# Boardman fork snapped what should I do?



## Randommoose (29 Oct 2017)

Hi,

I have a Boardman Hybrid Pro, bought (second hand) recently, excellent condition, I took it to be serviced two days ago (by a local bike shop that has done other work for me and is very good). Had one of the brakes bled too and pedals changed.

My husband just tried it round the garden (smallish garden, only walking/jogging speed) and upon braking the front fork snapped with a bang (husband is fine). It is about 3/4 of the way through the metal as far as we can see.

I'm really shaken as I have bought this for a year away, lots of riding planned, some pulling a trailer (hence getting disc brakes) and it could have happened in a much more dangerous location or faster speed. I've just recently bought this for £500 as it is in perfect condition and just spent £90 on services, brakes and pedals and I can't afford to just throw that money away. But will the bike be safe again? I don't want to risk riding something dangerous.

What should I do now? The Boardman warranty is only to the original buyer. Would sale of goods cover it (I don't know more than the name and a 6(?) year limit)? Or do I need to buy new forks - where from?

Sorry if this is over dramatic, I'm upset and don't know what to do next.

Moose


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## Welsh wheels (29 Oct 2017)

Randommoose said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have a Boardman Hybrid Pro, bought (second hand) recently, excellent condition, I took it to be serviced two days ago (by a local bike shop that has done other work for me and is very good). Had one of the brakes bled too and pedals changed.
> 
> ...


Hmm, maybe the bike wasn't in such a good condition as was advertised when you brought it. Is the front fork carbon or aluminium? Definitely contact the seller to start with and see what they say.


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## Randommoose (29 Oct 2017)

I think the front fork is carbon on these. The seller rides road bikes and bought this for recovery from a back injury. He said he hardly rode it (borne out by the excellent condition, barely any wear to anything) before he was back to his road bikes. I'll contact him, and the bike shop too (check it wasn't dropped or anything) but the fork was perfectly smooth and shaped correctly, no marks or anything.


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## MichaelW2 (29 Oct 2017)

There is not much you can do but it may be worth telling boardman bikes, who knows they might offer one. If there is something wrong with a batch, they would want to know.
Can you post an photo of the offending part?


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## Welsh wheels (29 Oct 2017)

Randommoose said:


> I think the front fork is carbon on these. The seller rides road bikes and bought this for recovery from a back injury. He said he hardly rode it (borne out by the excellent condition, barely any wear to anything) before he was back to his road bikes. I'll contact him, and the bike shop too (check it wasn't dropped or anything) but the fork was perfectly smooth and shaped correctly, no marks or anything.


Carbon is very strong, but it can snap catastrophically as has happened to you. It would have probably been cracked before it snapped. Unfortunately, unless you get x-rayed you can never tell sure if carbon has been damaged. There are tests you can do at home that go beyond just looking at it. You can't usually tell if a carbon fork has been damaged just by looking at it. Hopefully the seller didn't sell it because he knew it was cracked.


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## Ajax Bay (29 Oct 2017)

Randommoose said:


> upon braking the front fork snapped with a bang (husband is fine). It is about 3/4 of the way through the metal as far as we can see.





Randommoose said:


> I think the front fork is carbon on these.


So was it through to the metal? Not clear what part of the fork broke (not that any part should have).
Very fortunate that you had it tested by a willing fall guy first, before you took it on the road.


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## Randommoose (29 Oct 2017)

I've emailed the seller and the bicycle shop I had it serviced at.

The paint was completely smooth before this happened


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## Randommoose (29 Oct 2017)

It looks similar on the inside of the fork leg.


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## Randommoose (29 Oct 2017)

I meant 3/4 of the way through the fork leg


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## pclay (29 Oct 2017)

You can buy new forks, which will be cheaper than buying a new bike. Had you ridden the bike much before getting it serviced? Hard to tell if there was an existing fault or if the bike shop damaged it, you probably can't prove either. Personally I would look for a replacement for and swallow the cost. They are easy to replace yourself as well, you on,y need a set of Allen keys, and perhaps a rubber mallet.


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## Yellow Saddle (29 Oct 2017)

Randommoose said:


> I've emailed the seller and the bicycle shop I had it serviced at.
> 
> The paint was completely smooth before this happened
> 
> View attachment 380789



That break was brought on by applying the front brake as it mimics perfectly the torsion brought onto a fork whilst braking.

If the paint was perfectly smooth when you got the bike, neither the original owner nor the bike mechanic could have foreseen such a break. In my view it is a warrantee issue. Get the original owner to take it up with Boardman, if that is at all possible.


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## Venod (29 Oct 2017)

pclay said:


> They are easy to replace yourself as well, you on,y need a set of Allen keys, and perhaps a rubber mallet.



Don't forget you will also have to get the crown race of the old fork to fit to the new fork, or fit a new one and cut the steerer to the correct length.

I replaced some broken Cannondale forks with some from China they were fine.


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## Smokin Joe (29 Oct 2017)

I think Boardman would be very concerned about this, so contact them immediately. Even though the warranty only applies to the original purchaser I would be surprised if the did not offer to replace the fork.


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## johnnyb47 (29 Oct 2017)

Good Point @ Smokin Joe.
I mirror your views on this. Boardman would no doubt be a little concerned to hear this especially if the has been well looked after. At the very least, they may replace the fork at a discount for you.


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## Illaveago (29 Oct 2017)

Yellow Saddle said:


> That break was brought on by applying the front brake as it mimics perfectly the torsion brought onto a fork whilst braking.
> 
> If the paint was perfectly smooth when you got the bike, neither the original owner nor the bike mechanic could have foreseen such a break. In my view it is a warrantee issue. Get the original owner to take it up with Brompton, if that is at all possible.


I was thinking along similar lines.


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## MichaelW2 (29 Oct 2017)

Similar case here.


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## Cycleops (29 Oct 2017)

The sellers original contract is with retailer (if he was the first owner) so that’s the only way you’re going to get any satisfaction. Is it out of warranty ? Don’t think you'll get very far. Just be thankful you weren’t hurt.


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## Drago (29 Oct 2017)

Randommoose said:


> I've emailed the seller and the bicycle shop I had it serviced at.
> 
> The paint was completely smooth before this happened
> 
> View attachment 380789



That was a waste of an email to the servicing shop. They had no way of knowing that was on the horizon, because Park don't sell crystal balls.


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## Randommoose (29 Oct 2017)

I have emailed Boardman so will see what they say. As I'm the second owner I know they have no liability to me. If the seller returns my email I might see if he will help me out. But I suppose it is bad luck, just not what I expected from a bicycle a few years old, little ridden, excellent condition. This is the 'best' bicycle I've ever bought so I wasn't expecting structural failure. I bought this based on so many reviews raving about the quality of the Boardman bicycles so it is a pity to have this experience.

If Boardman don't do anything then I will have to buy forks. Thank you @Afnug for the information about the crown race. Frankly if they need replacing I'll get a bike shop to do it for me if there is anything technical or time consuming as I am so busy at the moment and don't want to make a mistake or order the wrong thing.

On the good side, at least it happened now before our year away and was in a flat garden at slow speed rather than a fast descent with a trailer behind!


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## winjim (29 Oct 2017)

Is that a carbon fork bonded to an alloy dropout/brake mount? If so, is that break about where the bond between the two materials would be?


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## Randy Butternubs (30 Oct 2017)

User46386 said:


> A few years old and you paid £500 and more for a service, you've been ripped off big style sorry to say.
> You'll have to buy new forks, Boardman wont replace and you will have to pay labour as well. All said and done you could have bought new and had the guarentee as well.
> Sorry this has happened to you.
> The seller wont help you out either.



~£600 all in for a £1000 bike seems like a good deal to me if the condition is almost as new. The fork breakage is just bad luck; unforseen expenses happen.

I don't know about Boardman in particular but it isn't unusual for manufacturers to offer replacements out of warranty for this kind of thing. If they don't the seller might well be willing to help.


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## Yellow Saddle (30 Oct 2017)

winjim said:


> Is that a carbon fork bonded to an alloy dropout/brake mount? If so, is that break about where the bond between the two materials would be?


It appears to be the case. Either way, it is very poorly designed and executed, as the perils of such a materials transition are well known. In another current thread someone is bemoaning the fact that his bike was only British-designed and not British-manufactured. This one is probably British-designed but the design was never scrutinized by a competent engineer. Just two anecdotal cases of such a failure would be cause for an investigation and perhaps a recall. I would prefer to reward a company of whatever nationality, for supplying me with a safe, fit-for-purpose product than rewarding someone because of their nationality. I am not saying it is the case here at all. I am saying that misplaced patriotism doesn't give us the best product.


