, although the existing lower half could be used if the
old crown race is compatible with the new forks. The lower half doesn't
care whether the steerer is threaded or not.

More of an issue is the handlebar stem. Not everyone wants the extra
expense of a new (threadless) stem, plus the hassle of replicating exactly
the same reach and rise, while having harder-to-use height adjustment. On
the other hand, advantages are: greater strength & stiffness, less weight
(sometimes), more choice of stems in future, headset adjusted by allen key
instead of great big spanner.
[Dear reader, Please change subject title if you want an argument
about threadless v threaded, and state whether you want the 5 minute
argument or the full half hour.]

~PB

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Reyserf

(') said:

My old Peugeot racer (25+ years) had a brief coming together with a
Ford Transit this evening, with the result that the forks are now bent
back leaving just a few millimeters clearance between tyre and
downtube.

Now I find that this bike fits me perfectly so I am loth to discard it
dispite its rusty frame and mismatched wheels, (27" front , 700c
rear). So...

Could a frame builder straighten the forks? if so, would it be worth
the cost when Fishers list a new chrome plated fork for �14.99 or a
cromo version for �29.99. I assume that any new fork would have to be
fitted by a dealer or do forks come ready machined to take the crown
race?

Just typing the above makes me wonder if its worth repairing the
bike. What do you think?

He's loathe to discard it, a new set of forks at 14.99 fitting 20? No
biggie and it fits him. I wouldnt bother with the more expensive forks
unless it's some sort of fancy Peugeot.

Get the cheap forks and get a hack saw, quite cheap.

Quoted message said:

If you've bent the forks that much there's a real risk you've damaged
your frame, unfortunately. Inspect _very_ carefully.

I am currently riding a steel Trek with a very crumpled top tube near
the head tube. I inspect it ooh every so often at the site, so far so
good as the man falling from the 20th floor said. There will be plenty
of warning if something is amiss on a bike like that.

Also, you won't

Quoted message said:

get new 27" forks; they'll be 700c. Also, your old forks are presumably
threaded. If you can only get unthreaded forks, getting a headset that
will fit might be interesting. I don't actually _know_ that a
threadless headset bearing _won't_ work with the sort of cups on old
threaded-headset frames, but I sort of suspect they won't.

Getting threaded forks is no big deal. A 27" will probably go in a 700c.
I'd get the forks new rather than getting them rebent, most likely cheaper.

Quoted message said:

Summary: best of luck.

I wouldn't go that far.

On 06/10/2005 01:23:22 "Pete Biggs" <p@honeydewbiggs{remove_melon}.tc>

Quoted message said:

Simon Brooke wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Also, you won't get new 27" forks; they'll be 700c.

Quoted message said:

St John Street Cycles and some local bike shops still have 27" forks.

700c > ones might do for a 27" wheel anyway* as the difference in
radius is only > 4 mm.

Quoted message said:

* Depending on brake mounting hole position, reach of calipers, tyre

size, > mudguards.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Also, your old forks are presumably threaded. If you can only get >>

unthreaded forks, getting a headset that will fit might be interesting.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I don't actually _know_ that a threadless headset bearing _won't_

work >> with the sort of cups on old threaded-headset frames, but I
sort of >> suspect they won't.

Quoted message said:

The upper head cup might rarely be compatible with some models but

some > new parts would be required anyway.

Quoted message said:

Threadless forks can be used with any frame, and a new headset could

be > fitted if necessary, although the existing lower half could be
used if the > old crown race is compatible with the new forks. The
lower half doesn't > care whether the steerer is threaded or not.

Quoted message said:

More of an issue is the handlebar stem. Not everyone wants the extra
expense of a new (threadless) stem, plus the hassle of replicating

exactly > the same reach and rise, while having harder-to-use height
adjustment. On > the other hand, advantages are: greater strength &
stiffness, less weight > (sometimes), more choice of stems in future,
headset adjusted by allen key > instead of great big spanner. [Dear
reader, Please change subject title if > you want an argument about
threadless v threaded, and state whether you > want the 5 minute
argument or the full half hour.]

Quoted message said:

~PB

If you cannot get threaded forks and the stem is 25mm, then it can be
reamed to accept a 1" headset, I've done this for a number of customers
who wanted to "upgrade" on bikes that fit them "just right".

--

Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

http://www.catrike.co.uk