Examining fork after impact

Doug said:

I had my wheels looked at after an impact. Now the fork. It's Al with a steel steerer. The wheels
were more than fine, which indicates the impact was probably slower than I orgininally thought.

Not necessarily. As several folks pointed out in your earlier thread, wheels usually fare better
than forks and frames in head on impacts.

Quoted message said:

Exactly for what am I looking? I presume cracks where the steel and Al meet? Any other place where
an impact would crack this thing? Or is this simply not a job for someone without experience in
examining forks?

Look for bumps and/or cracked paint on the down tube an inch or two from where it attaches to the
head tube. Check that the fork blades weren't bent back. If these are traditional curved forks, the
upper portion should be in line with the steerer tube. And yes, look for cracks anywhere in the
affected area. Damage to an aluminum fork may not be as apparent as with steel, but a damaged
aluminum fork can fail without warning. I'd have it looked at by a pro.

Art Harris

Doug said:

Exactly for what am I looking?

Also check that the headset isn't binding.

Art Harris

Cracks, obviously, wrinkled near the joints, misalignment of the fork blades (tough to see
sometimes).

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

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