Unbending a Stumpy direct drive fork, late 80s

[matt24777]

This interests me also as I have a set of P2's which have been crashed at some point. No obvious kinks bends and you can't feel where the deflection starts but one of the legs is slightly off and twisted.

Anyone recommend a frame builder near Somerset?

 

[cyclotoine]

It;s very hard to straighten a fork so the curves are the same, especially if they have "unraked" but any shop with a good old park fork alignment jig (I have one in my basement) should be able to take a slightly bent fork and put the dropouts back in alignment close enough to make it work. I just corrected the bend in a fork from an 1973 Masi with columbus blades. It was quite badly out, likely got hit from the side. Both blades were skewed to one side of the plane of the bike and that need to be corrected. Also one or both or the blades had the rake slightly affected. A good builder could throw it on his fork raker and try and make them even again, but I just went at it buy eye till the gauge told me it was damn close and the wheel sat in the correct plane. Last step it to make sure drop-outs are aligned. It's not a big deal, check with your local frame builder or old tyme shop. If it were toast you would know... look for paint cracks and obvious kinks.. if you don't really see that I think it is salvageable.

Regarding the P2 fork... well since they are straight blade you are not likely to get them to look quite right again and they will be much harder to bend, but I bet you could make them rideable.

 

[xerxes]

Forks are much cheaper than dentistry these days.

 

[lewisfoto]

Forks are much cheaper than dentistry these days.

Har , that made me laugh, chapeau off...

 

[wordnumb]

Forks are much cheaper than dentistry these days.

Ha - but I can keep mouth closed, whereas everyone will notice mismatching forks.

Basically what I want is an Undo button, just a simple device to undo the van reversing into my bike.

 

[fatandforty]

To much scare mongering!! A steel fork unless bent double will take a lot of abuse before failure and that failure is also not likely to be a break. Framebuilders have been coldsetting frame and forks for years and it doesn't sound like the kind of bike you will ride into kerbs with or attempt 2 foot plus drop offs so just give em a bend or send to someone with a jig and as long as it's not bent double there should be no major probs.

Disclaimer: if you feel differently then that's up to you and best advice would be change the fork to a brand new set that has no past history of abuse.

 

[cyclotoine]

Forks are much cheaper than dentistry these days.

Har , that made me laugh, chapeau off...

I've heard this way to many times for it to be funny anymore.

This is fear mongering. I agree with above poster. If in doubt seek your local frame builder.

 

[lewisfoto]

Forks are much cheaper than dentistry these days.

Har , that made me laugh, chapeau off...

I've heard this way to many times for it to be funny anymore.

This is fear mongering. I agree with above poster. If in doubt seek your local frame builder.

Hold yer' horses there pardner, I was the first cow poke ta suggest the pro frame builder idear any hows. I jus found Xerxes holler ta be a real knee slapper! No need ta circle da wagons about it...

 

[cyclotoine]

Hold yer' horses there pardner, I was the first cow poke ta suggest the pro frame builder idear any hows. I jus found Xerxes holler ta be a real knee slapper! No need ta circle da wagons about it...

You're right I came off harsh. I was not trying to be. I am just saying that the 'old' dental work comment comes up time and time again when fork discussions start. It is an effective way to dissuade someone from salvaging a fork when in many cases the reality is that the fork can be safely aligned.