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Old 04-06-21, 12:15 PM
  #6  
79pmooney
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
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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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It looks like the downtube (and lug) are bent. But this is a conservatively spec'd and built frame. It might well be just fine; simply with a touch less wheelbase and slightly quicker steering. (You might look at a slightly straighter; ie less rake, fork to compensate. The combo will bring the front wheel closer so you will have more toe overlap.)

Yes, most would say don't ride it. But bikes like yours have been ridden with shortened wheelbases for the past century. If it were mine and I liked the bike, I'd look for a fork of similar length and say around 40mm rake and try it. Like it? Ride it (and keep your eye out for a nice replacement). If you ride this bike to failure, that failure will probably be at the headtube, not a good one. But the next two or three years? I'd guess the bike will do just fine. And that area is very easy to see and watch. It's old fashioned steel, so nothing is going to happen quickly.

Now I did do this almost exact same crash to my previous winter/rain/city fix gear and simply replaced the frame but I had already crashed that bike hard twice (15 and 10 years before and both were new fork times). It had 27,000 miles on it and had earned its retirement. That bike was a Miyata 610. Probably not all that far from yours in specs, durability, etc.

Before you do anything, lay the bike down minus front wheel. Tape a yardstick to the headtube osone edge runs down the center. Place another front wheel 2 inches forward of the centerline like it was on the bike. Close to the downtube? or does that look OK? If it is close, you can straighten the frame. I've never done it or seen anyone else do it but there is at least one thread on BF to go to.
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