What to do with this damaged carbon fork?

[Globalti]

I've got a carbon fork in red, that came off a Bianchi with only 444 miles on the odometer. We sold the bike and TNT damaged the fork by dropping the box hard enough to close the aluminium dropout to the point where the axle couldn't fit in. Knowing that aluminium work-hardens we decided to replace the fork with a new one, which wasn't easy to get but a friendly LBS succeeded in the end.

So I've got an almost new fork with a possibly weakened dropout. I wouldn't want to ride it further than a few miles but I expect some might.

Sell or test destructively and put the video on Youtube?

 

[PaulSecteur]

Mount it to a bench and use it as a wheel truing stand?

 

[Globalti]

Hmmmm... front wheel only.....

 

[Davidc]

Hmmmm... front wheel only.....

I think so. You'd never widen that for a 130mm rear like you can a steel one!

 

[jay clock]

someone might want it to put on a bike only used on a turbo.?

 

[jayonabike]

Carbon back scratcher?

 

[Rob3rt]

That is just a paint chip :S

Edit: Oops....... I ought to read properly, bin it!

 

[ColinJ]

I certainly wouldn't volunteer to ride it. The thought of the front wheel coming off at 85 kph on one of our fast local descents doesn't bear thinking about!

 

[grumpyoldgit]

It's junk.

 

[Kestevan]

Straighten it out - then bend it a couple of times again just to make sure it has some nice stress fractures.
Affix to a decent looking cheap beater and leave it outside a railway station with a really cheap cable lock........

It would be a terrible shame if some light fingered tealeaf had a bit of an accident

 

[The Brewer]

House insurance?

 

[TheDoctor]

If you don't get any better ideas...PM me.
I test carbon structures for a living.
I'll test it destructively and post a video

 

[Globalti]

It would be interesting to be vindicated in my decision to replace it for the bent dropout - could you fatigue test the dropout before testing the fork itself?

 

[I like Skol]

In the absence of any other damage (stress cracks, bulges, flaking laquer) on the fork leg above the obviously bent drop out, I would be happy to continue using that fork after filing or grinding the slot wide enough to take the axle. Any attempt to straighten would be folly IMO.

*Disclaimer* This is my OPINION and is not based on anything other than my own life experience and general knowledge gained from a lifetime of tinkering with cars, bikes and anything else I fancy taking apart, repairing, improving, making.

 

[simon the viking]

Straighten it out - then bend it a couple of times again just to make sure it has some nice stress fractures.
Affix to a decent looking cheap beater and leave it outside a railway station with a really cheap cable lock........

It would be a terrible shame if some light fingered tealeaf had a bit of an accident

Great idea but I'd be tempted to weaken it elsewhere as well to MAKE DOUBLY sure (oh sorry I've just realised I came across as a vindictive barsteward Oh well never mind)