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## Globalti (30 Oct 2017)

That's a worrying failure and I can completely understand your distress! The seller wouldn't have been able to predict that failure; as Yellow Saddle and others have written it's due to inadequate strength at the vital area of high stress. I would simply send the fork back to Boardman with a letter asking them to send you the redesigned fork when it becomes available and until then asking what they are going to do about supplying you with a fork that's safe. If they won't help and you want to keep the bike, have a look at the aftermarket forks sold on this website: http://www.carboncycles.cc/ They are affordable and I've never heard of one breaking, I had one on my mountain bike and it was strong and smooth-riding.


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## Randommoose (30 Oct 2017)

Thank you for all your replies.

Price wise they all seemed to be of a similar price when I was looking at ones for sale. I had another I was considering for £50 less but it was much more used (chain ring teeth going shark toothed etc). So I was happy with the price of this. I hadn't seen any at £350.

I'll have to wait until I hear back from Boardman to see what (if anything) they will do. According to my husband the crack is where the different metals join from the brake mount to the fork. I'm not knowledgeable about bikes and have only had cheap ones before so went for the highest recommended bicycle in my price range that I could find a second hand one in travelling distance. I can see why it is tempting just to buy a cheap bike for £100-£200 when an expensive one like this can fail structurally. At least on a cheap one it isn't as much money to lose.

I'm trying to get back into cycling having had nearly a decade of not really cycling at all having done lots of cycle commuting before that on a cheap internet bike. Maybe I should just take the hint and not bother! Unfortunately for our year of travelling we will have to get around on bicycles so I have to have something to use.


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## Randommoose (30 Oct 2017)

Oh and the seller has replied. He estimates it has a few hundred miles of riding with him, never dropped or crashed. He owned it from new. It was still original spec (even tyres) when I got it, though I have changed the tyres, saddle and pedals since.


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## Globalti (30 Oct 2017)

I sold my little-used Tricross to a colleague who is quite portly and on his first commute he broke a spoke on the front wheel by braking hard while hitting a pothole. Since he's a nice chap and a colleague I repaired the wheel for him but I warned him that a road bike is not as robust as his old mountain bike and he was exchanging strength for speed. In a year of commuting he hasn't had any more problems despite having completely neglected the bike, which is now in a shocking condition. (I once had a look at it in the bike shed and both brakes were severely contaminated with oil - when I quizzed him he admitted that he was in the habit of spraying the hubs and brakes with WD40 every weekend!) 

But your seller can't be blamed; there's no way he could have predicted that break. If I was you I'd be 'phoning Boardman and kicking up a fuss about the failure.


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## Johnno260 (30 Oct 2017)

Contact Boardman, try not to be too confrontational, they may offer you a replacement they may not, but say you wanted to make them aware of any potential issues.

You could try and google it to see if there are similar issues?

EDIT: The break is where there is a material change? CF to Alum? that to me sounds insane if it's the case, that's a high stress area that's ludicrous! I would rather have forks all one material with nothing bonded/attached.


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## Cycleops (30 Oct 2017)

Seeing as Halfords are the U.K.s biggest cycle retailer I’d have thought it’s in their interest to be seen to keep their customers happy, especially over a serious safety issue like this. I’m confident they’ll do the right thing.


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## jay clock (30 Oct 2017)

*Quoted post removed by moderators.*

Agreed, politely try and get Boardman on board (!) and if not buy a new fork. Sounds like really bad luck. I have not heard of anyone I know having a break of that type


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## Rickshaw Phil (30 Oct 2017)

*Mod note: * We do not want to see any more posts regarding the amount the OP paid for the bike. It is not relevant to the failure and looks like revelling in their misfortune.

Mod hat off: @Randommoose I hope that Boardman will come back to you with a sensible response. I concur with those who have said it looks like a manufacturing defect so I'm hopeful they won't just dismiss it.

Even if they wouldn't pay for the whole cost of repair it would still be reasonable to ask about a goodwill contribution towards it as that is not the kind of failure to be expected on any bike.


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## jay clock (30 Oct 2017)

Well done mods!


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## Banjo (1 Nov 2017)

If no help is forthcoming from Boardman PLC how about trying to tweet Chris Boardman himself?


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## confusedcyclist (1 Nov 2017)

Glad you were not injured as a result of this failure. Fitting a replacement fork is not a complicated affair, you or hubby could do it yourself if either of you are a competent DIYers, if necessary, cutting down the steerer and press fitting bearings might be the hardest parts for a newbie and warrant a trip to a mechanic. Otherwise, you are just swapping the components over to the new fork. You can save the easy parts for yourself if you are looking to save on labour. As other's have suggested, boardman bikes may offer to replace the fork, just don't accept the same model for obvious design flaws!


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## Randommoose (3 Nov 2017)

I chased up Boardman and the warranty manager got back to me to say they need to know where and when it was bought before they can do anything further. So I have emailed the seller to ask him (and informed Boardman that I am waiting for his reply).

Thank you @Rickshaw Phil . I didn't see the post about money but would be very grateful to not have to justify it. I spent what I did and if the bike hadn't broken, would be perfectly happy with the price paid so that doesn't need discussion. I am stressed and money is tight but that only affects what I need to pay now, not in the past.

Hopefully Boardman will step up and do something helpful. It's just a lot of waiting around at the moment.


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## Randommoose (3 Nov 2017)

Banjo said:


> If no help is forthcoming from Boardman PLC how about trying to tweet Chris Boardman himself?


I don't use twitter but my husband does so that might be a possibility. I'll see what happens via email as they have replied.


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## Randommoose (3 Nov 2017)

confusedcyclist said:


> Glad you were not injured as a result of this failure. Fitting a replacement fork is not a complicated affair, you or hubby could do it yourself if either of you are a competent DIYers, if necessary, cutting down the steerer and press fitting bearings might be the hardest parts for a newbie and warrant a trip to a mechanic. Otherwise, you are just swapping the components over to the new fork. You can save the easy parts for yourself if you are looking to save on labour. As other's have suggested, boardman bikes may offer to replace the fork, just don't accept the same model for obvious design flaws!



We are pretty competent at DIY just really short of time! I've got a good local bike shop that can do the harder work and we will do any easy and quick bits.

I hope Boardman will offer something as it is ridiculous for an excellent condition bicycle to snap through metal at less than 10mph. That's a good point to get a different model!


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## Randommoose (7 Nov 2017)

Another update:

Boardman have replied to say I'm not covered by warranty as I'm the second owner. They said I "may" (!) be able to buy new forks to it and ask Halfords to contact customer services on my behalf.

I've been really disappointed and surprised at the delays in replies, short answers and not even any sort of " we are sorry to hear that happened", let alone offer to replace.

I'm trying to think how to reply about this being (in my opinion) a structural fault and so not fit for purpose. A 3 year old bike not used much, kept in excellent condition should not have metal snapping when ridden slowly on the flat (in my opinion). Any suggestions for what I should say? I've not had to chase up something like this before. Or do I just give up pursuing then, take it as bad luck and avoid buying another Boardman in the future? I will fix this one and use it as I can't afford something else and frankly it is a really nice bike. 

It is all very disappointing.


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## MichaelW2 (7 Nov 2017)

The forks of the Boardman Hybrid Pro are made of carbon fibre. The ends of the fork, where the axle attached are metal, so is the disk brake fixing bracket. The fork seemed to have broken at the junction between the aluminium end piece and the carbon tube. I would like to see a cross section, sawn vertically down the fork to see what the profile looks like. Is there a manufacturing fault in the carbon, for instance a fold or crease in the layup fabrics. Is the junction between aluminium and carbon a sudden step or a gradual change in thickness?
There may be some people who could investigate your fork.


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## roadrash (7 Nov 2017)

personally I don't think you will get anywhere with boardman unfortunately, as said warranty is with original owner and as you told them you are not, it wont make any difference if the seller contacts boardman as he is no longer the owner and they now know this,
I would have a look at the link provided by @Globalti , I understand your frustration and I would have hoped for something of a goodwill gesture from boardman bikes,
annoying as it is don't let it eat away at you and try to move on.


