Crash-damaged steel frame / bent steerer / dinged tube / dead forks

OK, so lets not get dragged into the circumstances but today I had a front ender on my steel bike and I need some opinions on whether its safe to keep riding it.

I can definitely feel the difference in the ride and the front wheel is a few mm closer to me.
There are distinct lumps on the underside of the top and down tubes (see pics), though its just one lump in each case, rather than a load of ripples.
The paint work and welds are not affected.

Should I keep riding it?
Is it worth trying to get someone to bend it out/ is it even possible so close to the welds?

Any thoughts?

cant see the photos what tubing is it ? the weld probably wont fail but the tube creases will eventually crack

No I dont seem to be abel to upload the pics for some reason. But its Cr-Mo Tubing. Its a Specialised rockhopper- old school.

dead, needs new downtube and top tube

It is only repairable by replacing the tubes. Unless you do a real ghetto cut, bend, patch repair.

You could potter around on it for a little while if you kept a very close eye on it and you really had to but ride gently and expect to have it start tome fail, as Perks said it will start to crack at some point

Bin it, it's going to betray you at some point, and that's not something you want to happen.

I'd "put beyond use" also, you don't want someone else using it.

Rockhopper Pro frame, £2.30 right now http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Specialized-Rockhopper-Pro-19-5-mountain-bike-frame-/270660454888?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item3f049ec9e8

mmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeeee

So, yesterday.. Mercedes wielding maniac lady stops in the middle of the road and reverses into me. Didn't have the presence of mind to get her reg. Then..I realised to my horror the pretty unique and original forks on my 531 Alan Shorter track bike are now bent backwards from the crown down to the point where my front wheel is touching the downtube. I've thought about bending them back myself, I've got a desk vice and the manpower.. but I know that'll severely compromise the strength of the metal.

Called bob Jackson and other well known framebuilders and tried to get a quote.. long and short very spenny including postage and respray. Plus I can't get a diagnosis until they see the forks themselves. and none of them are in London.. HASSLE! Does anyone know of anyone in London who has the expertise to diagnose and re-track forks? They need to know what they're doing?

dahhhh!>!>!£"%(£$!

just get new forks.

well I will temporarily but the Romantic in me says they can be saved. They're not drastically bent. It'd be a shame to bin them as they match the frame so well. It's a 1969, Alan Shorter himself died 3 months ago and it just seems wrong to me.

They'll be uneconomical to repair, i.e. the cost of getting them repaired will be greater than the cost of buying brand new replacements.

New 531 forks will be easy to find, try asking Shop 14, Brother cycles, Brick Lane Bikes etc.
It's not like they're Columbus Air or something.

or send me a PM ;P...

seriously I do have some forks that might interest you.pm me.

It's possibly worth asking Mario Vaz. He had my 531 Professional forks straightened and didn't even charge.

Top bloke.

dont listen to them, a man can do anything

have you got a rolling pin?

ill give you a tenner for um i need some bits for a project

do not ride on bent forks.

you clearly havent remembered my previous work.

Currently sobbing over my own 531 forks after an accident with a car. I'm keeping my eyes open for a replacement set. I wouldn't suggest that it is a good idea to fix them. Especially at the crown.

I clearly haven't.

http://www.lfgss.com/picture.php?albumid=1427&pictureid=8899

O that was you? I just didn't want someone thinking they could get some cheap forks to ride on.

^good call dude some people do even scare me sometimes!

Take off both wheels.
Plastic bag the chain or remove it - gets in the way.
Spin the forks so they face backwards.
Balance frame on fork ends - hold the rear of the frame vertically.
Get a good grip of frame and lean your weight on it.
Bend a bit at a time. Then check it, then repeat.
The forks will bend back into position if your lucky.
Make offerings to the bike gods each time you ride.

I haven't tried it myself, but wouldn't bending the metal back bit by bit weaken it a lot more than doing it in one movement? Atleast that's what i've been told before, especially with steel. Plus, it wouldn't neccesarily bend at the right place.