[JamesInTahoe]

It could well be that the design is okay but Wren (or it's vendor) is failing in the manufacturing processes. Epoxy gets used a lot in aircraft, even for structural items. But for it to be effective the choice of epoxy matters and the prep, application, and cure processes have to be done to spec. I'm pretty certain that applying epoxy over paint isn't remotely following the prep instructions (likely a type of acid etching), which probably makes the application method and cure process they are using irrelevant. So this could well be a self-inflicted wound by Wren.

Also, that he first said a 220 rotor is okay but now says it really should be 203 max makes it look like Wren really had no idea what the safe operating limits are.

Unfortunately I have a Wren on my El Gran Jefe tandem so I'll have to watch this. Fortunately it gets transported with the front wheel off so I'm always handling the stanchions.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[JamesInTahoe]

Deleted dupe

 

[BansheeRune]

It could well be that the design is okay but Wren (or it's vendor) is failing in the manufacturing processes. Epoxy gets used a lot in aircraft, even for structural items. But for it to be effective the choice of epoxy matters and the prep, application, and cure processes have to be done to spec. I'm pretty certain that applying epoxy over paint isn't remotely following the prep instructions (likely a type of acid etching), which probably makes the application method and cure process they are using irrelevant. So this could well be a self-inflicted wound by Wren.

Also, that he first said a 220 rotor is okay but now says it really should be 203 max makes it look like Wren really had no idea what the safe operating limits are.

Unfortunately I have a Wren on my El Gran Jefe tandem so I'll have to watch this. Fortunately it gets transported with the front wheel off so I'm always handling the stanchions.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

The stancions on my Wren 150 are anodized as opposed to painted however, that needed to be glassbeaded appropriately prior to doing a hokey, glue it together move.
Now, for the threaded aspect... They could have easily used a longer threaded section and resolved a prollem before it became a prollem, just sayin'.
Perhaps aircraft engines falling off has sompin to do with epoxy and four threads of a couple bolts letting go at the most opportune time.

 

[cere8]

Yeah I am not liking it... even with the new Stanchion assembly they sent me. I cleaned all the old epoxy off but I found that if I thread it all the way down so that it butts up into the bottom of the stanchion I have to back it off nearly half a turn to align the dropouts and the stanchion keyway. I feel that its all on borrowed time. I know it needs to be forged material to be light but maybe I can weld up something that clamps and threads with weight penalty.

Its a very dangerous failure, not at bad as the crown failure a couple years ago but pretty close.

IF you are seriously just going to get rid of it I will take it off your hands. I'm 145 lbs fully loaded and tires don't leave the ground. I don't think I've ever broken a thing on my bike so I'm sure it would hold up fine for me and my riding.

 

[RangerReview]

IF you are seriously just going to get rid of it I will take it off your hands. I'm 145 lbs fully loaded and tires don't leave the ground. I don't think I've ever broken a thing on my bike so I'm sure it would hold up fine for me and my riding.

I couldnt give this fork away after seeing how its made....

I have another manufacturer currently willing to work with me on a new design and I have already paid for the prototyping. I will need to find another company to build the air cartridge, currently it will have a spring cartridge but 8" of travel.
I will run the Mastodon Pro Ex till my experiment arrives from China....

 

[Nubcakes]

I couldnt give this fork away after seeing how its made....

I have another manufacturer currently willing to work with me on a new design and I have already paid for the prototyping. I will need to find another company to build the air cartridge, currently it will have a spring cartridge but 8" of travel.
I will run the Mastodon Pro Ex till my experiment arrives from China....

If you ever make any with a straight 1 1/8 steerer lemme know. I might be interested!

 

[RangerReview]

If you ever make any with a straight 1 1/8 steerer lemme know. I might be interested!

There are several available from the manufacturers in China. None of them have air cartridges that I know.

 

[Drew Diller]

I couldnt give this fork away after seeing how its made....

I have another manufacturer currently willing to work with me on a new design and I have already paid for the prototyping. I will need to find another company to build the air cartridge, currently it will have a spring cartridge but 8" of travel.
I will run the Mastodon Pro Ex till my experiment arrives from China....

This a stretch... and I'm not wanting to throw shade... but... do you want me to do a "post mortem" repair? Like you'd send it to me, I'd repair it, I'd test it, and literally no one rides it, no conclusions are drawn other than "see, it's fine". The reason I am suggesting this is because I think after reading this Wren's implementation is sound but with a possible susceptibility to human error. You see that little shoulder below the threads? If anodized, that's plenty enough surface area if they're getting the 3,000 psi rating out of an anodize-on-anodize bond with a 3M or Henkel adhesive. But what I think I see and I can't really say for sure until I see it in person is there either a hydraulic entrapment problem where glue didn't get injected evenly around the join due to __ unknown problem.

Basically what I'm saying is that I think their joint design involves more than just the threads -- quite a bit more, really, as I suspect the threads are only there for auto-alignment of the bond gap -- and it's a fine design for the area if the bond area gets glue at full intersection.

But, as you can imagine, such a move would not profit anyone: you wouldn't get your faith restored, I wouldn't have a fork because obvious legal conflict of interest, and Wren's engineers would still need to hunt down who or what is entrapping air during the glue injection. Basically I would fix it, test what I think to be the original design intent, and destroy it.

 

[Drew Diller]

Maybe I should give some more context to my reply above.

If I'm right, and Wren's design philosophy is sound, and your unit got shipped in violation of their QC detection, and you're not getting reasonable communication, then I'd be willing to bet a chain-of-command is being either accidentally or purposefully ignored. I'm sure that there's someone in the org who would REALLY want to know about glue up failures and would be REALLY pissed off if they received the info very late in the game.

