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@ChrisNW
Hi All,
I put in a few miles last Friday, my usual commute plus a bit further to the in-laws later in the day, totalling 82miles.
It was a fairly quiet and unremarkable ride, bike felt okay, etc, etc.
Now, commuting to work yesterday I noticed a bit more wobble to the front wheel than usual. Again on the way home- but it was getting worse - so I stopped to check...
One fork blade had cracked right across where the blade is brazed into the crown and was only held on by paint at the crown and by the axle!
Worried about a face plant, I only did another 5 nervous miles before opting for the train to cover my remaining 7 miles.
Okay, so the frame and forks were old (1963 and not Reynolds) and had been resprayed by the previous owner, probably hiding a multitude of sins but to completely snap like that seems odd. The only thing I can think of is the last part of Friday's journey was down a very rough track and I may not have noticed it cracking.
Anyway, this gives me an excuse to buy a better frame. I want something light, steel, and with a decent geometry for comfortable commuting 18 miles each way. Any recommendations for 70's/80's/90's frames?