hairline crack- carbon road bike fork

Hi

I’ve discovered a hairline crack on the inside of the fork leg on my Canyon road bike. I’ve emailed canyon and am waiting for a response.

It looks as though the crack is in the location where the aluminium dropout lug bonds to the fork.

Could it be the lacquer cracking due to flex or is it something more serious?

Thanks

Paul

is it a sticker?

I’d wait to hear what they say.

I’d wait to hear what they say.

You’re right. I’m just being impatient.

I wouldn’t trust anyone on the Internets opinion on a possible crack on a carbon fork.

Let canyon sort and don’t ride it tell they are happy its all ok.

FWIW the forks on my Madone developed a slight ‘crack’ in the paint where the alu dropouts are bonded in, but it’s a completely straight line running around the circumference of the fork, rather than a slightly transverse angle like yours. No idea if the dropouts would always be ‘straight’ though.

Cost benefit analysis:

Potential Benefits – a couple of extra road rides.

Potential Costs – needing a whole new face, at best.

FWIW the forks on my Madone developed a slight ‘crack’ in the paint where the alu dropouts are bonded in, but it’s a completely straight line running around the circumference of the fork, rather than a slightly transverse angle like yours. No idea if the dropouts would always be ‘straight’ though.

You can feel/see the transverse bulge in the other leg as well so im fairly sure its where the dropouts are bonded. On the damaged leg the crack appears to follow the line perfectly.

Whether this indicates a superficial crack in the lacquer due to normal flex or some thing more serious im unsure.

that last post bends the space-time continuum – look like he’s commented on that post before it was even posted…

that last post bends the space-time continuum – look like he’s commented on that post before it was even posted…

Got it right this time!

This has also happened to me. 2012 ultimate CFX frameset – my fork has actually cracked in exactly the same position as photo above and is clearly damaged on other side. I had just ridden 90 miles the previous day with 45mph descents so I was lucky not to have a catastrophic failure. I have contacted Canyon and sent images to them. The newer canyon carbon forks do not appear to have aluminium lugs at dropouts.

It’s a witness crack, quite common on older carbon frames where an alloy dropout is bonded into a flexy carbon tube. Older paint finishes are thick and very brittle and they crack where there’s slight flexion. My 2006 Roubaix had three witness cracks and I continued to ride it for over 5000 miles:

That said, if they offer you a replacement fork, take it for peace of mind!

Mine is not a witness crack – it is fractured right through on the R side and visibly damaged on the left. The front wheel was moving laterally which is how I noticed it.

Birdy – what was the outcome from Canyon?

You need to speak to him via a seance