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## confusedcyclist (7 Nov 2017)

Given that the warranty isn't transferable, you are stuck with convincing Boardman Bikes into replacing the forks with the grace and cooperation of the original owner. Essentially you'd have to ask the original owner to be initiate the warranty returns and handle everything on their end. This is all only possible if the bike is still under its own manufacturer warranty and the seller also retained their proof of purchase and are prepared to go through the hassle of the returns process, deal with shipping, receipt of new forks etc.

Unless lady luck is on your side and this guy is a saint and is prepared to help you out, you are stuck with obtaining a new set of forks out of pocket, however even the returns procedure could cost you money as Boardman are not obligated to pay for shipping of the forks for inspection, and for delivery of replacement goods. All of this would take extra time too. Clearly their Q&A team are not the most generous, quickest or efficient team.

New forks don't cost the earth and you can have this all sorted for a lot less hassle if you DIY, and the positive side to this is you don't have to opt for their poor craftsmanship and go to a brand you trust.

Personally, my next step would depend on how much I trust the guy that sold you the bike, do you think you would be asking them a lot for this kind of support. It won't hurt to find out. But I would be half tempted to just buy some new carbon forks elsewhere and get a LBS to fit it for piece of mind and a quick turnaround.


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## Randommoose (7 Nov 2017)

Thank you for your replies, it is really nice to have some social support while dealing with this. It is also really nice to have all the useful information I have been given. 


@MichaelW2 Once I've changed the forks then I (or someone else) could have a closer look.
@roadrash Good advice not to let it eat at me - I'm very prone to doing that! As you say, move on and look at @Globalti 's link
@confusedcyclist I'm not going to get the original owner to pursue it as I am the owner now. There was no visible fault and he has been extremely helpful the whole way through from before I bought it up to now and I don't think it is any fault of his. As you say it is less hassle to just sort it out.

I'll probably ask at a Halfords to see if they offer replacement forks (as it was bought from Halfords near me in 2014). But I won't be surprised if they say tough luck.


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## confusedcyclist (7 Nov 2017)

Randommoose said:


> I'll probably ask at a Halfords to see if they offer replacement forks (as it was bought from Halfords near me in 2014). But I won't be surprised if they say tough luck.


Sure, ask halfords, but they are notoriously stingy, and they're are under no obligation to replace components from a 2014 model bike. I wouldn't trust them to do the work or waste a trip there unless it's on the way to something else! Go to a reputable independant bike shop for the parts and fitting.


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## Randommoose (7 Nov 2017)

confusedcyclist said:


> Sure, ask halfords, but they are notoriously stingy, and they're are under no obligation to replace components from a 2014 model bike. I wouldn't trust them to do the work or waste a trip there unless it's on the way to something else! Go to a reputable independant bike shop for the parts and fitting.


Hmm, yes I wasn't planning on them doing any work as I wouldn't trust it. But if they offer to supply the forks then I'll take that up. I've got one a 5 minute drive away so will ask just in case but won't hold my breath. I have a good independent shop I will use for the work


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## Tangoup51 (7 Nov 2017)

@Randommoose

I Read this thread a ways ago and I noticed how alot of people were assuming that because it is a Serious fault it is liable to be taken Seriously, however this is incredibly true if you are 1) Within the Warranty date. (Boardman alloy frames are warranted 2 year after purchase; Any Carbon items are warranted 3 years from purchase date)

and 2) you have proof of purchase/ownership. - Granted, it is true Boardman can offer "deals" to you even after your Warranty date has expired, though that varies how long it is out of warranty, but there is simply no way they can market you in any sort of significant deal if you're not the owner.

It's simply because they're a company and need to make money, they would lose alot of money if they Warranted bikes that have no liable owners.

I would like to mention to you, my experience with Boardman forks have been mixed. - When tightened down My forks on my CX 2014 actually touch the disc rotor bolts and have taken "nicks" out of the paint. - Upon mentioning this to Boardman they snapply put me in touch with their local mechanics and we conclude a safe hotfix, I got a replacement.

I went to the same Halfords I bought it from (I use to work there) to ask for a replacement fork. - They have about 20-30 bikes in the back that were All either "Built-up but customers never collected" or more commonly "Returned after being crashed" but was so damaged it could not be put back for sale on shop floor as "second hand" - because of those reasons they found my bike and gave me an immediate replacement fork.

Considering it was 2 years since I bought that bike from them, you would be surprised how many old bikes they have laying around.


If nothing else though, you can always go to your LBS. - I estimate the price you'll have to spend is £50 to £150 but my boardman forks are worth around £80.00.


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## alecstilleyedye (7 Nov 2017)

confusedcyclist said:


> Sure, ask halfords, but they are notoriously stingy...


not necessarily. i’ve had a new wheel on my cx comp when it only needed a new freehub. to boot, also a new chain and cassette as, apparently, it was easier to put a new chain on than swap the cassette to the new wheel...


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## Randommoose (7 Nov 2017)

I'm just starting to look at what I might need to buy and am trying to find the right spec.

So far I have:
Tapered steerer
Carbon
Disc

How do I find out size (bike is Boardman Hybrid Pro medium)? Are there any other things I need to be aware of? I've tried looking on here to find out brands to look at but really don't know what is good/medium/rubbish. The link I had earlier would be great but they only have one 'Road-Trekking' fork (I think this is what I need?) and it is not tapered.

Can anyone link me to a resource that describes or compares different fork brands? I'll keep searching too, just a bit confused atm.

Thanks,
Moose


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## Andrew_P (8 Nov 2017)

Randommoose said:


> I'm just starting to look at what I might need to buy and am trying to find the right spec.
> 
> So far I have:
> Tapered steerer
> ...


I emailed Chris Boardman via Bike Radar when I had a problem and he replied and then got the CEO to deal with it. This might be different now Halfords own the brand sold in their shops but worth a try.

Just checked my emails and the CEO has moved to Ribble and Chris Boardman has not logged in to his Bike Radar Account since 2012. If you still want to try the Bike Radar account let me know and I will PM his user name.

Personally I would pursue it beyond the Customer Service people.


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## PaulSB (8 Nov 2017)

I’ve watched this thread with interest and fall in to “put it down to experience and move on” camp. Which I know is not very helpful but is the way I would go. Some companies have a strong ethos and value customer goodwill, it seems Boardman/Halfords don’t. After taking out profit margin and VAT the replacement forks would cost Boardman no more than £35-40** and would have bought a lot of goodwill - instead they have a lot of poor publicity.

** based on Tangoup51’s value of £80.

My advice would be to take what you can from the situation. Go to your LBS, fully explain your situation as you have here and ask for help. I would let the LBS supply and fit the forks. There’s a decent chance the LBS will seize the opportunity to build a relationship with a new customer and you can do the same. Big positives in that.


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## Illaveago (8 Nov 2017)

Well Boredman/Halfords have certainly gone the right way to win over new customers. The treatment that you have received has put them on my never go near list if I was to buy a new or second hand bike.


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## roadrash (8 Nov 2017)

a question for anyone now rubbishing boardman bikes.. in @Randommoose own words, the bike is a few years old and on the second owner, where would you draw the line for any financial intervention from boardman bikes, 3rd owner, 4th maybe , a few years old? and yes I too would expect them to be interested in seeing the snapped fork, but that's all


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## Johnno260 (8 Nov 2017)

roadrash said:


> a question for anyone now rubbishing boardman bikes.. in @Randommoose own words, the bike is a few years old and on the second owner, where would you draw the line for any financial intervention from boardman bikes, 3rd owner, 4th maybe , a few years old? and yes I too would expect them to be interested in seeing the snapped fork, but that's all



In my opinion 2yrs is quite soon to see a failure like this if they have proof of purchase and the bike appears to be in good condition I would hope Boardman bikes would want to help.

A line needs to be drawn sure, but that is a serious failure and could've caused serious injury.

I owned a Boardman Hybrid comp pro and while is was an ok bike it did have it's issues, but again Halfords sorted me out when I had issues as I was the original owner.

My Merida while again is probably seen as an "entry level" bike is far superior in quality.


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## amasidlover (8 Nov 2017)

I had a Mio Link fail after 10 months and another after 13 months in both cases Mio offered to replace FOC straight away even though the latters was almost a year after the original warranty had expired (new one still working fine after another year thankfully). Apple replaced my Macbook Pro motherboard 5 years(!) after purchase when it failed. 

Brompton are replacing Bottom Brackets on 3 year old bikes including second hand owners.

Thankfully I haven't had any major issues with structural bike components but I'd expect any company aside from non-EU stuff bought off ebay to replace anything that failed with a _reasonable_ timeframe free of charge. I certainly don't think 3 years is reasonable for a fork - if it is should I be replacing the forks on my 3.5 year old Whyte just in case??

