Frame Damage, Regardless of Lock Block

[ebnash]

I've had a couple crashes on the Pro 29 and to be honest, the lock block just seems more like an annoyance than frame protection. I guess it at least minimizes how much the fork can turn into the downtube, but in my opinion, it spins way too easy.

High speed into a rutted 90 degree turn and I threw the front end into a banking to initiate the turn and the lock block spun. Wasn't even going to be a crash, but it turned into one because the stupid thing rotated. Rotated enough that the damper cap on the fork tore the rubber frame protection off and gouged into the carbon on the down tube. Maybe mine is just too loose or I'm just to hard on the bike, but to be honest, I ride all my other bikes like this and don't have a problem.

I'm sure the frame is fine and I have no worries there, but I don't like the limitations of the lock block, as I wish it were tighter and had a wider window of free movement. Seriously considering removing it from the frame and opening the free movement notch to allow a full lock to lock. What's the point if it allows this? You'll also see that when the protect rubber pad (YT's Hardware, not mine) was torn from the frame, it removed chunks of paint along with it...

 

[eia]

What size do you have? I think bigger frame sizes have less risk of damages?

 

[Gary]

Lock blocks are stupid industry idea and a solution to stop the fork crown hitting the downtube of frames designed to "look" aestheitcally pleasing. A less lazy designer could easily have designed the same frame without the need for one and it still be pleasing to the eye.

I'd get rid of the lock block completely and fit a normal top cup and outboard/extended lower cup so that the fork can't hit the downtube at all.
it will raise the front a little and slacken the HA slightly but not to the extent of unrideable.

 

[nickfrog]

Indeed, my XL 29 is immune to that.

OP, how deep is that gouge ? Sure it's safe ?

 

[ebnash]

What size do you have? I think bigger frame sizes have less risk of damages?

The picture shown is from a Size L

 

[ebnash]

Indeed, my XL 29 is immune to that.

OP, how deep is that gouge ? Sure it's safe ?

I've ridden worse, so I'm not concerned. I check it after ever ride to see if it's changing. You'd be surprised how over engineered a frame is. I weigh 250lbs. and I'm riding this through rock gardens, drops, and jumps. It's been like this for over a month. I just happened to notice it recently.

 

[RickBullotta]

Lock blocks are stupid industry idea and a solution to stop the fork crown hitting the downtube of frames designed to "look" aestheitcally pleasing. A less lazy designer could easily have designed the same frame without the need for one and it still be pleasing to the eye.

I'd get rid of the lock block completely and fit a normal top cup and outboard/extended lower cup so that the fork can't hit the downtube at all.
it will raise the front a little and slacken the HA slightly but not to the extent of unrideable.

100% agree with Gary. Another option instead of a different lower cup is a thicker crown race, depending on the bearing type in your lower cup this may or may not be viable. It's cheaper and easier if it works for you.

 

[ebnash]

I like the idea of a slightly thicker crown race or a spacer, but YT cuts the steer tube on these bikes and doesn't really leave much room to work with. I'll have to take some measurements to understand how much extra space I need. I think it's probably only 5mm. I know raising it won't have a drastic affect on headtube angle, but I'm already running a longer air cartridge, as I increased fork travel to 160mm. I suppose I could also flip the chip, as this bike is a magnet for pedal strikes.

Every day I ride this bike, I wish I had waited and purchased the mullet version. Selling the bike now, really isn't an option with this frame damage...