[MPH74]

So who's the manufacturer of his fork?

 

[rogger]

Why, you want one?

 

[rocco]

Why, you want one?

Maybe if it were for free. ...maybe. mmmmmmmmmm... no

 

[botto]

that looked nasty

 

[rocco]

So who's the manufacturer of his fork?

Twrek?

 

[ari]

"Special" Bontrager Satellite fork

From http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/apr06/roubaix06/?id=/tech/2006/features/hincapie_trek:

Scott Daubert: One thing I forgot to tell you about is that George is running with a different fork; it has a longer axle to crown dimension, and it has a longer rake than the normal Bontrager Race Lite fork.

CN: Is this something new you'll bring into the Trek line?

SD: No, it's actually from Bontrager's Satellite line, almost from their commuter level, but it has dimensions that are appropriate for Roubaix. It's an in-house made fork, made at Trek from OCLV carbon, it's just on a different model bike.

CN: Is it a steel steerer?

SD: No, it's aluminium; it's been blasted then anodized black.

Cheers,
Ari

 

[Spunout]

Bad idea.

 

[bornin53]

Boonen's Steerer Tube was Steel

and it didn't break:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/apr06/roubaix06/?id=/tech/2006/features/boonen_time

 

[MaestroXC]

Boonen didn't crash earlier in the race, either. And he was riding a bike that had to be specially reinforced because rather than a weight limit, it apparently had a wattage limit: he was too strong for the bike, causing shifting problems since the beginning of the season!

Give me a break, people. You all love to hate Trek so much, it's pretty sickening. Feel bad for George if you want to, but cut out the elitist nonsense.

 

[Buck Satan]

I don't hate Trek, they just bore the **** out of me.

 

[Rollo Tommassi]

Anodising..

embrittles the surface of alluminum, yes?

 

[sevenfootglass]

there is something weird about the word ''commuter" when applied to equipment for the hell of the north!! it just doesn't feel right

 

[nocwrench]

IMO C-dales are as boring as Treks

I feel for George, and am curious whose idea the fork swap was. Oh, and the stem looks to be at least 140mm long. That's alot of leverage on the cobbles. Does Softride still make that goofy suspension stem anymore?

 

[shaq-d]

I feel for George, and am curious whose idea the fork swap was. Oh, and the stem looks to be at least 140mm long. That's alot of leverage on the cobbles. Does Softride still make that goofy suspension stem anymore?

you can still find it. i commute regularly on a softride, suspended beam and handlebar. it's an awesome ride and would be perfect for paris-roubaix. and zero chance of breaking anything, since all the weight is suspended.

sd

 

[zosocane]

Can someone clarify that for certain the top end of the Trek-made fork broke?

 

[cyclejim]

not so sure the steerer tube broke

I am not so sure the steerer broke at all, have a look at this picture and look closely at the black showing between the lower headset cup and the race on the fork... isnt that steerer tube? If you push that up into the head tube looks like there is enough there to clamp the stem to it, so its possible the stem just slipped right off the steerer. Also in watching the crash it just "looked" like that was more likely vs a broken steerer but thats just me.

View attachment 49432

 

[cheddarlove]

you can still find it. i commute regularly on a softride, suspended beam and handlebar. it's an awesome ride and would be perfect for paris-roubaix. and zero chance of breaking anything, since all the weight is suspended.

sd

Wouldnt a softride beam paddle the racers arse's on the cobbles?
p.s.we have one on the back of the tandem.

 

[keeks]

You can't really tell how low the steer tube broke from that pic, it's most likely inside the head tube. I think the steerer snapped at the headset/stem interface since the top compression cap is still on top of the stem. If the stem had slipped off the steerer, this would have popped off as well.
CRAZY wreck though. I would not have wanted to be in his shoes at that point. Poor guy!

 

[Under ACrookedSky]

Can someone clarify that for certain the top end of the Trek-made fork broke?

Nope. They sent George out there on their Walmart line of equipment. If you play the video of the incident in slo-mo and zoom in on George's face, you can just make out him mouthing the words, "Steel IS real", just before he biffs.

 

[Under ACrookedSky]

Wouldnt a softride beam paddle the racers arse's on the cobbles?

Not UCI legal. Plus all the other pros would make fun of you and you would expend too much energy dodging snot rockets.