I certainly wouldn't buy a Boardman new or second hand after reading this.


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## roadrash (8 Nov 2017)

Johnno260 said:


> A line needs to be drawn sure, but that is a serious failure and could've caused serious injury.



I agree , I would expect them to show an interest in the failed fork, and try to find out how/why it happened, is it likely to happen to others etc, but as second owner and a couple of years old , not knowing the history , I would not expect them to replace it , certainly , try it on but I wouldn't automatically expect it under these circumstances.




amasidlover said:


> Brompton are replacing Bottom Brackets on 3 year old bikes including second hand owners.



yes they are, but hardly the same circumstances if its a known defect.

Has there been a lot of forks snapping on boardman bikes, I don't know


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## Illaveago (8 Nov 2017)

For them to have shown some concern and perhaps some goodwill in replacing the forks wouldn't have cost them a great deal. 
It could be that there are only a few of these breaking but if they are only replacing ones that fail in the warranty period or for the original owners then there could be more which are not being flagged up.
From the interest they have shown I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.


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## Ajax Bay (8 Nov 2017)

@Randommoose 
I concur with @roadrash "I would expect them to show an interest in the failed fork, and try to find out how/why it happened, is it likely to happen to others etc, but as second owner and a couple of years old , not knowing the history , I would not expect them to replace it , certainly , try it on"
You may to consider changing the thread's title by prefacing it with the word "Boardman" to allow this thread to be found when someone else's fork catastrophically fails, let us pray with similarly minimal effect on the rider.


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## Andrew_P (8 Nov 2017)

Basing my judgement on @Yellow Saddle interpretation of the fault as I have no knowledge of technical issues suggests to me there is an element of design fault. Had this been someone tearing down a hill and stopping it could have been very nasty. Didn't Kinesis do a recall for their Forks on quite an old version of one their bikes? That seems the right thing to do, if it is proven to be a design fault. If not a fault a replacement set of forks even if billed at cost is also the right thing to do, with a sigh of relief that no one was hurt!


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## Johnno260 (8 Nov 2017)

Andrew_P said:


> Basing my judgement on @Yellow Saddle interpretation of the fault as I have no knowledge of technical issues suggests to me there is an element of design fault. Had this been someone tearing down a hill and stopping it could have been very nasty. Didn't Kinesis do a recall for their Forks on quite an old version of one their bikes? That seems the right thing to do, if it is proven to be a design fault. If not a fault a replacement set of forks even if billed at cost is also the right thing to do, with a sigh of relief that no one was hurt!



exactly the bad press from an injury and if it turns out to be a design flaw will be catastrophic.


----------



## Randommoose (8 Nov 2017)

PaulSB said:


> I’ve watched this thread with interest and fall in to “put it down to experience and move on” camp [...] Some companies have a strong ethos and value customer goodwill, it seems Boardman/Halfords don’t [...] instead they have a lot of poor publicity.
> 
> Go to your LBS, [...] Big positives in that.



Yes, I'm surprised at the lack of customer service/goodwill so far. I already have a good relationship with my LBS  so will use them.



roadrash said:


> I would expect them to show an interest in the failed fork, and try to find out how/why it happened, is it likely to happen to others etc, but as second owner and a couple of years old , not knowing the history , I would not expect them to replace it , certainly , try it on but I wouldn't automatically expect it under these circumstances



Exactly what I expected - even if they don't want to spend money on replacing I'd expect some interest as you say so they can work out what the fault is.



Ajax Bay said:


> You may to consider changing the thread's title by prefacing it with the word "Boardman" to allow this thread to be found when someone else's fork catastrophically fails, let us pray with similarly minimal effect on the rider.


Have done, thanks.



Andrew_P said:


> Basing my judgement on @Yellow Saddle interpretation of the fault as I have no knowledge of technical issues suggests to me there is an element of design fault. Had this been someone tearing down a hill and stopping it could have been very nasty. Didn't Kinesis do a recall for their Forks on quite an old version of one their bikes? That seems the right thing to do, if it is proven to be a design fault. If not a fault a replacement set of forks even if billed at cost is also the right thing to do, with a sigh of relief that no one was hurt!


I agree with you. It seems dangerous to me. They didn't even offer for me to buy new forks from them, just said I "may" be able to replace them and suggested I asked Halfords if it is possible. They were explicit I would need to pay for forks and fitting.


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## Illaveago (8 Nov 2017)

Randommoose said:


> Yes, I'm surprised at the lack of customer service/goodwill so far. I already have a good relationship with my LBS  so will use them.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Did you tell them where they could stick them?


----------



## vickster (8 Nov 2017)

I don’t know if you’re a twitter user?

https://mobile.twitter.com/boardmanbikes?lang=en


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## bigjim (8 Nov 2017)

After reading all this I'm not so sure I would want a new Boardman fork. Free or not.


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## Johnno260 (8 Nov 2017)

Illaveago said:


> For them to have shown some concern and perhaps some goodwill in replacing the forks wouldn't have cost them a great deal.
> It could be that there are only a few of these breaking but if they are only replacing ones that fail in the warranty period or for the original owners then there could be more which are not being flagged up.
> From the interest they have shown I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole.



Still it only takes one to kill someone.


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## Randommoose (8 Nov 2017)

Illaveago said:


> Did you tell them where they could stick them?


I wish I was brave enough for that!



vickster said:


> I don’t know if you’re a twitter user?
> 
> https://mobile.twitter.com/boardmanbikes?lang=en


No, I'm not. They are aware of it, just don't want to do anything about it so I don't know if contacting them via Twitter would make any difference.



bigjim said:


> After reading all this I'm not so sure I would want a new Boardman fork. Free or not.


The same thought has crossed my mind...



Johnno260 said:


> Still it only takes one to kill someone.


Hopefully not. I'm so glad this happened very slowly on the flat. It could have been so much worse.


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## J1888 (8 Nov 2017)

I feel very sorry for you, OP, it's a really unfortunate thing to happen, but like you say, thankfully it wasn't a fall that caused you any serious damage.

I suppose this is one of the drawbacks of not being the original purchaser, but as someone who has owned two Boardman bikes (and been very happy with them), I'm disappointed to read that given it seems like a failure of the bike, they haven't been more helpful. Sadly, as a company, I can understand that strictly speaking, they're doing what is required (i.e. very little seemingly).

One option could perhaps to write a letter to Chris Boardman (he's listed as the Chair of Boardman Bikes still on their website) and politely explain why you're so disappointed with the way that things have turned out, and that your confidence in their brand is completely gone, having previously had a good impression of them. Or, you could write to one of the staff in a similar fashion, i.e. not anger, not demanding anything (not saying you would do this!!), but just clearly explaining the history, who you've spoken to at Boardman and when etc. Here are the staff on their website: https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/why-boardman/team/our-crew/


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## The Jogger (8 Nov 2017)

I would have asked the guy you bought it from to bring it back under warranty (if he was the original purchaser) sorry I have only read start and finish of this thread in case this has already been suggested. Is this still possible?


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## keithmac (8 Nov 2017)

I'd be putting a set of aluminium forks in it and chalk it down to experience.

Saying that I'm surprised the manufacturer has just brushed you off given the potential consequences of the failure.


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## NickNick (8 Nov 2017)

Might be worth making a very public complaint on Twitter and see if you can shame them into acting.


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## MiK1138 (9 Nov 2017)

everyone is really quick to diss Boardman on this, while I sympathise with the OP I can only find 2 instances of a problem like this. This thread and the BR thread referenced uppost. if this was a Boardman issue there would be much more evidence of it. Boardman would be well aware of any issue and I don't believe for a minute they would risk their brand rep nor their customers lives by ignoring what would be a serious safety issue


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## bigjim (9 Nov 2017)

I think there are many documented issues with Carbon fork failure, many of them fatal. But of course those are only the ones reported. how many have failed without serious injury and riders have just dumped the fork and bought a new one? Do manufacturers rely on this complacency? I remember an issue many years ago with, I think it may be Ford? They sold a car that under certain crash scenarios, the vehicle fuel tank ruptured and killed the occupants. It was revealed that the company had worked out it was cheaper to pay the claimants than change the design of the vehicle. Ralph Nader outed them. 
I don't see any manufacturers giving long life guarantees on carbon. Wonder why that is?
I lost confidence with carbon forks and on the bike I had that was equipped with one, I changed it for a brand new steel fork for £18 off e-bay. Yes it was heavier, but it still soaked up the bumps, was comfortable and I had piece of mind.