I guess what I'm getting it is that I usually want to give non-conglomerate manufacturers the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps in other professional industries, but I've been in some of those meetings if you get me. Many were competent, and the times where competence was absent, well... I could have used some ear plugs. Men who I would otherwise have thought were incapable of yelling.

One thing I can almost guarantee is that Wren's engineers are intelligent. Whether their orders are carried out to 100% satisfaction on the assembly floor is another matter, and I would ask you to apply Hanlon's Razor to the specific individuals responsible, whoever they might be. I have never met a lead engineer who deliberately designed something bad, is what I'm getting at.

 

[Jayem]

Maybe I should give some more context to my reply above.

If I'm right, and Wren's design philosophy is sound, and your unit got shipped in violation of their QC detection, and you're not getting reasonable communication, then I'd be willing to bet a chain-of-command is being either accidentally or purposefully ignored. I'm sure that there's someone in the org who would REALLY want to know about glue up failures and would be REALLY pissed off if they received the info very late in the game.

I guess what I'm getting it is that I usually want to give non-conglomerate manufacturers the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps in other professional industries, but I've been in some of those meetings if you get me. Many were competent, and the times where competence was absent, well... I could have used some ear plugs. Men who I would otherwise have thought were incapable of yelling.

One thing I can almost guarantee is that Wren's engineers are intelligent. Whether their orders are carried out to 100% satisfaction on the assembly floor is another matter, and I would ask you to apply Hanlon's Razor to the specific individuals responsible, whoever they might be. I have never met a lead engineer who deliberately designed something bad, is what I'm getting at.

I thought Wren was mainly selling generic Chinese parts, their fork being a modified version of "the fork of many names". Do they really have engineers, or do they rely on the company they order from?

 

[Drew Diller]

I thought Wren was mainly selling generic Chinese parts, their fork being a modified version of "the fork of many names". Do they really have engineers, or do they rely on the company they order from?

100% certified gluten-free good question

 

[DutchyMaarten]

There are several available from the manufacturers in China. None of them have air cartridges that I know.

Did Wren solve the problem? Did they confirm it to you?

Best regards,
Maarten

 

[NH Mtbiker]

Should I even consider the 23 Wren Fat fork over the Mastodon? I just can't seem to find any new reviews or updates on it and IF past problems have been addressed. I like the look and specs on it and the fact that it will fit a Cake Eater, but not if it will give me problems, especially in colder conditions. Anyone running one in the winter with success here? Thnx!

 

[Jayem]

Should I even consider the 23 Wren Fat fork over the Mastodon? I just can't seem to find any new reviews or updates on it and IF past problems have been addressed. I like the look and specs on it and the fact that it will fit a Cake Eater, but not if it will give me problems, especially in colder conditions. Anyone running one in the winter with success here? Thnx!

There is something new on the horizon at Wren, its being tested by a buddy. It may be significantly better than a mastodon, but since its not out yet, i get the Mastodon and wait.

 

[NH Mtbiker]

Sounds good Jayem. Or I could just stay with the carbon rigid fork and wait. Keep us posted on the new Wren in the works too!

 

[Ridinglurker]

There is something new on the horizon at Wren, its being tested by a buddy. It may be significantly better than a mastodon, but since its not out yet, i get the Mastodon and wait.

You probably want to wait a few years after they release it, unless you want to be the beta tester. That applies to most products, but especially to a company that...how to put it... had problems in the past. This isn't a dig against a specific company and applies to all industries. but even companies that are known for very conservative products come out with a new model and it takes a year of field testing (= users) to get the bugs worked out. Sure, companies have a few testers. But this isn't like having tens of thousand of people ride the new fork under all conditions in the World.

Obviously someone is buying the new product and tests it. And I'm grateful for that.

 

[Jayem]

You probably want to wait a few years after they release it, unless you want to be the beta tester. That applies to most products, but especially to a company that...how to put it... had problems in the past. This isn't a dig against a specific company and applies to all industries. but even companies that are known for very conservative products come out with a new model and it takes a year of field testing (= users) to get the bugs worked out. Sure, companies have a few testers. But this isn't like having tens of thousand of people ride the new fork under all conditions in the World.

Obviously someone is buying the new product and tests it. And I'm grateful for that.

In some cases, i would agree, however, if they say released a coil spring mastodon, id buy that first year no question.

 

[desertwheelsltd]

In some cases, i would agree, however, if they say released a coil spring mastodon, id buy that first year no question.

Ditto!

 

[Donkeeboy]

I was an early Wren adopter, so I was one of the first to have a bad fork, mine was really dangerous: the steerer tube loosened, allowing the fork to turn regardless bar position.

They replaced the fork, but I got out as soon as the Mastodon was released.

Wren is not high end stuff, anything innovative from them is not gonna be worth waiting for, just saying 🙄

 

[DeeEight]

I thought Wren was mainly selling generic Chinese parts, their fork being a modified version of "the fork of many names". Do they really have engineers, or do they rely on the company they order from?

Wren took over primary marketing and branding of what previously was billed as the Carver Trans Fat fork, and a couple other brand names, but they're all in origin a product of DNM. Carver still lists the trans fat on their website but its the older 135mm thru-axle version (it does come with a matching hub though) and the $899.95 price hasn't changed in years. Ironically Wren has a couple rigid forks which are identical in specs/appearance to Carver products. The Wren Beefcake gravel fork is an variation of the Carver Trail 490 (shorter AC length and a lot of mounting bosses for cargo cages) and the Wren "No-Nonsense" Rigid carbon fat fork is the Carver Popeye.