Broken Fork Tube - Advise Please



dharbon

New Member
Oct 12, 2006
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My mate has had a bad experience last night when his fork tube failed in the head tube at around 26 MPH. His front wheel obviously gave way and he was down. He's had quite a few stitches to his arm and face but he is generally ok.
I've included a couple of photo's to show the break in the fork.
His bike is a Ridley and less than 6 months old.
Has anybody seen this before?
Is likely to happen to any carbon composite forks?
Are there any checks we should do.
Many thanks in advance
Dave
ridley1.jpg

Ridley2.jpg
 
OUCH:( :eek: !! Did you have to include all the blood on the tire and rim?

Anyway, it looks like it is time to return the bike to where ever it was purchased for warranty consideration. I have never seen a steerer tube break like that without a lot of help. He doesn't often play chicken with non-moveable inanimate objects, does he? Anyway, I hope he heals soon and that this doesn't tuen him off from riding.
 
Wow

That really looks like it was a shear failure. Front wheel stopped (by an object) and headtube and the rest of the bike continued forward. You can see the streched and torn aluminim where the head tube went through the steerer. As in some kind of collision/ (perhaps even in the recent past, stretching the steerer and creating stress risers that led to eventual failure)

If it wasn't a collision, then I'd suspect that the headset came loose at some point allowing enough clearance for the headtube to apply force directly to the steerer.

dharbon said:
My mate has had a bad experience last night when his fork tube failed in the head tube at around 26 MPH. His front wheel obviously gave way and he was down. He's had quite a few stitches to his arm and face but he is generally ok.
I've included a couple of photo's to show the break in the fork.
His bike is a Ridley and less than 6 months old.
Has anybody seen this before?
Is likely to happen to any carbon composite forks?
Are there any checks we should do.
Many thanks in advance
Dave
ridley1.jpg

Ridley2.jpg
 
Loose Integrated headsets are a disaster waiting to happen.

Hope your friend heals well and quick.