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## galaxy (9 Nov 2017)

Really feel for the OP. I bought a Boardman Comp last year having come back to cycling, the actuall bike, once away from Halfords is a excellent bit of kit, i have no Carbon forks on my bike. Have you considered the alloy option, may ne cheaper, same angle fit etc, just a thought.


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## Smokin Joe (9 Nov 2017)

bigjim said:


> I think there are many documented issues with Carbon fork failure, many of them fatal.


I'd like to see the evidence for that rather startling claim.


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## J1888 (9 Nov 2017)

Smokin Joe said:


> I'd like to see the evidence for that rather startling claim.



Quite


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## EasyPeez (9 Nov 2017)

This seems like a terrible bit of luck; my sympathies go to the OP. I'm also surprised that Boardman /Halfords aren't more concerned about the safety issues here, regardless of whether they offer to replace the fork or not. If it were me I would want to push this higher, as a safety concern with the product rather than in an attempt to gain recompense.

On a side note, I'm struggling to sympathise with this though...



Randommoose said:


> Unfortunately for our year of travelling we will have to get around on bicycles



I can't imagine how the phrases "year of travelling" and "get around on bicycles" could ever warrant being qualified by the adverb "unfortunately"!?!

The fork problem is no doubt annoying, but it will get sorted one way or another and you will be left with a good bike and a wonderful year of adventure to look forward to. I hope you enjoy both.


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## bigjim (9 Nov 2017)

Smokin Joe said:


> I'd like to see the evidence for that rather startling claim.


Google it. I'm not doing the work for you. But here is one to be going on with.
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/l...d-carbon-forks-separated-inquest-hears-231824


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## jefmcg (9 Nov 2017)

bigjim said:


> Google it. I'm not doing the work for you. But here is one to be going on with.
> http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/l...d-carbon-forks-separated-inquest-hears-231824


That's not how it works. If you make an extraordinary claim, it's your job to prove it.


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## jefmcg (9 Nov 2017)

This is not an example of fork failure and (spoiler warning) the worst injury is bruising, but it's a good example of why we don't want our forks to fail


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV9_i9MEnMg


(full discussion, which took place a few weeks after I broke my clavicle after a ~12kph fork failure)


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## MiK1138 (9 Nov 2017)

bigjim said:


> Google it. I'm not doing the work for you. But here is one to be going on with.
> http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/l...d-carbon-forks-separated-inquest-hears-231824


that's nothing like the OPs issue, I googled Boardman Carbon Fork failure and got 2 hits, how many of these bikes are out there since they where launched. I have the very same bike so if this was a design issue I would want to know, however IMHO the OP has just been unlucky


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## Smokin Joe (9 Nov 2017)

bigjim said:


> Google it. I'm not doing the work for you. But here is one to be going on with.
> http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/l...d-carbon-forks-separated-inquest-hears-231824


Well that's overwhelming evidence, isn't it? 

I wonder if the millions of people throughout the world riding carbon framed bikes are aware of the danger they are in?


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## bigjim (9 Nov 2017)

Smokin Joe said:


> Well that's overwhelming evidence, isn't it?
> 
> I wonder if the millions of people throughout the world riding carbon framed bikes are aware of the danger they are in?


 Probably not.
Why don't you supply me with the safety evidence?
What bit of "one to be going on with" are you struggling with? Or are you just looking for an argument? Also if you can be bothered, check my post. I said "I think".
Off the top of my head I can recall, a lady cyclist killed when she hit a pothole and her carbon forks failed, a guy in the states killed when they failed and Trek having to be told in court to change their advice/warnings on carbon forks. A 49yrold Aussie guy killed. A UK man paralysed from the neck down because of a failure. Ask their families if they think they are safe? By the way one death is one too many for me.
I ride Carbon forks when I hire bikes in Mallorca and I accept the risk, knowing there is a risk. I'm not niaive enough to trust them completely. You are happy with them. Good for you. I'm not.


----------



## J1888 (9 Nov 2017)

bigjim said:


> Probably not.
> Why don't you supply me with the safety evidence?
> What bit of "one to be going on with" are you struggling with? Or are you just looking for an argument? Also if you can be bothered, check my post. I said "I think".
> Off the top of my head I can recall, a lady cyclist killed when she hit a pothole and her carbon forks failed, a guy in the states killed when they failed and Trek having to be told in court to change their advice/warnings on carbon forks. A 49yrold Aussie guy killed. A UK man paralysed from the neck down because of a failure. Ask their families if they think they are safe? By the way one death is one too many for me.
> I ride Carbon forks when I hire bikes in Mallorca and I accept the risk, knowing there is a risk. I'm not niaive enough to trust them completely. You are happy with them. Good for you. I'm not.



Wow


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## Smokin Joe (9 Nov 2017)

bigjim said:


> Probably not.
> Why don't you supply me with the safety evidence?
> What bit of "one to be going on with" are you struggling with? Or are you just looking for an argument? Also if you can be bothered, check my post. I said "I think".
> Off the top of my head I can recall, a lady cyclist killed when she hit a pothole and her carbon forks failed, a guy in the states killed when they failed and Trek having to be told in court to change their advice/warnings on carbon forks. A 49yrold Aussie guy killed. A UK man paralysed from the neck down because of a failure. Ask their families if they think they are safe? By the way one death is one too many for me.
> I ride Carbon forks when I hire bikes in Mallorca and I accept the risk, knowing there is a risk. I'm not niaive enough to trust them completely. You are happy with them. Good for you. I'm not.


There is no such thing as safety evidence. My socks are safe, but I can't provide you with any evidence to prove that. You point to a handful of alleged deaths due to carbon fork failure, all "Off the top of your head". Virtually everybody rides carbon forks these days so even if those are true they mean nothing. And if one death is too many we'd never ride bikes at all because of the risk.


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## bigjim (9 Nov 2017)

Smokin Joe said:


> There is no such thing as safety evidence. My socks are safe, but I can't provide you with any evidence to prove that. You point to a handful of alleged deaths due to carbon fork failure, all "Off the top of your head". Virtually everybody rides carbon forks these days so even if those are true they mean nothing. And if one death is too many we'd never ride bikes at all because of the risk.


Alleged deaths? The court decides the person died because his fork collapsed, but no you decide that is alleged..
Virtually everybody rides carbon forks do they? Approx 3 million bikes sold in the UK. 10% of them road bikes [cycling uk figures]. So not sure on carbon forks dominance. However as you are pathetically disputing everything I post I assume you have some silly agenda or love affair with Carbon. I'm just a realist. 
But well done. You have made me leave this thread, as I can't be bothered with a lost cause.
Enjoy your carbon. Stay safe.


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## Smokin Joe (9 Nov 2017)

bigjim said:


> Alleged deaths? The court decides the person died because his fork collapsed, but no you decide that is alleged..
> Virtually everybody rides carbon forks do they? Approx 3 million bikes sold in the UK. 10% of them road bikes [cycling uk figures]. So not sure on carbon forks dominance. However as you are pathetically disputing everything I post I assume you have some silly agenda or love affair with Carbon. I'm just a realist.
> But well done. You have made me leave this thread, as I can't be bothered with a lost cause.
> Enjoy your carbon. Stay safe.


Whatever.


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## Rickshaw Phil (10 Nov 2017)

*Mod note:*

Can we stick to comments that directly relate to the situation in the OP please. If you want to debate the general safety of carbon forks that should go into a thread of its own.

Thanks


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## Randommoose (11 Nov 2017)

Today's update:
Went to LBS to discuss and him to look at it. He was shocked to see a failure like that. He reckons £300ish for a new carbon fork, £250 is what he has been quoted (by Halfords) for a replacement Boardman fork. When I said that was more than I could afford he suggested getting a steel fork for £100 as he said it would be more reliable, forgiving and would last a lifetime. Unfortunately it would look completely different (the skinny tubes, small top bit).

He suggested to go to Halfords first, see what they say and then complain to Boardman on facebook. He said if it was his company he would do something about it.

We went to Halfords, they said as it is out of warranty they can't replace it but they will look up how much a new fork costs and let us know on Monday. They said a similar one was £130 but they don't know the Boardman prices.

So it looks like I might end up having to get steel purely because of price. I wanted carbon so the bike was like it was designed to be but am ok to change material if needed. But I think it would look silly if it had skinny forks on wide tube frame. So I'll have to look and see if <£300 carbon forks exist or if wide tube steel forks exist. I'll also see what price Halfords come back with on Monday.


