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I personally don't think its safe to call it minor wear. Granted its the top cup however you could still potentially end up with the bars/stem in your hand and not attached to the bike?!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260579632414&_trksid=p2759.l1259#ht_1148wt_989
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No one can "know" from a picture, Not sure I'd ride it!
It's a pretty long steerer - if I was going to trim for my frames I'd be looking to find out how high up the tube it is and seeing where it came out on my bike?
There's plenty of forks around in better nick. I'd give it a miss, presonally.
looking at the pics and the visible groove on the steerer i would stop clear of these forks.just bear in mind that most of the impacts, loads(steering and front braking forces) upon a mountain bike mainly occur in this area, i wouldn't take a chance
I have snapped a steerer whilst riding and nearly impaled myself on the spike of aluminium that was left. Luckily I was going fast enough that I flew right over the top and managed to walk away from it.
You might not be so lucky.
Should be advertised spares or repair imo
EDIT - axle looks rounded (or close to it) thats another £25 it'll need sooner or later
looking at the pics the damage has been caused by a seized top crown race so the material is lost at the part of the steerer that takes the most load. Unless you can get them at a significantly reduced price to make it worth fixing them I would steer well clear
I would most definitely avoid those forks like the plague.
Looks like they have been sat wet for a while due to the rust on the lower leg bolt.
Not to mention the steerer damage. 😯
Can't say for sure from a picture but its a bad place for that kind of damage, friend of mine bought a fork with similar 'cosmetic' damage and it snapped under load after a bad landing, the fork sheared right along the previously damaged point.
They've definitely seen better days and if they haven't been ridden since 2008 they're going to need a full service so budget £ 100 for MOJO or TFTuned to look at them (TALAS are a pain to service yourself properly). Plus if the steerer needs replacing you'll be getting close to the price of a new set of forks.
I'd avoid, if the original owner has let them get to that state then I'd wonder what other horrors lurk under the surface.
Ad amended. Cool.
if they haven't been ridden since 2008 they're going to need a full service
How does that work then? If you dont ride forks they need serviced, but if you do they dont? Strange comment! 😀
From the pics the owner looks pretty ham fisted and poor at maintenance...thats to be avoided with foxs.
'Sold as Seen' means 'keep the F*kc away' in my book.