Spa Audax crash damage – fork?

[Samuel D]

Following an accident I’m getting around to the idea of fixing my bicycle.

The known damage is front rim, rear tyre, right brake lever, saddle, outer chainring, handlebar tape, and a bent derailleur hanger (should bend back okay).

There’s also a well-placed gouge that manages to bridge stem, spacer, and headset cap. I’ll maybe get a photo of that later to see how you feel about it.

The fork is carbon and aluminium, saw a fair bit of use and weather, and now took a head-on impact good enough to Pringle the wheel. Should I be worried? My previously low tolerance of equipment failure just got lower yet. I can’t afford a fork failure.

Separately, I had been thinking of replacing the fork with a steel one anyway. The frame can take 35 mm tyres but the fork cannot. I wouldn’t mind trying fat tyres. Any suggestions for a steel fork that can take 35 mm tyres and nominally 52 mm reach classic Campagnolo Super Record callipers?

The axle to crown race seat is, I think, 375 mm. Rake is 45 mm and the steerer tube is 1-1/8".

Thanks!

[Brucey]

a new fork does sound prudent. Goodness knows where you would get one from though, a brake drop of ~52mm in steel... that might be a rare thing. What do Spa offer?

I'd also have a concern about the front tyre, if it has seen a significant impact.

The gouge on the stem is potentially a worry; if you don't replace it, it is not a bad idea to file/polish it smooth and then check there regularly for cracks. On the other parts the damage is more likely to be superficial rather than structural/hazardous.

Hope you are healing up OK

cheers

[amediasatex]

Thorn do a couple of forks that would work...

A pricey 853 option:

Details
- Steerer: 1 1/8"
- Offset: Choice of 46 or 52 mm
- L1 (Axle to Crown): 378 mm
- Steerer tube length: 380 mm

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/forks/46-700c-thorn-853c-steel-fork-black-gloss/

And their slightly less pricey version with a very slightly longer A-C height

Details
Allen Key fitting deep drop 47/57mm caliper brakes

- Steerer: 1 1/8"
- Offset: 46 / 50 / 55 mm
- Axle to crown - 380mm
- Steerer length - 390mm

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/forks/46-700c-thorn-audax-mk3-r-steel-fork-matt-black/

FWIW, I've run one of the above on my Ti Audax with no ill effect despite the longer A-C height, I was running a 55mm offset version as I wanted to try the bike with a bit less trail.

They also have a few form their older models still in stock, might need a repaint to match though

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/forks/44-400-700c-thorn-531-brevet-steel-fork-indigo/
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/forks/gloss-black-700c-thorn-audax-mk3-steel-fork-46-mm-offset/

Another option would be a Surly Pacer fork, which is almost bang on the same measurements as your existing fork.

Specifications:

Axle-to-crown: 376mm
Offset: 45mm
Steerer: 300mm, 1-1/8˝ straight
Tire Clearance: 700c x 35mm (32mm w/fender)

https://surlybikes.com/parts/pacer_fork

I've not tried one of those on the Spa, but I have a friend with a Pacer and it's a pretty nice ride all things considered.

Most other options are likely to be cheaper (heavy) or touring style forks due to the 1 1/8th requirement. Spa do offer steel fork for the smallest Audax frame but with a different offset though, might be worth calling them and asking what they've got though?

Next option would be asking a frame builder, Mercian, Bob Jackson, Lee Cooper, Vernon Barker etc. (list not exhaustive!)
Although there's also bound to be a local builder to you I'd have thought?

[pwa]

Definitely a new fork from Spa. Given the damage to the front wheel there is no reason to feel confident in the old fork. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole now.

[pwa]

This one is what Spa give you if you want steel.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s29p367 ... -Road-Fork

Spa's stated weight is high but it will come with a long steerer that you are likely to cut down, thus losing a chunk of weight.

[Samuel D]

a new fork does sound prudent. Goodness knows where you would get one from though, a brake drop of ~52mm in steel... that might be a rare thing.

It’s not 52 mm drop as Shimano would call it, but that’s what Campagnolo called it long ago on page 59 of their catalogue no. 18:



I guess that’s to the middle of the ~10 mm slot, because the pads sit about the same location in the slot as they did on my BR-R650 callipers: in the bottom third.

The gouge on the stem is potentially a worry; if you don't replace it, it is not a bad idea to file/polish it smooth and then check there regularly for cracks. On the other parts the damage is more likely to be superficial rather than structural/hazardous.

Not sure what to make of that. I didn’t think to check, but the photo makes it look like the top bolt is slightly bent.

Hope you are healing up OK

Thanks. It’s been a shock to the system. Will be another while before I’m cycling again … and when I do, not falling off will list higher on my priorities than it used to.

[Samuel D]

FWIW, I've run one of the above on my Ti Audax with no ill effect despite the longer A-C height, I was running a 55mm offset version as I wanted to try the bike with a bit less trail.

Thanks very much for your detailed list of candidates, amediasatex. Regarding the above, what were your conclusions about trail? I’m pretty sure I want to keep mine the way it is, but I’m always curious about this sort of thing.

[Samuel D]

Given the damage to the front wheel there is no reason to feel confident in the old fork. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole now.

Even if, when I take everything apart to check, there’s no visible damage? Because even if get a new fork, I’ll have to consider what to do with this one.

This one is what Spa give you if you want steel.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s29p367 ... -Road-Fork

Another useful option that had eluded me. In fact, I’m pretty sure the last time I checked that fork was not available in the 45 mm rake option.

[Samuel D]

Some phone photos of other damage:


A mysterious cut that caused the flat rear tyre. Of course it had to be the most expensive tyre I have, a Specialized Turbo Cotton:


Not even the front skewer went unscathed. I propose to file this for neatness even though it will remove more anodising:


The derailleur took a knock but appears to move freely in all directions:


Second-worst spoke kink:


And the worst kink. Reusable?


