bent rear fork

Michael Klontzas said:

A few days ago I noticed the left-hand side of my rear fork was

Rear fork ?

Quoted message said:

(rather than front triangle & wheel).

Front triangle ?

In message <[email hidden]>, Michael Klontzas
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

A few days ago I noticed the left-hand side of my rear fork was significantly bent,

My immediate thought was some [censored] had kicked the bike but then I realised it also looks like
the tube was badly squeezed one of the very few times I used the D-lock to secure rear triangle
and wheel (rather than front triangle & wheel). This can happen for example if the bike drops
while locked up against railings and the D-lock breaks its fall. Then again, someone may have
helped a bit.

I doubt falling a bit would cause such a bend.

Quoted message said:

Anyway, I am now wondering how bad this is. The frame is steel, so I doubt it will snap without
warning, and I've already done quite a bit of riding before I realised. Would a bike shop normally
be able to repair this or is it a write-off? The problem is this particular bike is not worth too
great an investment really.

This sort of bend in steel should be pretty easily fixable by any bike shop that can do frame
repairs. It's basically a case of bending the frame back into place and checking the alignment. It
probably wouldn't cost that much.

Alternatively, you could try straightening it yourself. This page on DIY rear end respacing might
have some hints.

<http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html>

--
Chris French, Leeds

M Series said:

Michael Klontzas said:

A few days ago I noticed the left-hand side of my rear fork was

Rear fork ?

sheldonbrown.comgloss e f.htmlOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(rather than front triangle & wheel).

Front triangle ?

sheldonbrown.comgloss e f.htmlOpen ↗

--
Michael Klontzas 'If everything seems to be coming your way, you're probably in the wrong lane'
(Borstelmann's Rule)

chris French said:

This sort of bend in steel should be pretty easily fixable by any bike shop that can do frame
repairs. It's basically a case of bending the frame back into place and checking the alignment. It
probably wouldn't cost that much.

I was hoping someone would say that!

Quoted message said:

Alternatively, you could try straightening it yourself. This page on DIY rear end respacing might
have some hints.

<http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html>

Thanks for that. I don't think I could do it myself though. It looks a bit more difficult than just
straightening a tube. The tube is not bent totally smoothly -- on the inside of the newly produced
curve (i.e. the left-hand side of the tube) there is a spot-dent. I'll take it to my bike-shop and
see. Judging from previous experience, they'll take it to a frame builder. Thanks.

--
Michael Klontzas 'If everything seems to be coming your way, you're probably in the wrong lane'
(Borstelmann's Rule)

Michael Klontzas said:

M Series said:

Michael Klontzas said:

A few days ago I noticed the left-hand side of my rear fork was

Rear fork ?

sheldonbrown.comgloss e f.htmlOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(rather than front triangle & wheel).

Front triangle ?

sheldonbrown.comgloss e f.htmlOpen ↗

Well there you are I have never heard of them being called that before.

Michael Klontzas said:

chris French said:

This sort of bend in steel should be pretty easily fixable by any bike shop that can do frame
repairs. It's basically a case of bending the frame back into place and checking the alignment.
It probably wouldn't cost that much.

I was hoping someone would say that!

Quoted message said:

Alternatively, you could try straightening it yourself. This page on DIY rear end respacing might
have some hints.

<http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html>

Thanks for that. I don't think I could do it myself though. It looks a bit more difficult than
just straightening a tube. The tube is not bent totally smoothly -- on the inside of the newly
produced curve
(i.e. the left-hand side of the tube) there is a spot-dent. I'll take it to my bike-shop and see.
Judging from previous experience, they'll take it to a frame builder. Thanks.

Why not take it to a frame builder yourself. If the tube is 'kinked' I would brace myself for bad
news. A frame builder may be able to replace the tube[1] but it will probably be cheaper to replace
the frame.

[1]Bob Jackson in Leeds advertises this service for Reynolds 531 frames and others made from well
known steel tubes.