Forks Can Kill

PHeller · Sep 1, 2023

I recently heard about a local bike mechanic who died in a freak accident after a fork exploded during servicing. He was apparently working on his own bike.

I don't know any other details at this point, but it definitely will make me take better care while servicing pressurized devices.

PHeller · Sep 1, 2023

While this post on reddit is lighthearted, it's also a good example of how dangerous the pressures inside the fork can be:

AKamp · Sep 1, 2023

Unfortunately this did happen. My son knew him. Very sad.

OiLoikBoiks · Sep 1, 2023

Sad that someone has died, but would like to know what caused the fork to explode.

Shark · Sep 1, 2023

OiLoikBoiks said:
Sad that someone has died, but would like to know what caused the fork to explode.

Not letting the pressure out before working on it.

Sad indeed.

127.0.0.1 · Sep 1, 2023

OiLoikBoiks said:
Sad that someone has died, but would like to know what caused the fork to explode.

if for example a pressurized shaft let go and
went into your eye socket at speed, that'd do it

working on forks under pressure, that scenario could happen

ocnLogan · Sep 1, 2023

Yikes. Condolences to everyone involved. Mountain biking has its dangers, but I'd hope that servicing your own bike shouldn't be one of them.

My first time I worked on a fork I let all the air pressure out, then tried to get the air spring out of the stanchion, and it took some effort, and when it "popped" out, part of it did fly across the garage a ways (a wave spring IIRC from a A1 soloair yari). Just because I was pulling against a now negative air spring (as the fork was compressed some during the air release).

EDIT: To be clear, I had the whole airshaft in my hands, and was overcoming the negative pressure that existed because the air shaft was compressed when the pressure was let out (because more air would come out the valve if I compressed it). So it was a "use two hands and pull" sort of situation, not a "this is a deadly projectile" sort of situation (although the wave washer did fly a few feet when I yanked it out).

Now I always take the valve core out/top of the air spring side off before I pull the air spring. Makes it way easier, and safer.

OiLoikBoiks · Sep 1, 2023

The wording "explode" is what made me question it, I was envisioning the lower castings failing in a freak accident and shrapnel. But not letting all the air out before working on it is just incompetence from the mechanic, sorry. If of course that's what happened.

plummet · Sep 1, 2023

Shark said:
Not letting the pressure out before working on it.

Sad indeed.

Yeah, that will be the cause. Sad indeed.

I spent 11years training oil and gas workings the risks of compressed gasses. Sadly people die if stuff isn't depressurized before first before maintenance is done. A high pressure fork is no different

chiefsilverback · Sep 1, 2023

The service instructions for the Fox DPS with remote lockout make it very clear that you need to actuate the lockout a few times before you try to dismantle the damper assembly. With 500+psi in the IFP highly pressurised oil can get 'stuck' and if you don't release that presses and just open the damper it could make for an unpleasant day out!

TylerVernon · Sep 1, 2023

Sad, but highlights the importance of warning labels on consumer products.

Blatant · Sep 1, 2023

Terrible. Best wishes to his family and friends. Glad I pulled the lowers off my Lyrik this morning BEFORE I read this.

Shark · Sep 1, 2023

plummet said:
Yeah, that will be the cause. Sad indeed.

I spent 11years training oil and gas workings the risks of compressed gasses. Sadly people die if stuff isn't depressurized before first before maintenance is done. A high pressure fork is no different

Dangerous stuff
Same with electric. Trust but verify.

I won't touch anything unless you test it first, confirm that it is turned off/locked out/pressure released, whatever it is.

"Don't worry, breaker is off".
Ok, let me check before I touch it.

goldsbar · Sep 1, 2023

Springs are f'ing dangerous. I was working on my garage door once and accidentally (i.e. totally stupid move) unbolted the spring connection while the spring was loaded/garage door down. Was all over in a blur. Would have definitely taken out an eye or cracked my skull had it hit me. Sucks for the mechanic; such an easy to make mistake.

CaveGiant · Sep 1, 2023

goldsbar said:
Springs are f'ing dangerous. I was working on my garage door once and accidentally (i.e. totally stupid move) unbolted the spring connection while the spring was loaded/garage door down. Was all over in a blur. Would have definitely taken out an eye or cracked my skull had it hit me. Sucks for the mechanic; such an easy to make mistake.

I was asked to detension a factory roller shutter door spring. It sounded extremely dangerous so I asked a contractor I knew for his opinion.

Potentially best or worst timing of question. A colleague of his had recently been eviscerated. Those coils can spin up pretty fast.

I politely declined to work on the system.

Well, politely might not be accurate.

CaveGiant · Sep 1, 2023

I almost got killed when disassembling a damper.

The first mistake I made was assuming that just because you depressurise the air chambers on a faulty damper the pressure is gone. It was faulty as the air had gone where it should not be.

That wasn't the near fatal mistake.

The near fatal mistake was disassembling an exploding damper in the kitchen.

Wifey can be violent.

gasmanxj · Sep 1, 2023

That's terrible but see how it could happen. Couple years ago servicing a Lyrik I was in a hurry and forgot to empty the air spring. Bonheaded mistake, thankfully was off to the side when I squeezed the snap ring. Air shaft shot out across the garage and sounded like a shotgun blast.

jupitersending · Sep 1, 2023

I must admit I have had a "fork blow" (propelling the air shaft out) up two times when doing service.
When you have done something a lot of times and then get sloppy is when it gets dangerous.

jeffbinco · Sep 1, 2023

PHeller said:
I recently heard about a local bike mechanic who died in a freak accident after a fork exploded during servicing. He was apparently working on his own bike.

I don't know any other details at this point, but it definitely will make me take better care while servicing pressurized devices.

Please provide further details beyond "I heard". Where? What is the source?

PHeller · Sep 1, 2023

I'm not really wanting to divulge a lot of information because it's pretty clear that at least locally, it's being kept on the hush hush. I mean, if your kid died due to a stupid mistake, would you want to tell the world about it?

I know some of the details due to a gofundme and a memorial page.

There are only a few ways a fork service can kill someone in a shop setting. They've been covered in this post. My interest is in discussing this topic so we're reminded of why it's not a bad idea to follow the manufacturers processes and know where pressure could build up.

Forks Can Kill

PHeller

PHeller

AKamp

OiLoikBoiks

Shark

127.0.0.1

ocnLogan

OiLoikBoiks

plummet

chiefsilverback

TylerVernon

Blatant

Shark

goldsbar

CaveGiant

CaveGiant

gasmanxj

jupitersending

jeffbinco

PHeller

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