Here at BikeRumor, we try to keep an eye out for products that make bike repair easier. Recently, a couple of products that help in the process of removing a fork piqued our interest.
First is a faux steerer tube that mounts to the top tube. A new offering — FAB LAB’s Dummy Fork — came to our attention. And while we haven’t tested the Dummy Fork, we must admit that it appears to be a promising solution.
The FAB LAB Dummy Fork
The Dummy Fork is 3D-printed from Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG), a highly durable plastic commonly used in 3D printing. FAB LAB uses PETG on the “steerer tube” and base. Set into the base are M6 and M5 threaded brass inserts to mount the front brake caliper. They can also serve as holding points for other loose bolts.
It also features an M6 threaded insert at the top of the steerer tube. Here, you can thread in the top cap and bolt, but they don’t hold the Dummy Fork in place. A hole near the top of the steerer tube allows you to hang it for storage.
The steerer tube on the Dummy Fork is 240mm long to accommodate (nearly?) all cockpit setups. Surely it exists, but we don’t often see someone running 100mm+ of spacers over an incredibly long steerer. This is a modern, tapered steerer tube and accommodates headset bearings — 1 ⅛” and 1 ½”.
Ideally, FAB LAB designed the Dummy Fork to be installed without removing the stem, bars, or spacers. Of course, you would need to undo the top cap bolt, loosen the stem bolts, and remove the front brake caliper and hose from the fork. Once this is complete, while holding the fork in one hand and the stem/bars/spacers in the other, you should be able to pull the fork out and slide the Dummy Fork in its place.
Once installed, stem bolts hold the Dummy Fork in place.
Yes, this is the ideal version of how the Dummy Works. We envision headset bearings coming out on the fork, spacers not lining up once the fork is removed, and just not having enough hands in general. However, it is a cool solution to a common problem, and if you take it slow and work methodically, it will make dropping the fork an easier process.
FAB LAB sells the Dummy Fork for $31.
