Is this fork backwards? And is the price of the bike worth it?

[Redd Rockett]

Okay so the first pic is a bike that I am considering buying. The woman says it's a '55 Columbia. It's really rusty but very cool. I would love to have it. She wants $300 for it. Is it worth it? Also, it's 2 hours away from me but I'm willing to go get it. The second pic is just for comparison because these bikes appear to have the same front end setup. It looks to me like the fork on the top pic is on backwards, or bent? Not sure. But it looks like the front wheel/front fender is way too close to the down tube. Any help would be very appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Ulu]

Around here you would pay $600 minimum for something like that so yeah I think it’s a good deal. The fork appears to be bent, but that just means it can be unbent.

 

[Gully]

The lower fork is bent back and the front of that fork that mounts to the top of the spring is backwards. Should be behind the lower fork.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

The fork legs are mounted backward and the rigid part is bent backward. It's possible to repair barring any cracks/breaks etc.

I'm seeing enough parts to add up to around the asking price. It's a frankenbike that is a mix of Columbia and JC Higgins. Basically, the bones are Columbia and the sheet metal parts are from a girls JC Higgins.

If you're looking to build up a ratrod there's a lot to work with. If you're looking for a restoration project or a bike to flip not so much.

Here's a good reference for some of the parts and their general value. CLICK HERE

Good luck!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

It's really rusty but very cool. I would love to have it. She wants $300 for it. Is it worth it?

Compare it to anything for the same price at Walmart and then ask yourself how you feel about it.

 

[Redd Rockett]

Compare it to anything for the same price at Walmart and then ask yourself how you feel about it.

She said she would take $200.

The fork legs are mounted backward and the rigid part is bent backward. It's possible to repair barring any cracks/breaks etc.

I'm seeing enough parts to add up to around the asking price. It's a frankenbike that is a mix of Columbia and JC Higgins. Basically, the bones are Columbia and the sheet metal parts are from a girls JC Higgins.

If you're looking to build up a ratrod there's a lot to work with. If you're looking for a restoration project or a bike to flip not so much.

Here's a good reference for some of the parts and their general value. CLICK HERE

Good luck!

Just looking to rebuild it as a ratrod. I have no interest in flips or restos. Thanks for the info, I appreciate it!

Around here you would pay $600 minimum for something like that so yeah I think it’s a good deal. The fork appears to be bent, but that just means it can be unbent.

She says she would take $200.

 

[Redd Rockett]

Hey guys,one more question. How would one go about straightening those forks? I'm guessing I would have to bring it to some kind of shop as I have no way of doing it myself.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

In the top right-hand side of this screen, you will see a link that says 'Search'. Click there and try some different keywords like 'straighten fork', 'bent fork', etc. to search the forum. I'm sure that it's been covered more than once around here.

 

[bikesnbuses]

The lower fork is bent back and the front of that fork that mounts to the top of the spring is backwards. Should be behind the lower fork.

View attachment 251453

Hey! Thats a NICE COLUMBIA!

 

[ingola]

Hey guys,one more question. How would one go about straightening those forks? I'm guessing I would have to bring it to some kind of shop as I have no way of doing it myself.

I don't even think it's bent.

 

[Ulu]

Hey guys,one more question. How would one go about straightening those forks? I'm guessing I would have to bring it to some kind of shop as I have no way of doing it myself.

You just turn the forks backwards and ride it into a wall. Or a parked car. That’s how these things get bent in the first place.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

I've repaired bent forks both by driving my car over them (using boards), and putting them in the v of a tree and bending with a long pipe over the steer tube.

 

[Ulu]

I was just kidding of course.

What you do is you turn the forks backwards and clamp an axle in them tight with 4 nuts and washers.

Then you run some thin rope back around the seat post to the axle about eight times, and tie it tight.

Don’t put the rope right in the middle of the axle or it will bend. You want to go around the axle right at the fork legs.

Then you put a stick through the ropes, like a tourniquet, and start winding them tight until the forks straighten out. Plus a bit for springback. Watch what you’re doing carefully so they come out even.

If you have the crank out, you can run the ropes right through the bottom bracket, which is stronger.

This method gives you lots of power, and lots of control; and it is much more control than you get by driving over things with the car or whacking them with a big hammer.

 

[Ulu]

As a sidenote, If you have a valuable antique frame you could put these forks in a junker frame for the straightening procedure.

 

[curtisfox]

I was just kidding of course.

What you do is you turn the forks backwards and clamp an axle in them tight with 4 nuts and washers.

Then you run some thin rope back around the seat post to the axle about eight times, and tie it tight.

Don’t put the rope right in the middle of the axle or it will bend. You want to go around the axle right at the fork legs.

Then you put a stick through the ropes, like a tourniquet, and start winding them tight until the forks straighten out. Plus a bit for springback. Watch what you’re doing carefully so they come out even.

If you have the crank out, you can run the ropes right through the bottom bracket, which is stronger.

This method gives you lots of power, and lots of control; and it is much more control than you get by driving over things with the car or whacking them with a big hammer.

LOL, I use this method to straighten out a tree. I built a covered bridge across a creek at my lake place, and it was to close to the roof, tied the rope to the base of one tree and up high to the tree I wanted to move. Got it bow string taught and tied it off from turning, and let it set, every time I went up there I would wind it a little more, after a couple years it moved the tree a couple inches. and a big headache, the crank slipped out of my hand conked me on the head, thats when I said enough...........Curt