At Least One Deadly Fork

[93KgBike]

I did a search of the forum before posting this thread and found a discussion of fork failures as it relates to aluminum forks.

But I came across this article about delaminating Kinesis road forks causing the death of a cyclist while doing some research.

Makes me shudder, and wonder about purchasing certain products, especially older ones.

Cyclist died after carbon forks separated, Coroner rules (http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/cyclist-died-carbon-forks-separated-inquest-hears-231824)

[false_Aest]

Welllllllll

At least those forks were recalled.

[likebikes]

kinesis aluminum forks were last relevant, what, in 1998?

[CSTRider]

Interesting that the recalled forks appear to be a carbon steerer, aluminum crown, carbon leg model, and the fork failed at the steerer/crown bond.

Here's info about the recall: https://www.kinesisbikes.co.uk/Blog/Archive/October-2015/RACELIGHT-T-CARBON-FORK-2003-2009-RECALL-NOTICE

[Kontact]

Gosh, the Kinesis sounds almost as dangerous as the various Specialized and Trek carbon forks that have been recalled. Specialized has a new recall right now.

The SR Litage/Prism forks that came on nearly everything in the late '80s and early '90s are a pretty safe bet. I still ride on one.

[oldpotatoe]

I did a search of the forum before posting this thread and found a discussion of fork failures as it relates to aluminum forks.

But I came across this article about delaminating Kinesis road forks causing the death of a cyclist while doing some research.

Makes me shudder, and wonder about purchasing certain products, especially older ones.

Cyclist died after carbon forks separated, Coroner rules (http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/cyclist-died-carbon-forks-separated-inquest-hears-231824)

With the difficulty in 'seeing' damage to a carbon anything, I'd really be wary of buying not new carbon 'stuff'...

[smontanaro]

A definite advantage for steel, methinks. Failure modes tend to be much less dramatic.

[acorn_user]

kinesis aluminum forks were last relevant, what, in 1998?

I fitted one to an older frame a couple of years ago. I actually like them quite a bit and have done a lot of miles with them :)

[RyanH]

A definite advantage for steel, methinks. Failure modes tend to be much less dramatic.Not true, a friend of mine lost his front teeth due to a steel fork breaking.

[GOTHBROOKS]

yeah maybe not as “dramatic” as someone losing a life but i lost two teeth to a bmx fork separating at the crown when i was 12 or 13.

[gemship]

yeah maybe not as “dramatic” as someone losing a life but i lost two teeth to a bmx fork separating at the crown when i was 12 or 13.

That sounds awful. I just saw the dentist yesterday for the first time in seven years. I need a root canal, been needing that for at least three years and basically struggled with toothaches and lesser discomfort. I got a lousy filling on the tooth and it kinda led me to not wanting to go back to the dentist. I figured I'd ride out the pain till it got bad enough to go see one and I guess I had enough at this point. Well I get to save the tooth so I guess that's good but it's going to cost me a pretty penny. It's funny how we try to do the best we can but the irony of life gives us no guarantee. I mean it would be a negative outlook for me to of just had the tooth pulled and figure hey people lose teeth anyways in accidents and such. Teeth are precious no matter how you lose em.

[zzy]

Things like this are why pretty much all the major component oems stopped making forks.

[sonicCows]

Kinesis is also an OEM for so many companies, makes you wonder if the defective process spread to other models

[ultraman6970]

W/o having witnesses is hard to know what happened, im under the impression the guy was riding alone?? Too many things could have happened, even a car passing by could have crashed the dude and damaged the fork from the impact.

Sad what happened tho... :(

[Kontact]

Things like this are why pretty much all the major component oems stopped making forks.

What do you mean? Frame companies used to sometimes buy forks because they were produced in a different manner than the frame aluminum or ti frame. Now the carbon frames are made to work with a specific carbon fork usually made in the same factory.

Some companies always made their own carbon or aluminum forks like many do today, and we still have quite a number of aftermarket fork makers.

[glepore]

Bonds between dissimilar materials are tricky things, galvanic corrosion etc a risk. One piece carbon stuff, no worries, bonded alu/carbon, maybe.

[djg21]

kinesis aluminum forks were last relevant, what, in 1998?

The things were awful. They were spec’d on the original Merlin frames in the early 90s. They were not confidence inspiring to say the least. The vibration and road buzz was awful. I quickly got rid of the kinesis fork and put on a Time carbon fiber fork. The bike rode entirely differently.

[Kontact]

The things were awful. They were spec’d on the original Merlin frames in the early 90s. They were not confidence inspiring to say the least. The vibration and road buzz was awful. I quickly got rid of the kinesis fork and put on a Time carbon fiber fork. The bike rode entirely differently.

Those were SR Prism forks, not Kinesis.

[djg21]

Those were SR Prism forks, not Kinesis.

You’re right. It’s been a long while.

[unterhausen]

I assume Kinesis is still building aluminum forks. Maybe they aren't relevant for most of us, but there are a number of production bikes with aluminum forks.

[Cicli]

There is more than one deadly fork.
Anyone remember the Viscount aluminum fork that jyst snapped with no warning?
I saw one hanging in a shop recently. Bike looked new and still had the “death fork”.

[Tandem Rider]

When I saw the thread title I immediately thought of Lambert. Anyone else remember those? I can't be the only one that old.

[Cicli]

When I saw the thread title I immediately thought of Lambert. Anyone else remember those? I can't be the only one that old.

Same as the Viscount right?
No, you are not the only one.