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## Pale Rider (11 Nov 2017)

Ninety quid from Planet X.

To me a fork is a fork, so it should fit, but others on here may be able to confirm that.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FOPXPCR2/planet-x-pro-carbon-road-fork

Edit: Yours is a disc brake, so more research needed.


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## Pale Rider (11 Nov 2017)

This one, also £89, has disc mounts.

A couple of others on Planet X for around £140, so worth a look at the website.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FOPXFM/planet-x-the-full-monty-carbon-gravel-fork


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## Randommoose (11 Nov 2017)

Pale Rider said:


> This one, also £89, has disc mounts.
> 
> A couple of others on Planet X for arouund £140, so worth a look at the website.
> 
> https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FOPXFM/planet-x-the-full-monty-carbon-gravel-fork



Thank you for that, I'll have a look at them  (The LBS is great but only stock high quality or specialist stuff - eg their bikes start at £2500, so I don't know whether he was only looking at high quality forks)


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## Pale Rider (11 Nov 2017)

Randommoose said:


> Thank you for that, I'll have a look at them  (The LBS is great but only stock high quality or specialist stuff - eg their bikes start at £2500, so I don't know whether he was only looking at high quality forks)



Looking for a silver lining to your fork cloud, the new one will have a full length steerer which is cut to length.

Thus there's a chance for you to tune the riding position of the bike should you want to.


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## Randommoose (11 Nov 2017)

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FOSECX/selcof-carbon-cyclocross-fork

I like the look of this one, it is similar shape and same colour to what I have and would match the bike.


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## Pale Rider (11 Nov 2017)

Randommoose said:


> https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FOSECX/selcof-carbon-cyclocross-fork
> 
> I like the look of this one, it is similar shape and same colour to what I have and would match the bike.



It has a taper steerer, so I'm not sure it will fit.

Depends on the steerer on your bike.

Post a pic of the bike's head tube and I expect someone will be able to tell you, or there may be a spec sheet for your bike online somewhere.


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## Randommoose (11 Nov 2017)

Mine is a tapered steerer @Pale Rider


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## Pale Rider (11 Nov 2017)

Randommoose said:


> Mine is a tapered steerer @Pale Rider



Job should be a good 'un.

A bike shop would charge labour to fit it.

Sounds as if your shop is high end, so you could probably find one that would do it for less.


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## Randommoose (11 Nov 2017)

Pale Rider said:


> Job should be a good 'un.
> 
> A bike shop would charge labour to fit it.
> 
> Sounds as if your shop is high end, so you could probably find one that would do it for less.



It doesn't have mudguard mounts and the brake mounts are different. Both things that can be overcome but I need to check out what I would need to get.

Their labour costs are decent, but I'll probably do as much of it as I can myself and get the shop to finish anything I can't (cutting steerer) and check it over.


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## Illaveago (12 Nov 2017)

I was wondering if you should contact your local Trading Standards as you said that your LBS was shocked to see a failure like that on a pair of forks.
If they were to inspect them and agree with the LBS their voice may carry a bit more weight than yours in getting the companies to take notice.


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## classic33 (12 Nov 2017)

Not the first time

https://cycling.today/more-stories-about-potentially-deadly-carbon-bikes-emerge-after-stanton-case/

From 
http://cycleseven.org/carbon-fibre-fork-failure


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## Randommoose (12 Nov 2017)

Illaveago said:


> I was wondering if you should contact your local Trading Standards as you said that your LBS was shocked to see a failure like that on a pair of forks.
> If they were to inspect them and agree with the LBS their voice may carry a bit more weight than yours in getting the companies to take notice.



I hadn't thought of that. Can I still do that even though I bought the bike second hand?



classic33 said:


> Not the first time
> 
> https://cycling.today/more-stories-about-potentially-deadly-carbon-bikes-emerge-after-stanton-case/
> 
> ...



Interesting to see on those links how many of the failures mentioned are Boardman forks.


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## jefmcg (12 Nov 2017)

Illaveago said:


> I was wondering if you should contact your local Trading Standards as you said that your LBS was shocked to see a failure like that on a pair of forks.
> If they were to inspect them and agree with the LBS their voice may carry a bit more weight than yours in getting the companies to take notice.


I'm not sure what "interest" trading standards would have about this. According to https://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office it's "to complain about illegal sales activity." As the only sales activity the OP was involved i was a private sale that I am sure isn't covered, I think it's outside their purview.

NB: I am not a lawyer and have zero expertise in this field.


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## classic33 (12 Nov 2017)

jefmcg said:


> I'm not sure what "interest" trading standards would have about this. According to https://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office it's "to complain about illegal sales activity." As the only sales activity the OP was involved i was a private sale that I am sure isn't covered, I think it's outside their purview.
> 
> NB: I am not a lawyer and have zero expertise in this field.


*Product recalls*
_Product recalls are made by traders about products that have problems which could affect the safety of the consumer. The product should not be used and should be returned to the trader.

Traders wishing to display their recall/safety notices on this page should email it to publications@tsi.org.uk._
https://www.tradingstandards.uk/consumers/product-recalls


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## classic33 (12 Nov 2017)

http://www.halfords.com/wcsstore/li...Safety_Recall Boardman_Road_Sport_Limited.pdf


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## classic33 (12 Nov 2017)

User46386 said:


> ^*Totally different model, I dont see how that will help OP really.*
> OP you will have to make sure the steerer diameter of the fork you are buying is the same as the old fork, they come in different sizes so some may not fit your bike. Check with who you are buying it off otherwize you'll be paying to return it.


It's not the first time the same bike manufacturer has had the same problem with the forks, from the same supplier.***

*Edited to add this...*
For supplier read shop/retail outlet.


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## Randommoose (5 Dec 2017)

An update:
I bought replacement forks for the bike online
- First fork came scratched. Returned for replacement
- Replacement fork came with compression bung jammed and unable to remove. I've returned it for refund.

So, I got a Pinnacle Arkose fork from Evans and took it in this morning, they fitted it for £15, job done.  

I have a working bike!


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## Randommoose (5 Dec 2017)

The mudguards I bought (also from Evans) don't fit this fork but they've said come in and they'll sort something that fits. Oops, would have been easier if I took them in this morning!
The staff in the Cheltenham shop were really helpful and nice.


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## si_c (6 Dec 2017)

Glad to hear it's all sorted.


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## 400bhp (6 Dec 2017)

Good that you have a working bike.

In any case why not contact the original seller of the bike and ask if they will send Boardman an email asking for a replacament fork? Write out a draft email for him to send., along with Boardman email address and attachnignphotos of the damage. He therefore has nothing to do but fire off an email to boardman bikes.

You may end up with getting a replacement set of forks and can sell on your current ones.

Worth a shot in my view


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## Doug. (6 Dec 2017)

Contact Board man and explain what happened.
They must replace the forks, even if it's a "good will " gesture, to maintain the Boardman good name.


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## jefmcg (6 Dec 2017)

Doug. said:


> Contact Board man and explain what happened.
> They must replace the forks, even if it's a "good will " gesture, to maintain the Boardman good name.


Read the whole thread.


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## bodders (7 Sep 2020)

johnnyb47 said:


> Good Point @ Smokin Joe.
> I mirror your views on this. Boardman would no doubt be a little concerned to hear this especially if the has been well looked after. At the very least, they may replace the fork at a discount for you.


Would you want to ride a carbon fork after this event, even if it was new ? I certainly wouldn't.


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## DRM (7 Sep 2020)

Another blast from the past


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## Cycleops (8 Sep 2020)

The OP hasn’t been on since they posted about this problem about three years ago, maybe it’s put them off cycling?


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## Landsurfer (8 Sep 2020)

Get in touch directly with Boardman right away. This could be the first of a catastrophic failure event that could cost someone their lives. Try to get to their quality department .... contact@boardmanbikes.com


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## Ajax Bay (8 Sep 2020)

Guys - I suggest you do not offer advice on this 2+ year old thread without reading ALL 8 pages (first)!!!! Unless you have broken a Boardman fork yourself, perhaps (then share how YOU sorted it out).


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## Pale Rider (8 Sep 2020)

DRM said:


> Another blast from the past



Yes, it's the 'similar threads' list at the bottom of the page that causes it.

The owner is trying to wring as many posts as he can from all the content.

I suppose that's fair enough - it keeps CC going.

