http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Ouch!! Broken Forks en Wed, 13 May 2026 03:31:19 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609&page=2#post-120698 Mon, 05 Aug 2013 12:49:35 +0000 custard 120698@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://whiskyparts.co/catalog/forks" rel="nofollow">http://whiskyparts.co/catalog/forks</a></p> <p>something to ponder? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609&page=2#post-116629 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 11:46:10 +0000 Baldcyclist 116629@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Nah, the end on the cable looked different, so I din't want to waste a perfectly good cable by trying to bodge it (I'll get that cable back to you at some point).<br /> I remembered to change the pedal over last night ;)</p> <p>Can I book you for a push home tonight, my legs are a wee bit sore after this mornings effort? ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609&page=2#post-116620 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 11:18:30 +0000 DaveC 116620@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So you didn't fix that gear cable then? I did wonder if you'd get to Ferrytoll and then discover one of your carbon pedals was on the CX bike ;o)</p> <p>Dave C </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609&page=2#post-116612 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 11:08:02 +0000 Baldcyclist 116612@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ok, time for the anecdotal, well I've crashed hunners o' times and my carbon bike is still fine, they MUST be better...</p> <p>Well, not hunners of times, but I have been hit by a car on my carbon Cervelo, and by another cyclist. Both times the bike went bouncing down the road ahead of me after the impact (carbon does make a horrible noise as it bounces!), and the bike is still OK - I did have it professionally checked after the car hit me.</p> <p>In terms of longevity, the frame and forks are the 2008 model, and they have outlived all of the other components on the bike which have been replaced at least twice. The bike has done well over 10,000 commuting miles, but has now been retired, and is now my weekend mid life crisis bike ;)</p> <p>One thing that is a little worrying is that on the inside of the rear chainstays on both sides there has been some wheel rubbing over time, and that has worn through the paint, and left little black indents in the carbon there. I did ask the bikeworks about this issue a year ago, and they didn't think it was an issue.. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, there's plenty of material around that area" they said.<br /> Although I'm obviously not too worried about it as I rode it down the hill in the Dalmeny estate at over 30mph this morning. :-D </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609&page=2#post-116603 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 10:37:17 +0000 crowriver 116603@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>What I found interesting about that video is that the aluminium just bent. Okay the frame was useless/dangerous, but was still in one piece so you could still have pootled home to pop it in the recycling bin, assuming the front wheel wasn't jammed against the down tube. The carbon frame just fractured suddenly, which if it happened while riding would be dangerous and possibly painful (fractured bones?).</p> <p>Also we did not see forks being tested, though I suppose whatever the material, if the fork shears while riding it is faceplant time. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609&page=2#post-116591 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:53:12 +0000 DaveC 116591@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I saw that video (?? err... MP4??) which swayed me to buy the Dolan Dual over a Titanium frame. I know they don't compare against Titanium but I have seen a few cracked frames online recently.</p> <p>The thing I like about the original forks is that they appear to be formed around a metal former, which is what has stopped the broken leg going wayward! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609&page=2#post-116589 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:46:07 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 116589@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Steel also gives you a bit of warning before failing, my steel framed fixed wheel felt like the steering and braking had gone woolly when I then noticed the chainstay crack. It wasn't going to all-of-a-sudden give way. The steel bars that broke, it sort of softly gave way, giving me a 'little' advance notice, so I could slow down a bit before it gave way fully. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609&page=2#post-116583 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:23:41 +0000 Arellcat 116583@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I think if I had a spill that was so ferocious that I'd bin a carbon frame, I would also chuck a metal one to be on the safe side.</em></p> <p>Tubes (round and hydroformed-ish) are probably less easy than panels, but you should see what can be done with a bit of carbon know-how. Check out Lee Wakefield's repair project (find it on FB) with a velomobile that hit a tree at about 40mph. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116582 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:08:47 +0000 rust 116582@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Interesting carbon comparison. Seems it's actually pretty tough.</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6APhKvaW6ig" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6APhKvaW6ig</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116576 Wed, 03 Jul 2013 03:34:49 +0000 ruggtomcat 116576@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Saw a lot of these under the pro riders at the downhill world cup, lovely looking things and I bet they eat edinburgh cobbles for breakfast <a href="http://www.nukeproof.com/products/frames/mega-tr" rel="nofollow">http://www.nukeproof.com/products/frames/mega-tr</a></p> <p>*edit* those are ali frames but I saw lots of carbon bling by the same maker. