Fake Columbus Fork?

[Drahtesel]

Hi bike fans - first post so please be gentle

I just bought a "vintage" chrome fork on Ebay which was advertised as Columbus fork. Now having received the item I have a slight feeling this is a fake fork. After closer inspection my suspicions are:

- No Columbus imprint on the eyelets
- The stickers look off (red very different) and in unusual shape

Here is the link:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254821975337

What is other people's view? Can also send more pictures...

Thanks!

 

[pigman]

Re:

the stickers are aftermarket decals used to decorate rather than tubing authenticity decals put on by the supplier.

Columbus is usually the material for the fork blades, rather then the dropouts. The dropouts could be made by anyone, chosen by the builder.

they look very much like those aftermarket Tange fork blades from the 90's. They may not carry the Columbus or Reynolds price premium, but are well made nonetheless and not out of place on a decent race bike. The unicrown style mean they aren't in keeping with a pre- 90's bike timewise or aesthetically, but will still work well

 

[jordic1968]

Could be, as long as tubbing is from Columbus... Looks similar to a nivacrome EL fork (Bianchi,...), but welds are not looking good really. I would weight it, and if around 650g chances are it's a good fork anyhow. Hope it helps

 

[hamster]

The transfer is definitely not right in my view. However a lot of the detailing looks like these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/303511195630

My suspicion is cack-handed stickering rather than deception. Have a look at the photos of each and make your own mind up.

 

[Nob]

They maybe Columbus tubing but that’s some dreadful brazing or welding & id be looking to get that dye penned or MPI’ed before riding that.....

 

[jim haseltine]

Normally Columbus tubing has a dove marking - originally it was a roll-stamp, later on they changed to some sort of electric marking. With a steerer that long I'd expect it to still be visible. Additionally, some (maybe all) grades of Columbus tubing have a steerer that has spiral rifling at the bottom - 5 lands&grooves. Tange and Ishiwata occasionally did the same thing but with 6 grooves. Absence of the dove mark and/or the grooves doesn't mean that it isn't Columbus but if they're there then at least the steerer tube is.

 

[pigman]

Re:

this is the type I was thinking of

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tange-Unicrown ... Sw655gFGSz

I had some. they were lighter than some 531 forks I had. I sold em on here a couple of months back …. well underpriced judging by that ad, but that's how it goes, wallet fills as shed empties

 

[Drahtesel]

Wow - thanks all! Learned a lot and very helpful...obviously beginning bike enthusiast here

the stickers are aftermarket decals used to decorate rather than tubing authenticity decals put on by the supplier.

Columbus is usually the material for the fork blades, rather then the dropouts. The dropouts could be made by anyone, chosen by the builder.

they look very much like those aftermarket Tange fork blades from the 90's. They may not carry the Columbus or Reynolds price premium, but are well made nonetheless and not out of place on a decent race bike. The unicrown style mean they aren't in keeping with a pre- 90's bike timewise or aesthetically, but will still work well

The frame & groupset are early 90s and wheels late 80s so should be just about ok aesthetically

Could be, as long as tubbing is from Columbus... Looks similar to a nivacrome EL fork (Bianchi,...), but welds are not looking good really. I would weight it, and if around 650g chances are it's a good fork anyhow. Hope it helps

Good thinking - just weighed it and clocks in at around 800g so not great...

They maybe Columbus tubing but that’s some dreadful brazing or welding & id be looking to get that dye penned or MPI’ed before riding that.....

Sorry, what is "dye penned or MPI’ed"?

 

[Nob]

Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI testing), sometimes called Mag Particle Testing or Magnetic Particle Testing (MPT), is a nondestructive testing (NDT) process for detecting surface and slightly subsurface discontinuities for ferromagnetic materials such as iron, nickel, cobalt and some of their alloys. The presence of a surface or subsurface discontinuity in the material allows magnetic flux leakage. Leakage is detected by the use of ferrous materials that are attracted to flux leakage.

Wet magnetic particles are applied to a part undergoing inspection, and the above phenomenon takes place. The part is then inspected under a UV light which indicates the presence of any cracks or chips alongside fluctuations in the magnetic field. A course of action can be decided upon following this, depending on the nature of the problem.

Dye Penetrant Inspection (DPI), also called Liquid Penetrant Inspection (LPI) or Dye Penetrant Testing (DPI), is a widely applied and low-cost inspection method used to locate surface-breaking defects in all non-porous materials such as metals, plastics or ceramics.

The penetrant testing (pt) test method uses low surface tension liquids as a type of penetrant to identify hairline cracks in the surface of an object. Liquid penetrating testing is a method of non destructive testing. Penetration time can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes before cracks are open to the surface on the test part and identifiable under a hand held UV light.