Anyone ever bent a Pugsley fork?

[bugshield]

I finished my wife's SS Pug build today and promptly folded the front fork under hard braking. (Burnishing the brakes and testing for wheel flex under braking.)

I Googled for bent Pugsley forks to see if there is a known problem and came up dry.

The fork has 100mm dropout spacing with the holes for Anything Cages and no cantilever bosses. It folded right at the top of the brake mount/brace and a wrinkle extends to the edge of the bottom Anything Cage hole.

It is unfortunately not clear to me that this is a manufacturing defect rather than a design defect and I'm a little afraid to replace the broken fork with one just like it. I can't help but wonder if a weakness was introduced with that bottom hole so close to the brake brace. It's pretty disconcerting to have folded the fork so easily.

PS. I've never seen a bent fork that wasn't caused by an accident, usually bike vs. car. Have you?

[Borgschulze]

Probably wasn't heat treated.

Ask for warranty?

[bugshield]

Probably wasn't heat treated.

Hadn't thought of that. I wonder if there's a way to find out. I'll have to do some research. Thanks.

Ask for warranty?

My LBS is working on that for me.

[Rabies010]

PS. I've never seen a bent fork that wasn't caused by an accident, usually bike vs. car. Have you?

When i had a "bike meets bridgerail" moment my fork was unharmed (Maverick SC-32) But my frame buckled from the impact.

But out of curiosity :
How much do you weigh, maybe this had something to do with it as well ?
And do you have some pictures ?

[bugshield]

When i had a "bike meets bridgerail" moment my fork was unharmed (Maverick SC-32) But my frame buckled from the impact.

But out of curiosity :
How much do you weigh, maybe this had something to do with it as well ?
And do you have some pictures ?

I think I had seen that thread; Didn't remember the fork being undamaged. I have not detected any damage to this frame.

Here are a couple pics. I didn't embed them as they are pretty large for detail.

http://sheepcamp.com/~ben/pics/BentFork/IMG_0611.jpg

http://sheepcamp.com/~ben/pics/BentFork/IMG_0612.jpg

I'm 215lbs.

[Rabies010]

I resized them for you.
But damn, you are not even that heavy....

[Nakedbabytoes]

Holy heck! Wow! That totally has to be a manufacture defect. I heard of frame failures at the point of disk brake attachment, which is why they now put on brake brace triangle gussets.

[bugshield]

BTW, I released the skewer after to fact to take any load off the hub/rotor. I put the wheel on my truing stand and it's still true. I'm not entirely sure about the rotor but it's straight enough that no damage is obvious.

Pretty crazy, eh?

[pliebenberg]

BTW, I released the skewer after to fact to take any load off the hub/rotor. I put the wheel on my truing stand and it's still true. I'm not entirely sure about the rotor but it's straight enough that no damage is obvious.

Pretty crazy, eh?

...I smell a recall coming! Definitely a mfg problem if not also a design problem.

That's 215 lbs and not 215 kg right?!?!

[kreater]

what size rotor is that. recently i tried to find out max rotor surly recommends for the moony and pugs fork. too big a rotor can put quite a bit of stress on those legs.

[bugshield]

what size rotor is that. recently i tried to find out max rotor surly recommends for the moony and pugs fork. too big a rotor can put quite a bit of stress on those legs.

It's a 160. I should have gone bigger for the 100mm fork because it's a tight squeeze to get the wheel out.

[bugshield]

Probably wasn't heat treated.

Any info on identifying heat treated and untreated forks? I am, so far, unsuccessful in my search.

I sure would like to identify the problem and be able to identify that the replacement does not have the problem.

Thanks.

[Nakedbabytoes]

Me too. What build is it? I have a packaged Necro 2012 with the first Moonie fork. Aren't the new ones for 2013 offset like the reg Pugs are? Now I worry about my Moonie fork attached to my Necro.

[bugshield]

Me too. What build is it? I have a packaged Necro 2012 with the first Moonie fork. Aren't the new ones for 2013 offset like the reg Pugs are? Now I worry about my Moonie fork attached to my Necro.