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116557 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 21:10:04 +0000 Dave 116557@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>"anyway, a kilo or-so lost on the frame ain't much benefit when your set-up might exceed 40 or 50kg"</em></p> <p>That's probably most of it. I don't have a carbon commuter because the weight of my commuting bike is not important (in fact, all other concerns to one side, having a steel commuter makes me bigger and badder due to the improved training effect!)</p> <p>I actually don't have any carbon bikes, but that's not because I don't trust them (I have two carbon forks, for instance, one of which has a carbon steerer) but just because when I came to build my racer I couldn't justify the extra cash for a dull looking carbon bike over my lovely blue Alu one.</p> <p>It's hard to say on the crash damage front. I think if I had a spill that was so ferocious that I'd bin a carbon frame, I would also chuck a metal one to be on the safe side (having had steel forks fail on me, I don't place that much trust in their invincibility). At the same time, I have to admit that objectively, a metal frame should take quite a bit more punishment. Irrationality much? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116552 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 19:40:52 +0000 kaputnik 116552@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>I've lost weight equivalent to an entire Dawes Galaxy since this time last year</em></p> <p>And how many bikes of equivalent weight of Dawes Galaxy have you bought in the same time :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116549 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 17:19:00 +0000 crowriver 116549@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The main weight is invariably the rider anyway. I'm focussed on losing weight from myself rather than worrying too much about the bike. I've lost weight equivalent to an entire Dawes Galaxy since this time last year... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116546 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 17:01:02 +0000 kaputnik 116546@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I don't think there's anything stopping 6/7000-series alloys being recycled. Certainly a lot more energy efficient than smelting fresh aluminium.</p> <p>There's probably a reason that carbon touring bikes haven't caught on (and anyway, a kilo or-so lost on the frame ain't much benefit when your set-up might exceed 40 or 50kg. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116545 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 16:43:52 +0000 crowriver 116545@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Steel is heavier than Carbon</em></p> <p>Undeniably the case. Can't be said that steel never cracks either. There's the rust issue too.</p> <p>However it's a fair bet that the steel fork/frame will outlast the carbon equivalent. Hear so many tales about catastrophic failure of carbon fibre. Depends how important longevity is to the rider I suppose.</p> <p>Steel can be recycled too, though the alloys used in bikes might not be directly re-usable.. Carbon fibre is landfill, and the epoxy resins used to bond it are probably not great for the environment once they start to break down. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116540 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 15:25:53 +0000 Dave 116540@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There are plenty of carbon fibre mountain bikes now, even though rocks ping up at you all the time off-road. The manufacturers are warranting them so must be reasonably confident. </p> <p>Only forks I ever broke were steel... best approach is to check your stuff regardless of material on some kind of regular basis. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116529 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:41:49 +0000 DaveC 116529@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Steel is heavier than Carbon and I only use the Dolan on roads for Audaxing. I use the Cotic like a semi MTB on country estate tracks, after all thats what its designed for! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116526 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:30:21 +0000 crowriver 116526@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Glad you resolved that one, DaveC. I'd expect any fork to last more than 2 years though. How about your new all-carbon audax bike? Don't want to tempt fate but will it last?</p> <p>Steel is real, dude. You know it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116521 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:09:20 +0000 allebong 116521@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Chainreaction should have a return postage label in the box to make it easy - I don't think you even need to email them to say you are doing it, just whack the label on and send it. Shouldn't have any problems. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116520 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:08:42 +0000 Dave 116520@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>No, when you get them they have a label that you stick on the outside of the box and pop it into your local scotmid. </p> <p>Job done. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116519 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 13:07:08 +0000 DaveC 116519@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So now do I send the ones I ordered from Chain Reaction back or fit then to the Dawes ;O)</p> <p>I'm assuing Chain Reaction has the same easy returns facility as Wiggle, and won't go all, narky on me for wanting to return them? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116510 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 12:48:13 +0000 Instography 116510@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good on them. The advantage of buying from little guys? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116509 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 12:47:11 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 116509@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Result! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116507 Tue, 02 Jul 2013 12:45:34 +0000 DaveC 116507@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wow, I'm impressed! The following is from Cotic:</p> <p>"<em>I'm sorry to see that your fork has broken. You should stop riding it immediately in case breaks completely. </p> <p>We have new all carbon forks in stock from a different manufacturer and if you let me know your address I'll send you a replacement set free of charge.