Mifo

Hi all,I just bought my first road bike second hand - which I know is a risk! I've been over it carefully and found what appears to be a crack in the fork. It runs in a single, broken hairline the whole way around the fork arm just above the dropout, I'm hoping it's just the paint, but will have to wait until I can get it checked in LBS. Sorry, I can't upload any photos, but from the description, what do you guys think?
Thanks, Mike

blamester

Well if it's a crack then bin it. It's simple

jimc101

Maybe have a quick look through recent posts, possibly cracked, possibly not.

Visible Crack in Fork - Bike Forums

For any 2nd purchase, if you don't know about the subject/don't understand it, it's probably going to cost you more in the long run than buying new.

If in doubt with carbon, just buy new, as without any photos/being abel to look at it in person, the standard answer your going to get will be to dispose of it

Mifo

Thanks blamester, yeah I don't trust it now, I think that's what I'll do not worth the risk

Crankycrank

I think there is no possible way for anybody here to give an accurate diagnosis without so much as a photo. Wait until you can get it to a shop for in-person inspection.

Mifo

Thanks Jim, the pics in that link look very similar to mine, thanks too for the advice. The rest of the frame looks fine, will get it checked by a pro though and replace the fork, not going to risk it

Mifo

Thanks, just can't post pics yet as I'm a newbie. Will take it to the shop, not going to use it if in doubt about it.

dsbrantjr

Call me old-fashioned but I stick with steel, it is not perfect but its toughness and resilience eliminates a lot of the hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth which I see going on with carbon components.

blamester

Bring it to a bike shop. Pay them to look at it and set it up for you.
Judge their experience and then use their advice or don't.