Old 03-30-20, 02:34 PM
  #16  
79pmooney
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Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

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The important photo - take off the front wheel and get a photo; looking up the fork. At the fork crown, can you see the hole of the steerer or is it just nice shiny aluminum? If you don't see the steerer hole, it is 1st generation fork and a true death fork. Trust me, I know. I lived only because I was doing the unheard of; riding that fork with the best helmet made. So I got away lightly. Just 5 days in a coma and my education gone. For that 1st generation fork, Lambert did what I knew as a sophomore engineering student nobody would ever even consider.

You are looking at the original fork in that photo, not a replacement. All are cast aluminum and not to be trusted. But the detail at the crown/steerer juncture is what makes the 1st generation stand out. Simply the worst example of engineering on a bicycle possible. I often wondered how that detail was done since it is "blind" fit. No way short of X-ray to see how it was done without destroying it. Well mine self-destroyed and I got to see it (months later).

If you have that 1st generation fork, don't leave it on the bike or even give/sell the bike with the fork as part of the package. The failure will be classic aluminum fatigue. On mine the crack had been there long enough to discolor Since the crack will be happening inside the steerer, you will need to both pull the headset and X-ray is to find it. (Or do as I did. Wait until it breaks. Then it's easy to see with the naked eye.)

Edit: the failures I heard about happened in the first 5000 miles or so, Since I had far more on mine, I figured I had a good one..

Last edited by 79pmooney; 03-30-20 at 02:44 PM.
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