Shovelon's Korner

[Thunderchild]

Since most of us have aged bikes, thought this question list appropriate.  When to stop using an aluminum steerer tube and how to inspect, what to watch for etc.  Can impending doom be discovered by an inspection??  A new fork is cheaper than a trip to the hospita (clever justification)

While the video in the link below is not a steerer tube failure, one can only imagine bombing down a trail and suddenly loosing control of your fork or the fork itself. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u46BqoUx5jY

I have a 2002 Marzocchi Bomber that I really like.  It was on my Oz and logged 11300 miles on the Oz and is now racking up miles on my 5000. 
Comments, Terry, Colin, anyone. 

Thanks
Thunderchild

[shovelon]

Your guess is a good as mine. I think alum steerers are over built to do the job. Any flex would spell early doom.

I have never seen one personally.

Terry

[w2zero]

stop it at 14 seconds.  Looks awfully like a stock fork there.  That big compression at the bottom completely bottomed out the suspension.   Disaster by design in my opinion. 

Saw a broken aluminum fork at the bike swap meet saturday.  Gal was looking for someone to fix it.  It was broken off even with the crown.  Road bike though, no boinger.

[fyrstormer]

The suddenness of the collapse screams "carbon monocoque frame".

[spikebender]

The higher the tech, or for instance the lighter, stronger the alloy. Dose'nt mean its perfect. There will always be inperfections in the material or crafsmanship. Some failure could happen. His happened. It  just came at a bad time!

[DugB]

What a dummy for not having his helmet buckled. Was he seriously injured, I wonder? As for the bike, I agree with the prospect of it not being heavy duty enough for the task. It looks as if the head tube came completely off the main part of the frame...I'm not sure if it was a steerer tube separation.

Cool idea, though...like the Mille Miglia but for off-road. :-)

Nuts!

- Doug :-)

[Old Proflexer]

I need a couple advil after watching that - 

[kiwi]

i am not even gonna click on the link....

[Spokes]

OUCH... I tend to ride a bit slower than that so i think my bikes will be fine.

Chris

[Skinnyboy]

that bike looks like a jazzed up Raleigh Vektar hehe