LibertyFLS

My 80 SR Semi-Pro apparently had been bent a bit more than I had thought. I didn't notice when I bought it, I just noticed how pretty it was and how great the paint looked and the bike looked overall really good. I soon knew it had been bent the first time I rode hands free and it pulled. So I did my research and bent it back to get the wheels as in-line as I could.

Anyhow, fast forward 5-6 months, I don't really ride this bike, my teenage son does, but I ride it now and then. Yesterday I took it to the Bike Stand in Long Beach CA for my appointment to have the frame straightened more, they are the only local classic bike specialist I'm aware of. The guy at the shop quickly noticed the down tube had some damage behind the head tube and had been straightened in the past, which I never noticed because there are no cracks in the paint, and the damage you can see now that it's been pointed out, it's very hard to detect. He also noticed the fork blades were not straight, which I also knew and had tried to correct by hand. He said it looked like the fork was also bent backwards. Anyhow, they said they don't have the frame jigs needed to really straighten the bike, and that it probably wasn't a nice enough bike to justify spending the money on it and I should ride it as-is, and he suggested that I get a new fork. So as soon as I got home, of course I thought "I'm pretty strong, I can bend it" and I did but now it's no better than it was before, and I'm concerned since I've bent it several times, not to mention when it was bent originally (bike shop guy speculated it was probably backed into in a garage in the past), I'm worried it's unsafe to ride on and would never forgive myself if my son wrecked on it because the fork failed.

Which brings me to my question: If I buy a fork like this Sunlight chrome lugged fork made for 27" wheels (the bike originally came with 27), is the length of the stem universal and cut to length, assuming it's a new fork? Or do I need to measure mine and make sure to get the same length? Also, if anyone has a fork they want to part with that might be better, please chime in! Thanks!

Fork I'm looking at: https://www.ebay.com/itm/23391005286...torefresh=true

Mr. 66

I can't help with a new fork but the old fork the thing to determine is how is it bent. I'll just trash the project if the steer tube is bent. If it's not, and just minor issue with the tines, I make the lengths and offset match, then it's just side to side with a tip alignment for final finish. It's also good if you have the original spec to bring it to.

I admit I do have a drill pres and was able to fabricate a jig and with various clamps and leverage process for correcting offset.

Shortening and adding length is possible as well. That's much easier if you have a fork bending jig, but Solid Tight wood spaces and rubber cushions strategically placed will be your friend.

It's very crude but here's a wood space for length adjustments, reagular 2x4 could dent I would use some inner tube cushion if it was hard wood gap.




That will shorten a side with the appropriate pressure. Normally I have a rounding on the stock and cushion at the contact point before I apply pressure.

LibertyFLS

Thanks for the response! It is definitely bent side to side, and one of the tines, if you're looking straight on from the front, has a visible curve in it, where the other one is perfectly straight. I'm guessing I need to get the curve bent out of the one on the left side and then shift both to the right side (from the riders perspective) which would help center the tire below the steer tube.

I may try this approach although I'm still a bit concerned about the overall safety of it since it's been bent so many times.

gugie 

The engineer in me says you can bend that fork a few times and it'll still be good. The pragmatist in me says that eBay fork looks fine and may be a great buy, but your brakes might not reach, as it's designed for 27" wheels. Too bad you're in SoCal and I'm in Portland, I'd have you come over to take a look at it and possibly straighten it for you, as I've got the tools and know how to do it.

LibertyFLS

The wheels in the photo are actually 27's which is what it would have come with when it was new, although I have those wheels on a different bike and some 700's on this right now. Thankfully the Shimano 600 brakes had enough reach going from the 27's the 700's. I think the chrome fork might look pretty good too, and I'm definitely planning on going back to the non-aero brakes it originally came with, although the 600 arabesque levers are kinda pricey currently! Maybe if I get the chrome one I could send the original one up to you to fix it, and then I'd have that or the chrome one as spare....

gugie 

Sure, PM me if/when you're ready!

clubman 

I'd be surprised if an SR Semi-Pro had 27s. Catalogue anyone?

gugie 

I sold them at an LBS in the early 80's, I'm pretty sure they were 700c, but the OP's wheels may not be original.

LibertyFLS

thx I honestly wasn’t sure. The wheels it came with are modern with sealed cartridge bearing hubs and the brakes fit perfectly with the 27’s but are maxed out on the 700’s. It has complete 600 Arabesque group besides cheap aero levers and a generic rd so I assumed it had probably come with 27’s.

in any event I need a non bent fork lol..

3alarmer 

.
...the replacement Sunlite you are considering is probably not as good a fork as your original, and you can run into some issues with the length of the threading on them, if you're putting it on a smaller frame. Your bike looks like it probably won't be an issue, but you do need some shop level tools to extend the threading if it turns out it is an issue.

Your fork does not, in your pictures, look to be beyond realignment. And it's not hugely prohibitive in cost to mail just a fork.

If this were me, I would just give this bike some downtime, and take advantage of gugie 's offer.

LibertyFLS

Thanks, maybe that's the best move here. I have another bike my kid (or I) can ride in the meantime.

Thanks for all the replies everyone, as usual a very helpful group.