</em>"</p> <p>I'm very chuffed!</p> <p>Dave C </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116402 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:48:13 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 116402@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Fair enough, each to their own (incidentally, they are stamped as 'Cotic', which isn't really any different to their frame (technically they are just reselling the frames for the Taiwan company that makes them) so they should also be covered by a warranty).</p> <p>Me, personally, I'd have contacted them about it (Cy tends to be very very good to deal with, as is anyone else I've ever dealt with at Cotic), but that's no reason for you to do the same - as you say, you're happy paying for new forks yourself and letting Cotic get on with it (which is, it has to be said, laudable (that's <em>laudable</em>, not <em>laughable</em>!)).</p> <p>Got carbon forks on my X (the same as yours) and third party forks on the Soul, which I'm more than happy with. Whereas my steel Fixie Inc frame died a death when a chainstay developed an alarming crack (Fixie Inc admitted to a design flaw in not prepping the inside of the frame and then leaving open holes in the chainstays, but only offered a slight discount deal on a new frame as it was outwith warranty); and had a set of steel handlebars from Nitto snap rather scarily at 25mph (all that said, I'm still a fan of steel). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116399 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:28:34 +0000 DaveC 116399@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Folks, I have informned Cotic and asked what they think of it. I consider the forks out of warrenty. The frame has a warrenty, but I doubt Cotic will do a recall on the forks, especially as they are a reseller and not the manufacturer of the original part. The bike has been ridden on more than a few cobbled roads in Edinburgh. Edinburgh sets are not the problem, in my opinion. I have posted this on a couple of forums so anyone googling this should find out. The forks I have are no longer offered by Cotic, perhaps because of what has happened to other's forks? I don't know.</p> <p>I did recently, try to reunite an iPod Touch with its owner in Dunfermline via Twitter and facebook, without any sucess so trying to find every Cotic X owner who has the same fork as mine is not something I intend loosing sleep over. Sorry. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116396 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:09:44 +0000 Instography 116396@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If your new forks are £135 then these probably cost about £40 wholesale. Maybe less so I doubt Cotic are going to go to the wall over a replacement set. </p> <p>But if Cotic are selling carbon forks that aren't up to a bit of a run over some cobbly roads then they deserve at least to have the problem brought to their attention. Who knows, it's maybe part of a bigger manufacturing problem that would justify a recall. Maybe before one of them fails while some poor chump is riding it. Now paying for that really would harm them. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116395 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:09:36 +0000 DaveC 116395@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well it might have had a knock but given the rough ground I have ridden on... and yes it has fallen over a few times, I don;t have a stand..?? I have got studded tyres and I see scaring on the inner of the fork where the tyres sits, where the brake is. It may be a cause, but I'll just pop the new fork on when it comes and keep an eye on the crown for any similar sort of scaring. Someone else elsewhere suggests its the carbon braking away from the alloy sten/crown. I first noticed the crack - which went all the way round a few months back. I suspect now that this was actually a break but as the wheel was held firm in the fork it didn't drop away, but who knows it may have been a crack?? I don't know? The LHS fork leg oonly moves from this much open to closed and there is no rotation. This may be fortunate - that it broke but didn't move, as it may well have saved me from a face plant! I think its a PZ Racing CR6.1 and have ordered a replacement. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116388 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 14:19:23 +0000 allebong 116388@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This is what us retro-grouch types always say will happen to carbon ;P</p> <p>Out of interest and with the benefit of hindsight how bad was the crack when you first noticed it those few months ago?</p> <p>I don't doubt that the forks when new were just as strong as any others but the killer with carbon is the resilience. Given the location of the crack I think whats happened is that location has got a knock (leaning bike against railings?) and that started it off. From that point on it's only a matter of time.</p> <p>Incidentally I always find it amusing seeing some of the advice surrounding damage to carbon parts. On the one hand I'm told by the people flogging them that they are so much superior to steel/alu that I'd never want to go back. On the other hand, should the bike say fall over and get a slight ding/scratch it's recommended you get it to the dealer pronto for a full inspection just in case it's caused catastrophic damage. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=10609#post-116382 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 13:59:43 +0000 DaveC 116382@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<em>Suspect that may be a pitfall of buying from the little guys."</em></p> <p>This was my thinking too. Plus I don't want to harm them, and a new set of forks is not outwith my financies, as I said if it had happened under 6 month on normal road surface cycling I might have been inclined to complain, but there are some very rocky surfaces in Dalmeny where the original pre cobble surface (think thin stones side on) is very harsh and rough as you fly down a steep dip. </p>