But it does mean we get regular thread resurrections.

Perhaps we could have a CC theme tune.

Time for some Ashton, Gardner, and Dyke.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_e0YAcy8s4


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## cougie uk (8 Sep 2020)

bodders said:


> Would you want to ride a carbon fork after this event, even if it was new ? I certainly wouldn't.



By contrast I've been riding CF forks for years and thousands of miles in all weathers and never had an issue. 

You might as well point at a story about a chimney falling down in the night and killing the occupier and say well I'm not having a house with a chimney...


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## Drago (8 Sep 2020)

Ive seen steel, alloy and titanium breakages. None of them are immune to failire if subject to poor design, faulty assemby, or mistreatmemt.


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## Illaveago (8 Sep 2020)

It was interesting to re read this thread from the past .
I may be unusual in my thinking but if I was to sell something to someone which subsequently failed I would feel partially responsible .
It would be a different matter if the person had obviously abused the cycle of whatever then I would feel slightly different , but in this case it wasn't from abuse .
I was just wondering if the original owner had made the claim on behalf of the person, would Boredman say that it was fraud ?
I was also thinking that all of the money that the company spends on promotion of its products can easily be undone by a bit of careless thought which wouldn't have cost them that much in offering some kind of goodwill gesture .
When I worked in Halfords in my town I found that they were pretty good at replacing things . They would also try to look back in their records if a customer had lost their receipt when returning faulty goods .


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## Illaveago (8 Sep 2020)

We like digging up things !
You can also do it professionally ! Archaeologists do !


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## SkipdiverJohn (9 Sep 2020)

bodders said:


> Would you want to ride a carbon fork after this event, even if it was new ? I certainly wouldn't.



I wouldn't have ridden any bike made of carbon fibre either before or after this event. I'm sticking with steel.


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## cougie uk (9 Sep 2020)

And best stay with those trusty solid tyres. I've heard these new fangled pneumatic tyres can go flat.


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## confusedcyclist (10 Sep 2020)

I'm not sure the step change from jarring solid rubber, to light & cushioning pneumatic tyres compares with steel to carbon, but I like the sentiment. Disclaimer, I'm an owner of both carbon and steel bikes and love them all equally.


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## bigjim (10 Sep 2020)

My problem with carbon bikes is they need so much care. you have to watch you don't drop or bang them. Also press fit BBs and torque wrench fittings. I don't have tools for those items. It's easy to maintain my steel bikes and I'm not at the mercy of the LBS.


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## Chris S (10 Sep 2020)

+1 for getting a steel bike, with Reynolds tubing. They're about the only thing that are robust enough for my local roads, apart from MTBs with shock absorbers.


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## Milkfloat (10 Sep 2020)

I have had far more failures on steel bikes than on carbon. It is nonsense that carbon is less durable then steel.


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## Drago (10 Sep 2020)

Indeed. I think the point is being missed that the OP's failure has every indication of being a design fault, not an inherent problem with the material. All materials have their shortcomings, and are susceptible to damage and failure in different ways. To suggest one is inherently more failure prone than another is ridiculous - that is entirely a function of design, construction, and use.


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## Vantage (10 Sep 2020)

The problem with carbon fibre is in _how_ it fails. 
Unlike steel, alloy, titanium etc carbon fibre goes without warning and does so catastrophically.


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## SkipdiverJohn (10 Sep 2020)

Vantage said:


> The problem with carbon fibre is in _how_ it fails. Unlike steel, alloy, titanium etc carbon fibre goes without warning and does so catastrophically.



Exactly, the OP's failure occurred at a very low speed in their own back garden, and gave no warning. That could have been horrific if it had happened on a busy road and the rider got thrown into the path of other vehicles.
I've had a frame failure on a steel bike. It gave me plenty of warning and I was able to ride it all the way home in that state without crashing.


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## Milkfloat (10 Sep 2020)

Vantage said:


> The problem with carbon fibre is in _how_ it fails.
> Unlike steel, alloy, titanium etc carbon fibre goes without warning and does so catastrophically.


Not always - the one carbon handlebar failure I had gave me plenty of warning. I noticed more flex in the bars, rode for a further 400 miles (I was away from home) and there was no catastrophe. Yes, it can fail literally with a bang, but my steel failure many years ago when my fork snapped was very sudden and resulted in missing teeth.


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## Illaveago (Monday at 12:02)

Oops ! Short memory !
I have just rediscovered this thread and have read all the comments . Even mine saying I wouldn't touch a Boredman with a bargepole !
Well it just so happens I bought a cheap frame at the weekend . I didn't know that it had a carbon fork . I have been searching online for fork failure and this thread came up . I have noticed a hairline split forming around where the carbon blade must join the aluminium fork crown . I just assumed that it was just a scratch in the paintwork until I discovered that it was carbon . I didn't pay much for the frame and components so I'm not too worried it's just a shame as it rode well . The bike doesn't look as though it has had a great deal of use and is in pretty good condition apart from a few chips and some corrosion underneath the paint on the fork crown .
Looks like I'll be in the market for some new forks !


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## derrick (Monday at 12:39)

Milkfloat said:


> Not always - the one carbon handlebar failure I had gave me plenty of warning. I noticed more flex in the bars, rode for a further 400 miles (I was away from home) and there was no catastrophe. Yes, it can fail literally with a bang, but my steel failure many years ago when my fork snapped was very sudden and resulted in missing teeth.



Had the same with a customers bike, he phoned me said steering felt odd brought it round a couple of days later, when i checked it out the the fork had broke just below the headset, he was riding like that for a few days.


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## bigjim (Monday at 15:26)

Illaveago said:


> Oops ! Short memory !
> I have just rediscovered this thread and have read all the comments . Even mine saying I wouldn't touch a Boredman with a bargepole !
> Well it just so happens I bought a cheap frame at the weekend . I didn't know that it had a carbon fork . I have been searching online for fork failure and this thread came up . I have noticed a hairline split forming around where the carbon blade must join the aluminium fork crown . I just assumed that it was just a scratch in the paintwork until I discovered that it was carbon . I didn't pay much for the frame and components so I'm not too worried it's just a shame as it rode well . The bike doesn't look as though it has had a great deal of use and is in pretty good condition apart from a few chips and some corrosion underneath the paint on the fork crown .
> Looks like I'll be in the market for some new forks !



Buy some cheap steel forks off e bay. I've done this with an aluminium frame. I bought some new Saracen forks for about £25. Heavy but you don't notice on the move. Second-hand lightweight 531 should be cheap enough.


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## wafter (Tuesday at 09:28)

bigjim said:


> Buy some cheap steel forks off e bay. I've done this with an aluminium frame. I bought some new Saracen forks for about £25. Heavy but you don't notice on the move. Second-hand lightweight 531 should be cheap enough.



Worth making sure that those steel forks also have a steel frame hanging off the back of them too


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## bigjim (Tuesday at 09:42)

wafter said:


> Worth making sure that those steel forks also have a steel frame hanging off the back of them too



Why?


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## wafter (Tuesday at 11:18)

bigjim said:


> Why?



Because then you'll have a proper steel bike


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## Illaveago (Tuesday at 12:33)

I did some research on the net and found loads of broken carbon forks from different manufacturers . I found one site which might explain what has happened to mine . Galvanic action ! The reaction between the carbon fibres and the aluminium . It might explain why there seems to be a lot of corrosion on the fork crown . It could be that the corrosion could be working its way underneath the bond between the two materials .


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## wafter (Tuesday at 13:09)

Illaveago said:


> I did some research on the net and found loads of broken carbon forks from different manufacturers . I found one site which might explain what has happened to mine . Galvanic action ! The reaction between the carbon fibres and the aluminium . It might explain why there seems to be a lot of corrosion on the fork crown . It could be that the corrosion could be working its way underneath the bond between the two materials .



Indeed; galvanic corrosion is one since the carbon fibres are conductive. Another is simple stress raisers resulting from damage in high-stress areas such as the steerer tube (if it's all CFRP construction) from poorly-specced or over-tightened stems or steerer-tube bungs, or scoring from careless disassembly / reassembly.

In use I love my CFRP Boardman and I know there must be many tens of thousands of placcy bikes being ridden without issue in the UK. Equally it seems the cycling industry hides a murky underbelly of hushed-up, potentially fatal failures of CFRP parts - with fork assys being a favourite as they're so highly stressed (and the outcome of failure is potentially so severe).

