Cracked carbon fork

[okgo]

Hi all,

Just wondering if there was a way of testing whether the fork was cracked, or whether it may just be the paint that has cracked due to some flex...

Pics here

[h4muf]

Do not use it.

[okgo]

The bike radar lot are saying the crack coincides with where the bond of the aluminium crown and the carbon legs meet.

Bmc offer a good warranty, just a pita.

[h4muf]

I've got carbon forks on my cross bike,i'm paranoid about them.

Reading post's like yours just makes me worse

[DrMekon]

I think you should buy a lottery ticket this week.

Good work on spotting it.

[XG332]

Sorry it might be a odd question, but why does carbon fibre on bikes seem to crack alot. The stuff we use on our race cars is very strong and i havent seen any damage.
Do they use a cheaper process or weaker weave?

Oli

[b2hbm]

Not all CF bikes do crack, I think it's becoming more noticeable as the number on the market grows and cheaper products emerge. Some of the very light frames you get nowadays are very thin walled and whilst that's fine for the stresses of riding the thing, it's not so good if you crash it or knock it with spanners during maintenance. In response to your original point though, I bet all the bike stuff is much thinner than you're using, less CF & resin = more profit.

The OP's problem with the fork looks to be at the interface between the CF fork blade and Al (?) fork crown as has been stated. It's not just CF frames with that problem, I've had an Al fork with exactly the same crack at the interface.

[Fatman2]

XG332 said:

Sorry it might be a odd question, but why does carbon fibre on bikes seem to crack alot. The stuff we use on our race cars is very strong and i havent seen any damage.
Do they use a cheaper process or weaker weave?

Oli

I don't think they do TBH, relative to the amount sold. If you check out bikeradar there's aren't that many people that have had faulty frames. People are just paranoid about it.

[okgo]

The sole UK stockist of BMC bikes (I'nm sure you know who) are fking s.

I cannot find the receipt, which yes, is a problem. But I am well inside the warranty, by about 6 months, but they can't help me apparently, mainly because they wiped all the customer records when a new system came in. All this on top of the fact me and my gf have spent about £2k in there.

All for the sake of a £80 pair of forks. tts.

[itsnotarace]

Did you pay by card? Visa offer protection of purchases, otherwise can you not print your bank statement out for the purchase? Or did you pay by cash?

[okgo]

ride 2 work voucher actually, anything I can do?

I've just bought an Easton fork off bikeradar for now, but I will chase this, I've emailed BMC in Switzerland to see what they say.

[Parrot of Doom]

I bet they didn't wipe any records, they simply can't be arsed with it.

If you've spent 2 grand in there, remind them of that as you wave goodbye.

[okgo]

Correct. And even if they did wipe records its not rocket science to realise that had I bought it outside of two years I don't even think they stocked BMC then...?

Still, I've moaned at the manager, he is trying to scour the 'old' system, and I've also complained through BMC head office.

[Engineer1]

Come on I bet they know they sold the bike, it is likely to obviously be a 200X model with the decals, the issue is more likely that you can't prove you are the first purchaser.

[okgo]

Well they have called me back to say they have found me on the old system.

So I am in there later handing them the buggered set.

Sadly I've already pulled the trigger on some EC90 Easton SL's. But I'll sell which ever I don't use/want.

Well done to them for actually calling me back, a revelation in modern day retail service.

[itsnotarace]

They actually did have a new IT system installed in January last year, the shops are unable to access the old system directly now

[Parrot of Doom]

Then whoever designed their new IT system is an idiot.

[okgo]

Quite.

Still, we will see what happens later. I'd love for them to take one look and say they were buggered and hand me some more.