My son, had a big spill on his bike, and now back on it, says he feels that the forks are twisted. I cant tell myself. Anyone got a simple way to test. I tried another wheel and he said that it made no difference…..

I take it he doesn’t just mean that the stem/bars are out of alignment?

I’ve got a pair of untwisted ones for sale

Does stiction increase when the wheel is fitted? If it’s a through axle and the forks twisted it won’t thread in so easily.
I twisted a few marzocchi braces back in the day and it was quite easy to tell with the fork off the bike on a flat surface.

Bars ok. He says he feels the wheel isn’t vertical.

Anyone think that could be the case??

He wants new forks?

Tell him to have another crash but the opposite way this time…

I think I would pop the fork out and check the steerer. I’d also drop the lowers to see how they are looking.

Pictures of tyre compared to crown would help – you can see if anything is off centre or odd angled.

Also check:

Twisted stem
Rotated or bent bars
Damaged steerer / crown (especially if frontal impact or casing jump)
Check QR for bend or stripped threads.
Check tyre wonky on rim.

Remove the front wheel. Then push the axle back through, it’ll be immediately obvious if it’s not pointing towards the other dropout anymore

Thanks everyone. I’ll have a look – Carbon bars too so I should check. He shattered his collarbone on the Blackrun at Grizedale after clipping a tree stump after one of the big corners going full pelt. Bike looked ok, but bars and stem were spun round… and yes he wants new (DVO Diamond) forks!!!

I’d take the fork out the bike and check the steerer and also that the fork legs are square with no cracks in the paint and that the stanchions are square in the crown.

Carbon bars too so I should check. He shattered his collarbone on the Blackrun at Grizedale after clipping a tree stump after one of the big corners going full pelt. Bike looked ok, but bars and stem were spun round… and yes he wants new (DVO Diamond) forks!!!

If there’s any suspicion that the bars have taken that kind of impact, I’d be reluctant to use them again.

If it was my bike I’d be stripping and inspecting the forks ( or paying somebody to ) and replacing the bars as stated above.