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Can this fork alignment be right, or bent?

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Can this fork alignment be right, or bent?

Old 12-13-19, 09:51 AM
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since6
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Can this fork alignment be right, or bent?




I know this is a brifter bike and too modern, but you're all a friendly bunch, , and while browsing about I was struck, pun intended, by the angle of this straight leg fork, it seems rather extreme, or, is it bent and thus explains its $20.00 something asking price?

What say you Holmes?
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Old 12-13-19, 10:22 AM
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Hard to tell from this angle. If you have a horizontal shot, that would be better.
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Old 12-13-19, 10:24 AM
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It looks suspect but it's impossible to tell at this angle.

It is a carbon fork, which you generally see fractured instead of bent. But, this era Trek might have an aluminum steerer/crown, which could be bent.
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Old 12-13-19, 10:34 AM
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Trek specs list "OCLV 110 Carbon, 1-1/8" aluminum steerer tube, aluminum crown." That eliminates any chance of a bent blade, and there'd be a visible crack at the crown if a blade was pushed back.

I have a feeling that the reverse curve appearance of the left fork blade is a combination of the angle of the fork itself, and the wide angle lens of the cellphone used to take the photo.

This is what it should look like:


For $20, it's worth it for the drivetrain and brifters alone though, so go get it. Probably sold already.

Someone even swapped those crack-prone Bontrager RaceLite rims, so you're getting a pair of usable wheels in the bargain.

-Kurt
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Old 12-13-19, 07:03 PM
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Thanks cudak888 that was what got me too, the look of a reverse curve on the left leg, but your explanation makes sense.

Looking at that near straight fork leg, and then at all my nice curved steel fork legs, I can almost feel the hit of road irregularities coming up through that fork on high pressure small tires.
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Old 12-13-19, 09:19 PM
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The fork blade is not curved or bent - it is an optical illusion created by the spokes while you eyes are focusing on the fork. It does look like there is little or no clearance of the front tire by the downtube, however. Hard to tell when the bars are turned inward like on the photos, but maybe the fork is bent at the steerer, and there is not enough clearance to even rotate the bars further without the tire hitting the downtube.
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Old 12-14-19, 12:10 AM
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Seller is an auction on Shopgoodwill so open to all, and yes the gruppo and wheels are worth the $20.00 (bidding may be beyond that by now), but this bike is neither the right size for me nor right bike. I'm currently finishing up the restoration of a Panasonic Team America Custom and a Tommasini Prestige and then when the garage is dry walled will be setting up a hanging rack system. That’s enough balls in the air for now.

And yes it's an interesting optical illusion.
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Old 12-14-19, 12:22 AM
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Originally Posted by SalsaShark
The fork blade is not curved or bent - it is an optical illusion created by the spokes while you eyes are focusing on the fork. It does look like there is little or no clearance of the front tire by the downtube, however. Hard to tell when the bars are turned inward like on the photos, but maybe the fork is bent at the steerer, and there is not enough clearance to even rotate the bars further without the tire hitting the downtube.
Completely agree with the above, add to that the black quick release lever which contributes to the illusion of a rearward bend...
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