Even as I start to type this I know what a stupid idea it is, so think of it as a thought experiment, not a real plan…
I’ve got ancient Halson Inversion forks on my mountain bike. They have been battered by heavy landings and skill-free riding and they have bent where they leave the fork crown. this summer the bend was properly noticed, and seems to be getting worse surprisingly they still work freely, but with less than 1/2″ of trail the bike is very twitchy, and I worry about work hardening and a snap.
So they have to go. But I couldn’t help wondering if they could be saved.
The forks are glued into the crown. I wondered if it would be possible to remove them with gentle heating, then straighten the tubes under a decent amount of heat. They are an aluminium alloy of some kind, very strong and tough (no sign of cracking although they have bulges at the bend). I wondered if it would age harden on its own?
No! I must not be stupid enough to try this, and machining 10″ of perfect interanl bore for new tubes is beyond me.
So I’ll have to save up for new forks
Neil