[Closed] Forks broken

BLIMEY ....
How old ?? If theyre still under warranty I cant see a problem

they arguing crash damage = no warranty

what about the shop you got it from?

and btw, is it qr or 15mm?

The coating has worn off my uppers (Sektor RL's ) after about 4 months use, not right chuffed but the damage you've suffered is a bit scary. Some quality issues maybe? My Pikes have seen 100 times more abuse and are still going strong.

Looks like the forks had a good old twisting in the crash, doesn't look like warranty to me. Crashes happen, and even smaller ones can screw up bikes and/or people

just to clarify, I meant SRAM were trying to argue that it was crash damage. the op states that this is not the case. I never meant to suggest I disagreed with the op.

shop I got them from merlin have been very good but ultimately the warranty is with Sram. They are arguing crash damage but from my thought a 150mm fork should be able to take a few landings, there was no crash and it defiantly didn't bend backwards. there 15mm mickolas as well. Ive told SRAM I'm not satisfied with there answer.

Your warranty is with the shop not SRAM - you did not buy them from SRAM- so check out the sale of goods act

If you want to insist that your case is correct then I dont know how you will prove this was normal use or how much Merlin [ or SRAM] will fight it

One of my sons broke his forks the same kind of way (except at the side), but since they were ancient XCR's we just binned them and got a pair of Marz DJ's.

I'd be taking it up again with Merlin.

If you get no joy, bin the lowers and ebay the stanctions/crown - should get a decent price if others are wearing on the sliders. 🙂

Not sure how with the crown solid and a wheel attached you could break the bridge, unless there was a casting defect.
Insist on sending them back for inspection.

You could still put a muckle twist into them with the right crash, that'd stress the bridge most. But it'd be weird. I'm a Rockshox fan right enough but this doesn't smell right at all. Trouble is a big front impact wouldn't mark the forks, it'd be via the wheel...

(my Revs have the same lowers, I think, and they've been through hell and back without even looking like they're fussed)

They have been sent back for inspection, they are in immaculate condition sanctions are perfect so if all else fails ill be looking for some lowers. I personally cant see how you hit the crown with wheel and bars in way.

What's a muckle twist?

Sorry, muckle = big!

Haha! 🙂

Update, they still think that it was crash damage/ impact refuse to acknowledge that that's rediculas. SRAM Tech offered me crash replacement forks at cost price, when I mentioned that I can buy them cheaper than that from online shops they replied with that's there price and I can buy else where.

I'm more annoyed now at there customer service than there shoddy forks broke.

Does any one know any sram contacts.

Your contract is with Merlin not SRAM. You need to take the 'not fit for purpose' approach under the sale of goods act if warranty has been rejected.

what he said it is down to Merlin to fix though they will likely just do as SRAM say

I dont see how either group will prove the case

I doubt they can prove it was an accident and that you can prove it was not...well not cheaper than just getting some more forks

You need to take some very high quality photos of the fracture faces as soon as you can and stick them up for us to look at.

try the gentle approach a bit more and then hit the social media! 😈

there currently on there way back so will get some more photos up. My main problem is I know what happened and how the crown snapped is a mystery to me and I'm annoyed they say it was an impact damage and caused the fork to bend backwards.

Forks are back on another trip merlin have to send them to SRAM again who in turn are going to send them to there European headquaters. Glad I go to alps next week.

obviously there's no way to be certain from that one photo, but...

it looks as though the break has happened as the right fork leg compressed more than the left. as I see it (non-expert disclaimer) this could happen if:

1. the landing involved a left to right force at the contact patch. eg off camber or bike was moving sideways or fork was 'crossed-up'.

2. the right fork leg landed on a rock (or something) before the wheel touched down.

3. the left leg was 'locked out' by damage/manufacturing defect/(other?)

it seems unlikely you wouldn't notice 2.. in 1., only the crossed-up option could impart the kind of forces needed whilst still feeling relatively gentle.

so my inner amateur Columbo says 'crossed-up' or left leg locked (however it may be)

is it a sticker?

[i]SRAM Tech offered me crash replacement forks at cost price,[/i]

Why the whole fork: do they think the uppers are damaged? Can't see why they can't offer you new lowers at cost price.

I wonder how you'd go with the must be fit for use argument.

Crashing is a normal part of riding, so the fork should be designed to handle a bit of that.

Why the whole fork: do they think the uppers are damaged? Can't see why they can't offer you new lowers at cost price.

many years ago I snapped some Manitous (fork brace on '97 SXTis, a known fault that was eventually warrantied). Answer offered to sell me the lowers at "cost", which was the same price as a full set of forks mail order (the joys of OE stock getting dumped).

Crashing is a normal part of riding, so the fork should be designed to handle a bit of that.

Really? WAY too many variables, none of them verifiable, to define what an acceptable "bit" of a crash is. If I weigh 70kg, can I crash my bike at a higher speed than a 90kg rider and still get it warrantied? Do I have to give them GPS data of the crash?

Sounds the OP is getting a pretty sh1tty deal

Did you get some decent photos of the fracture surfaces? Should be able to tell where abouts the failure started and a hopefully a few other tell-tale signs.

SRAM tech / warranty can be very poor to say the least
Nearly everything we seem to send them gets declined apart from avid brakes even they seem to accept the ongoing issue there

But they never seem to fix things just replace the whole
Thing

crashtestmonkey - Member
..."Crashing is a normal part of riding, so the fork should be designed to handle a bit of that."
Really? WAY too many variables, none of them verifiable, to define what an acceptable "bit" of a crash is. If I weigh 70kg, can I crash my bike at a higher speed than a 90kg rider and still get it warrantied? Do I have to give them GPS data of the crash?

I'm not saying that it is so, just raising it as a point for discussion. The design of the fork should take into account the range of weights of riders and the different uses to which they will put the fork.

So does this create an obligation on the part of the manufacturer to factor crashing into their design parameters?

(I wouldn't expect to get crash damage fixed for free myself)