Here are the forks, photographed today:
I will seek the opinion of a fitter and turner I know. As I see it, in regular use, they are mostly required to resist flexing in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which they have been bent, so perhaps a slight weakening can be lived with. I guess I'll have to keep my eye on them.
Your local bike shop should be able to staighten them out with a special jig. Cost is around $20.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you read my previous comment. Forks can be straightened safely, since their steel. You can get your rim straightened, and re-laced. That should put the bike in good working order. I found Schwalbe still produces the tires and tubes under the brand "Swallow". I was really fortunate, and found my latest NS22, barely used, in an airplane hanger. It had been hanging in the rafters, and was part of a garage sale. The airport was closing permanently, and aircraft owners were clearing out their junk.
ReplyDeleteI've yet to find a more versatile, comfortable ride than the NS22.
Thanks, yes I did read your previous comment. I'm leaving Melbourne tomorrow, driving 2800km back to Tennant Creek. I will have a go at the fork repair myself, if it's no good I will get other forks somewhere. I'll try the 24" MTB wheels. My 550A tyres are Michelin and look relatively new.
ReplyDeleteIt looks to me that your forks can be re-bent and can be as good as new. Hope you find a good mechanic.
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention the 24-inch MTB wheels. I carted one home the other day after coming across a derelict bike beside a bike path in my city. I wanted to compare the relative size. The 507, 24-inch wheels are just slightly larger than the 550A rims on the NS22. I'm guessing they'll fit under the fenders on my Peugeot. The original steel rims are a bit problematic. They're heavy, and they get knocked out of true after hitting even a small pothole.
I'll check back, and good luck to you.