I've heard many stories of such failures (some pertaining specifically to Boardman bikes) and I'll now never buy anything other than steel. I've not ridden my Boardman for any significant amount of time recently after getting cold feet about it's safety / acquiring a lovely steel gravel bike.. As much as I like it, know I really need to punt it on. Shame as I really like riding it, however it certainly gives zero peace of mind compared to a steel equivalent.

If you're not already familiar, check out Luescher Teknik on youtube - guy knows his onions and his content is certainly an eye-opener!


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## bigjim (Tuesday at 19:16)

wafter said:


> Because then you'll have a proper steel bike



Oh. Gotcha. I was being a bit slow.


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## Jameshow (Tuesday at 19:33)

wafter said:


> Indeed; galvanic corrosion is one since the carbon fibres are conductive. Another is simple stress raisers resulting from damage in high-stress areas such as the steerer tube (if it's all CFRP construction) from poorly-specced or over-tightened stems or steerer-tube bungs, or scoring from careless disassembly / reassembly.
> 
> In use I love my CFRP Boardman and I know there must be many tens of thousands of placcy bikes being ridden without issue in the UK. Equally it seems the cycling industry hides a murky underbelly of hushed-up, potentially fatal failures of CFRP parts - with fork assys being a favourite as they're so highly stressed (and the outcome of failure is potentially so severe).
> 
> ...



I reckon that particular fracture is caused by a stress riser caused by the disc brake mount. Chances are the op rode around the garden and did a very sharp stop on the front brake putting massive load on the caliper mounting plate which in turn pushed into the fork leg. Carbon fibre Achilles heal is point loads.


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## Illaveago (Wednesday at 07:40)

Here is my front fork. The hairline crack can be see going across from left to right. I thought the other stay was free from the split but I have discovered that it is on the inside . It would be interesting to know how these forks were made . I am assuming that they used a mortice and tenon type of joint and epoxied together. I have tapped a coin on the fork slowly listening to the sound as I gradually worked my way up. The sound has remained constant until I reached the split where it changed to a dull tone. I will be sourcing a replacement steel fork. Once I have a replacement I will remove the paint from the damaged fork to see what is going on.


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## Jameshow (Wednesday at 07:52)

Illaveago said:


> Here is my front fork. The hairline crack can be see going across from left to right. I thought the other stay was free from the split but I have discovered that it is on the inside . It would be interesting to know how these forks were made . I am assuming that they used a mortice and tenon type of joint and epoxied together. I have tapped a coin on the fork slowly listening to the sound as I gradually worked my way up. The sound has remained constant until I reached the split where it changed to a dull tone. I will be sourcing a replacement steel fork. Once I have a replacement I will remove the paint from the damaged fork to see what is going on.
> 
> View attachment 674011



Yeap alloy crown hence the bubbling the carbon forks. Poor design imho. 

Better are alloy steer / carbon forks 

Best are all carbon


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## wafter (Wednesday at 09:48)

Jameshow said:


> I reckon that particular fracture is caused by a stress riser caused by the disc brake mount. Chances are the op rode around the garden and did a very sharp stop on the front brake putting massive load on the caliper mounting plate which in turn pushed into the fork leg. Carbon fibre Achilles heal is point loads.


Yup - could well be.. I think disc brakes put a lot more load on the fork but of course this should be taken into account during design. 



Jameshow said:


> Yeap alloy crown hence the bubbling the carbon forks. Poor design imho.
> 
> Better are alloy steer / carbon forks
> 
> Best are all carbon steel


Fixed that for you


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## cyberknight (Wednesday at 11:04)

Full carbon forks should help with this issue ?


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## bonzobanana (Wednesday at 11:31)

cyberknight said:


> Full carbon forks should help with this issue ?



I think it does, a few years ago I noticed there was a lot of carbon fibre fork recalls and when I looked at the details it was more bonded carbon fibre blades to an aluminium steerer than full carbon fibre forks. The bonding was failing over time. Forks are the most potentially dangerous component on a bike because failure can be so horrific. A carbon fibre frame is much safer than a carbon fibre fork purely because how they fail and what level of control you have, to deal with the failure as you ride. The big issue with CF is manufacturing consistency and thats because its a manual process done by hand there are far more opportunities for faults at the manufacturing stage compared to steel, titanium or aluminium. Boardman aren't a manufacturer they are a brand they will keep moving production to different factories in Asia to get the best price same as most US and European brands which have no real manufacturing, most bikes are imported in full from Asia although sometimes you get assembly plants in Europe mainly because of the EU tariff situation. Typically Boardman bikes you get more for your money as its a factory to retailer direct business model. It's hard to think of a brand that hasn't had a carbon fibre fork recall at some point if they have sold bikes with them. It's a performance component with a much higher failure rate than steel and aluminium forks and needs regular examination to check for issues.


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## Ajax Bay (Wednesday at 12:07)

@Illaveago revisited this 'old' thread after two years. Which itself was one resurrected from 2017.
I thought that @Fab Foodie 's posts on another thread were useful so here they are:


Fab Foodie said:


> For completeness:
> https://spacycles.co.uk/m21b0s29p2625/SPA-CYCLES-Carbon-Alloy-Audax-Road-Fork
> https://spacycles.co.uk/m21b0s29p3677/SPA-CYCLES-Steel-Road-Fork
> So from their 2 test bikes one with each fork, they say that the Carbon is better/smoother and as a result that's what they end-up fitting to the majority of their Audax bikes.
> ...





Fab Foodie said:


> Fitted the Spa Carbon Fork - the difference over the 853 original is notable immediately!
> Just pushing the bike along by the saddle it feels more 'springy', riding it is a revelation - much smoother, less vibes through the bars, less overall rod shock even at 70/80psi pressures. Before it felt a bit 'dead' to ride, now it feels altogether a bit more lively.
> It weighs 250g less too!
> £120 well spent.


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## Illaveago (Wednesday at 12:48)

I removed the fork this morning . I attacked one side of the fork to find out what was going on. There are a lot of layers of paint before you get to a layer of thin carbon fibre . I think the paint layers are primer , black , white ,black ,white , grey. They could have saved weight by not using so much paint . Filler was used to blend the transition between the carbon fibre blade and the fork crown .It is the filler which I think cracked . There is some slight corrosion , dark ally at the edge of the end of the carbon fibre which might have caused the filler to crack .


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## wafter (Wednesday at 13:00)

Illaveago said:


> I removed the fork this morning . I attacked one side of the fork to find out what was going on. There are a lot of layers of paint before you get to a layer of thin carbon fibre . I think the paint layers are primer , black , white ,black ,white , grey. They could have saved weight by not using so much paint . Filler was used to blend the transition between the carbon fibre blade and the fork crown .It is the filler which I think cracked . There is some slight corrosion , dark ally at the edge of the end of the carbon fibre which might have caused the filler to crack .



Good work - would be interested to see some pics


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## Illaveago (Wednesday at 18:21)




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## Illaveago (Wednesday at 18:59)

Sorry for the poor quality of the picture . I've been rubbing down the paint where it has bubbled up with corrosion . It looks like it is repairable .


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## wafter (Wednesday at 21:13)

Illaveago said:


> Sorry for the poor quality of the picture . I've been rubbing down the paint where it has bubbled up with corrosion . It looks like it is repairable .



Paint maybe; crown to fork interface perhaps not so much. If you value your teeth / higher brain functions I'd suggest relocating that to the bin..


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## Jameshow (Wednesday at 21:43)

wafter said:


> Paint maybe; crown to fork interface perhaps not so much. If you value your teeth / higher brain functions I'd suggest relocating that to the bin..



Why when the interface is intact. 

Much like condemning a steel bike that has a knock on it!


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## wafter (Wednesday at 21:58)

Jameshow said:


> Why when the interface is intact.
> 
> Much like condemning a steel bike that has a knock on it!



I was under the impression that there was a "defect" along the CFRP / ally interface; which implies something not right there; maybe just local oxidation lifting the paint; maybe the beginnings of adhesive failure. Not a chance I'd be willing to take tbh - as I think you've already alluded to, composites are a lot less predictable than metals. 

While dinged steel is predictable and by extension acceptable, composite showing any obvious signs of degradation should be nuked from orbit tbh.


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## Illaveago (Thursday at 11:22)

I have been rubbing down the fork . I have also been looking at the area with a magnifying glass. There are little spots which look like air bubbles . The shape of the break line makes me think that may have put a wet layup layer of carbon bandage over the join .
I may just buy a steel fork to replace it but I'm having a bit of fun trying to see what has been going on.


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