One thing I’ve noticed whilst browsing forks on ebay is that a few are sold with a crown race fitted. To me this just seams stupid as it means the seller now has an incomplete headset which makes me think anything sold with a crown race fitted is probably stolen? True or false … ?

Nah, I accidentally posted forks with a race on once, and other times the old headset’s going in the bin anyway.

It’s easy for people to remove forks if they strip down a bike
But many just don’t know that the race is separate from the fork

It can be a innocent mistake

maybe like me they jammed it on and can’t get it off.

that’s about the weakest assumption of theft i’ve seen here btw. 😯

you know that stubborn race you can’t get off, you try for ages, you get a little annoyed with it!

“oh well I’m selling these anyway” you say 😉

Have never sold forks but I imagine it goes something like that.

Some are a right PITA to get off and you leave all sorts of dents in the fork doing so with a hammer and screwdriver…..

Doesnt the crown race come with the fork anyway?

Doesnt the crown race come with the fork anyway?

Nope, comes with the headset…..

..with the headset?

Yes.

Nonsense.

I’ve always sold forks with crown race attached because i can’t get the bloody thing off! Always got good feedback for the “free headset” I included!

I bought a pair with a crown race on, asked the previous owner whether they didn’t want it and they said they had binned the old headset. I’ve left it on and am reselling the forks (never fitted them) but they may fit the next person’s headset, and I won’t risk damaging or marking the fork by chiselling it off.

..with the headset?

well if anyone would know it would be Mackem.

tbh, I would normally remove the crown race but id the headset’s knackered I might forget.

I’ve bought 3 forks from members on here and 2 have come with the crown race fitted and all have been bought from ‘reputable’ site members.

That sounds like a resounding FALSE then! I do hate non-split crown races, they make life harder for no apparent reason!