Mavic Open Elite pinned joint, just for interest. Low-mileage rim, naturally:

[amediasatex]

FWIW, I've run one of the above on my Ti Audax with no ill effect despite the longer A-C height, I was running a 55mm offset version as I wanted to try the bike with a bit less trail.

Thanks very much for your detailed list of candidates, amediasatex. Regarding the above, what were your conclusions about trail? I’m pretty sure I want to keep mine the way it is, but I’m always curious about this sort of thing.

Personally I preferred it, and am now in the hunt for a carbon fork with greater offset, I was pretty sure I would prefer it though and just wanted to confirm before hand.

However, I have a general preference towards lower trail than most people seem to, but just because I prefer it doesn’t mean you will.

If you’re happy with the way it handles with the existing fork then I’d stick with the same or very close dimensions, if you know you want to change it and to what degree then that’s a different matter, in my case it’s very much a preference that I’ve arrived at via a LOT of experimentation and miles ridden but I’d never be so bold as to claim my preferences are the right ones

[slowster]

Re the scratched front skewer, if you really wanted to replace it SJS are selling Tiagra front skewers for £5 (link).

The Spa fork pwa linked to has three(!) bosses on each fork leg (so six in total) for a front low rider rack (click on the second photograph on the web page and you can see them). I doubt you would want that and it would spoil the clean uncluttered lines of your bike.

It looks to me like the Surly Pacer fork is the best contender. Their UK distributor, Ison, do not appear to import the fork, but it looks like at least some dealers in mainland Europe stock it, e.g. this Surly dealer in the Netherlands.

Regarding your existing fork, one of the things that would most concern me would be the risk of the crash having damaged the bond between the alloy and the carbon, and that damage potentially being difficult or impossible to detect until the fork fails catastrophically. I would not trust even a full carbon fork that had been in such a serious impact, but it's always seemed to me that carbon forks with alloy steerers and/or crowns are more prone to problems (e.g. Cannondale CAADX recall and Kinesis Racelight recall), and I suspect that the design is likely to be inherently less strong than a full carbon fork, all other things being equal.

On plus side, if your bike were a full carbon frame, in your shoes I would now be worried about riding it (albeit I accept I am very risk averse). With a steel frame like yours you can much more confident about whether or not it has sustained any damage, and moreover if it has sustained damage whether it is significant. I guess the crash is also further vindication of your choice of of down tube levers instead of STIs, given that the right hand brake lever was damaged.

Anyway it's good to hear that you are getting better.

[Brucey]

I might still re-use that stem, but with a bit of fettling/polishing, a new bolt maybe, and keeping it under observation. The spokes in the front wheel will probably be fine; I'm guessing that a single broken spoke wouldn't worry you if it ever happened? IIRC Alpina spokes err on the side of soft/ductile so won't be likely to break anyway. Note also that the spokes which saw the highest loads won't be the bent ones; it'll be the ones that saw the highest loads in tension. You might even find some that are now noticeably longer than others. The RD needs a little fettling too by the looks of it. The front rim might straighten well enough to use with a hub brake, but the rim joint will almost certainly never be quite right. If you want to tray straightening the rim, without the joint coming apart too much more, best to do it with the wheel intact but with all the spokes backed off about four turns or so.

BITD quite a lot of my components had a bit of 'road rash' on them, and so did I; arguably it is all part of the game. However as time goes on the old body doesn't react so well to smiting the tarmac on a regular basis; as it was nicely put in the film 'point break' (but re. surfing rather than cycling and crashing)

"...its for little rubber people that don't shave yet..."

Hope the Bionic arm works like normal!

cheers

[Samuel D]

However, I have a general preference towards lower trail than most people seem to, but just because I prefer it doesn’t mean you will.

Understood. I suppose it needs less leaning to steer no-hands with the shorter trail?

Slowster: you’re right about the bosses on the Spa fork. More than I’d prefer. On the other hand the Surly has obnoxious branding, not that I’ve anything against the brand. Hairdryer time?

I’ve heard of the coin test for checking carbon fibre integrity, though that wouldn’t say anything about the metal-carbon bonds in this fork.

The spokes in the front wheel will probably be fine; I'm guessing that a single broken spoke wouldn't worry you if it ever happened?

Right. I have plenty of them per wheel, carry a Spokey, have good tyre clearances, and even use brakes that won’t grab the rim with any force if it swerves into their path.

[amediasatex]

The surly branding on my disc trucker forks was just a bunch of thin individual stickers and peeled off very easily, I imagine the pacer forks are the same.

If it were me I’d be tempted by either the thorn 853 or getting a builder to make me a pair, but that would be the most costly option and may not represent good value.

I wouldn’t be overly worried about most of the other scrapes, clean them up a bit and treat them as a journal of your exploits engraved on the bike. I certainly have several bits and bobs in worse shape than that, I enjoy the story they tell.

[amediasatex]

Understood. I suppose it needs less leaning to steer no-hands with the shorter trail?

Mostly yes, although the overall feeling is, to me, more responsive, others may call it nervous. A lot of my riding is on backlanes and moorland roads, lots of dodgy surfaces, and tight turns, funny cambers etc. and I find high trail bikes a bit more tiring as they need more effort to manoeuvre, especially wearing on a long audax.

I find higher trail more suited to smoother sweeping roads but that only constitutes a small percentage of my rides so my preference leans towards handling optimised for the majority, and I have no trouble with the occasional 100km/h descent even on my lowest trail bike with 65mm offset forks so it works for me.

Basically, it might be an interesting experiment for you to try out but I wouldn't recommend deliberately buying a fork of different dimensions unless you want to alter the handling.