Chipped Carbon Fork: Thoughts?
03-05-15, 08:16 PM
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Chipped Carbon Fork: Thoughts?
I won a frameset on ebay from a large, reputable seller, but it arrived yesterday with a large chip in the carbon fork that was not disclosed nor shown in any photos. I'm currently working with the seller to figure out a solution but I wanted to get some impressions from you all how serious the damage looks. So, if you have any thoughts, I would appreciate hearing them!
Last edited by Sizzle-Chest; 03-05-15 at 08:22 PM.
03-05-15, 08:20 PM
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Doesn't appear to be a structural problem, IMO, but the seller should have revealed it.
03-05-15, 08:21 PM
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It looks 100% cosmetic, removing filler, but not any structural CF. So it calls for touch up and sealing. Easy fix. Now it's up to you and the seller to agree on what this is worth.
If the deal was only so-so, you might want to holdout for a discount. OTOH, if the deal was very good, it still is, so if you're offered an apology and enough to buy a coupla beers take it and call it a day.
If the deal was only so-so, you might want to holdout for a discount. OTOH, if the deal was very good, it still is, so if you're offered an apology and enough to buy a coupla beers take it and call it a day.
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03-05-15, 08:28 PM
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Also, I tried the tap test and there is a different sound directly on the damaged spot, but it seems related to the fact the surface is different, everywhere around it sounds the same.
Last edited by Sizzle-Chest; 03-05-15 at 08:43 PM.
03-05-15, 08:56 PM
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Thanks for the info! So, is the filler the white stuff I'm seeing and what's its purpose?
Also, I tried the tap test and there is a different sound directly on the damaged spot, but it seems related to the fact the surface is different, everywhere around it sounds the same.
Also, I tried the tap test and there is a different sound directly on the damaged spot, but it seems related to the fact the surface is different, everywhere around it sounds the same.
I'm not a believer in the sound test, but it wouldn't work there anyway because of the change from tube to solid plug.
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03-05-15, 09:28 PM
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The solid insert is the drop out. So yes, most all forks use one.
To my eyes it looks like something got pushed up against the fork blade end and crushed the cosmetic coat. Did the fork have a block between the ends during shipping? I can see a situation where the fork wasn't damaged prior to packing but got so during shipping. Andy.
To my eyes it looks like something got pushed up against the fork blade end and crushed the cosmetic coat. Did the fork have a block between the ends during shipping? I can see a situation where the fork wasn't damaged prior to packing but got so during shipping. Andy.
03-05-15, 09:39 PM
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There may be differences in the details of construction, but the basics are the same. You have a tube that ends in a solid dropout. At some point there has to be a transition.
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03-05-15, 10:11 PM
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The solid insert is the drop out. So yes, most all forks use one.
To my eyes it looks like something got pushed up against the fork blade end and crushed the cosmetic coat. Did the fork have a block between the ends during shipping? I can see a situation where the fork wasn't damaged prior to packing but got so during shipping. Andy.
To my eyes it looks like something got pushed up against the fork blade end and crushed the cosmetic coat. Did the fork have a block between the ends during shipping? I can see a situation where the fork wasn't damaged prior to packing but got so during shipping. Andy.
I'm glad to hear you all feel it's cosmetic. That was my thought as well, but to be honest I have a tendency to use parts that should probably be retired, so I really wanted to hear if I was being reasonable.
03-05-15, 10:56 PM
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Yes, the fork did have a plastic spacer in the drop-outs, and I'm actually certain the damage occurred prior to shipping as the chip is just barely visible as a small white mark in one of the side profile photos of the frame, which I only recognized after I received the frameset and went back to look over the photos.
I'm glad to hear you all feel it's cosmetic. That was my thought as well, but to be honest I have a tendency to use parts that should probably be retired, so I really wanted to hear if I was being reasonable.
I'm glad to hear you all feel it's cosmetic. That was my thought as well, but to be honest I have a tendency to use parts that should probably be retired, so I really wanted to hear if I was being reasonable.
Any way about it I'd just touch up the area with either simple enamel paint or an epoxy (ideally a black colored one), depending on the depth of the chips. Andy.
03-05-15, 11:35 PM
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The seller's mistake was not adequately disclosing the damage. Out of 27 photos in the listing, only one showed exactly this much of the damage, and that's after I cropped out the rest of the frame. Neither was it mentioned in the listing, though it does state "no major scratches".
03-06-15, 09:00 AM
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The seller's mistake was not adequately disclosing the damage. Out of 27 photos in the listing, only one showed exactly this much of the damage, and that's after I cropped out the rest of the frame. Neither was it mentioned in the listing, though it does state "no major scratches".
