Time For A New Fork

[Bill Bove]

So I'm riding along and the headset on my Legend comes loose, a couple of times during the last week. The pavement that I regularly ride over is rough so I adjusted it and forgot about it. It's a King after all. This morning I go to get on it and it's really loose so I take the Colorado Al instead and do a little math along the way. I built the bike in August of 2001, easily 300 miles a week since then so I've got around 60,000 miles on it. How long should a carbon fork last? It's an Alpha Q. I took the stem off and just as I had begun to suspect, the sleeve holding the star nut had become unglued. Should I clean it up and re epoxy it back into place or just replace the whole thing with a Reynolds fork. 60,000 miles is a long way but it shows no other signs of fatigue at all, still a fork failing can't be a good thing.

Yoda? Mr. Yoda?

[bcm119]

How about using a Reynolds compression plug in place of the star nut?

[David Kirk]

How about using a Reynolds compression plug in place of the star nut?

How about a Reynolds fork AND the compression plug?

Dave

[Big Dan]

That sucks........

At least you have some nice jerseys............ :D

[Ginger]

0.006 cents per mile?

Buy a new one Bill. We'd like to keep you around a while. (It *is* a fork after all...)

[William]

Stick a (new) fork in it. It's done.


William ;)

[TimD]

Seriously, how can a loose star nut holder cause the stem to loosen? The top cap is there to preload the stack before one tightens the stem's steerer clamp screws. If the steerer clamp screws are tight, the stem should be securely clamped to the steerer... but what do I know? I'm a software guy. :)

I should add that the star nut has been loose in my Legend's Alpha Q since I bought the frameset, and I haven't been bothered by a loose stem.

TimD

[weisan]

Bill-pal, if I own a bike shop like you do, I will be "testin" out a new fork every other ride. I think you get the message. :rolleyes:

[Too Tall]

Bill, they still sell that same fork in QBP for not alot ah cheddah. I replaced mine with similar mileage too. The standard steerer is 350mm. and 43

You had an epoxy glue bond failure of the sleeve...nuttin wrong with that fork but hey the price of peace o mind is in your case about $150 ;)

[columbusslx]

Bill, I know the fork well. Inspect for cracks/nasty chips/chunks etc. and if none are found you should be fine. The sleeve is aluminum (unanodized and sandblasted) and like most aluminum to carbon bonds is less than perfect long term (you know, galvanic issues and different CTE's...) Maybe some sweat (in FL-nah!) was invading as well.

I would sand the interior (inspect with flashlight) and sandblast (if possible) or at least sand the sleeve, or use a new one and clean all well with acetone and then drop it back in with JB Weld. Done and done.

If you don't trust me and want to go with a new one...I understand. Just don't chuck that one, drop that one in the box and I'll pay the freight for it!!!

[Bill Bove]

I've pretty much made my mind up to clean it up and glue a new sleeve into it. I have an extra sleeve, the fork is otherwise fine and the money saved can be applied to the new 8K uber-frame.

I'm also going to cut back to one meal every other day and live like a monk to save more money to apply... wait a minute!! I already live like a monk and if it weren't for powerbars I would be eating only every other day, hey anybody want to buy a bike shop? Cheap?

[csb]

live like a monk I already live like a monk

last time u got forked was 2001 ?!?!