Mine was a custom build with a symmetrical 100mm fork. As far as I know all the prebuilt bikes come with 135mm forks. Not saying, but hoping the problem is limited. It seems like there would be more results for "bent pugsley fork" etc. in Google if it weren't.

[Drevil]

I think I had seen that thread; Didn't remember the fork being undamaged. I have not detected any damage to this frame.

Here are a couple pics. I didn't embed them as they are pretty large for detail.

http://sheepcamp.com/~ben/pics/BentFork/IMG_0611.jpg

http://sheepcamp.com/~ben/pics/BentFork/IMG_0612.jpg

I'm 215lbs.

Now THAT is a good brake!

By the sounds of it, I'm glad you are OK. I ate dirt when a fork snapped on me earlier this year (not a steel fork, btw.) In a way, aren't you glad it happened to you and not your wife?

[bugshield]

Now THAT is a good brake!

By the sounds of it, I'm glad you are OK. I ate dirt when a fork snapped on me earlier this year (not a steel fork, btw.) In a way, aren't you glad it happened to you and not your wife?

You are absolutely right on all points.

[Borgschulze]

I'm not sure there is a way to check if it's been heat treated... other than destruction testing.

I'll tell you what.. my Fatback carbon fork has taken plenty of stoppies on it without breaking.

That Surly fork is extremely heavy... I'm 99.9% sure it wasn't heat treated or possible wrong material used.

[Volsung]

It's the paper mache model, held together with paint and good intentions.

[rasse1977]

That Surly fork is extremely heavy... I'm 99.9% sure it wasn't heat treated or possible wrong material used.

I've been using the same fork (new model, 100 mm spacing) with a 180 mm rotor for the last few months without any problems. It weighs 1090 grams so not "extremely heavy", I weigh 165 lbs.

I notice more flex on the Surly fork than on my other steel fork (custom 29'er) so I get a lot more brake rub, but other than that it's been ok so far.

[TrailMaker]

Eeeeegads!

If I were Surly, I'd want that fork back for testing and discovery. No way with a puny 6" rotor that this should ever happen. Thank goodness it was steel. Rather frightening!

I'm 240lbs, using Hayes Nine Carbons with 8" rotors on my Enabler fork with no problems like this, thankfully. However, there is a moderate amount of front flex (noticed on pavement). My real issueis that the brakes howl with light to moderate pressure and cause a reasonance throughtout the front end. More annoying than anything, and I'd like to find a solution.

[bugshield]

I've been using the same fork (new model, 100 mm spacing) with a 180 mm rotor for the last few months without any problems. It weighs 1090 grams so not "extremely heavy", I weigh 165 lbs.

I notice more flex on the Surly fork than on my other steel fork (custom 29'er) so I get a lot more brake rub, but other than that it's been ok so far.

Thanks for the additional data point. Obviously there are people out there who haven't had a problem but it's somewhat reassuring to hear from one. Would you say that yours has had an easy life or that if there was a problem you would likely know it?

[Borgschulze]

I've been using the same fork (new model, 100 mm spacing) with a 180 mm rotor for the last few months without any problems. It weighs 1090 grams so not "extremely heavy", I weigh 165 lbs.

I notice more flex on the Surly fork than on my other steel fork (custom 29'er) so I get a lot more brake rub, but other than that it's been ok so far.

All the Surly forks I have picked up weighed more like 1400 grams Hah.

Might have been old 1x1 fork though.

[bugshield]

All the Surly forks I have picked up weighed more like 1400 grams Hah.

Might have been old 1x1 fork though.

Right now those extra 250 grams seem like they might have been worth something. IIRC I expected this fork to weigh 1168 and it came in at 1150 (uncut) on my scale.

PS. I believe this fork (with Anything attachments and no cantilever bosses) is new this year.

[vikb]

Yikes! That's a seriously bent fork.

I've been abusing a Pugsley for 4yr+ and the fork looks perfect.

I would imagine Surly will warranty that for you.

[bugshield]

Yikes! That's a seriously bent fork.

I've been abusing a Pugsley for 4yr+ and the fork looks perfect.

I would imagine Surly will warranty that for you.

I think that goes without saying.

The question is, Do I trust the replacement?