Cycling UK Forum

Recently, in a moment of weakness, I bought a used road bike with a steel frame and forks. The front wheel proved difficult to remove and replace. The attached photos show why; the right hand fork drop outs appear have been bent so that the entrance is <9mm, although the apex of the drop out is fine. The drop out is somewhat battered and paint has flaked off. I can’t see any cracks in the metal. The inside of the drop out has been filed in places, not very neatly. This has produced a slight notch, I don’t think it is a crack. The rest of the fork appears undamaged, with original, intact paint work. If I put the wheel in place, it sits in the centre of the fork. It must be difficult to bend a drop out with a wheel in place, possibly the fork was dropped from a work stand onto a hard floor.

First question; is the fork safe?
Second question; what to do?

What I like to think is that the fork is safe and some careful filing will widen the drop out to the required 9 mm. However, I would be interested in other, likely better informed, impartial opinions. Thanks for reading….

First 3 photos should be of damage right drop out, 4th of OK left drop out, 5th overview of forks.

if there really is no crack, it is almost certainly 'safe'. I suggest further filing/grinding is in order either on the DO or the wheel.

I think that’s a quality socketed cast steel dropout; I would be filing the slot and carrying on.
Keep an eye, buy I wouldn’t be worried
They are big strong forks with a big wide hollow crown
With mudguard clearance

Brucey and 531colin, thanks for the reasurance - I'll start filing. The joys of buying bikes on ebay; the drive side bottom bracket cup is currently soaking in plusgas, pending another removal attempt...

Glen wrote: ↑7 Nov 2023, 5:45pm......the drive side bottom bracket cup is currently soaking in plusgas, pending another removal attempt...t

don't forget that most bikes use a LH thread here

Some old fork dropouts are made to fit a smaller diameter axle, I suspect that this is one of them and has been filed incompletey to fit a 9mm. I think that you can file the entrance to the slot a bit to make getting the wheel in easier no problem.

he drive side bottom bracket cup is currently soaking in plusgas, pending another removal attempt...

You are probably aware of this already but discussion here about ways to remove stubborn BB Cups

viewtopic.php?p=1793519&hilit=bottom+br ... p#p1793519

I have used the large nut and bolt method recommended by Sheldon Brown, Good Luck!

gregoryoftours wrote: ↑7 Nov 2023, 8:29pm Some old fork dropouts are made to fit a smaller diameter axle, I suspect that this is one of them and has been filed incompletey to fit a 9mm. I think that you can file the entrance to the slot a bit to make getting the wheel in easier no problem.

Those look to be Long Shen dropouts, so 9mm wide.

https://www.merrysales.com/shop/ls-le-1 ... 8371#attr=

Those look to be Long Shen dropouts, so 9mm wide.

I think you are right; it's a 2015 Taiwanese frame by the way. Pleased to report that the drop outs are back to 9 mm and the recalcitrant bottom bracket cup has been removed....

anecdote alert ! !

Years ago when I was at uni, some otherwise intelligent and talented folk 'got confused' whilst their frame was in a bench vice, held by the fixed cup. So they swung it the wrong way.....
This of course prompted much taking of the wee-wee, not to mention the 'golden sprocket' award.....