kervelo:

I think it the Wolf forks did not come with an insert before. For example, my SLT (model 2006, built early 2007) has an all carbon fork (Wolf CL), but it did not come with it; I just cut the steerer tube and installed the FSA compression plug normally. Could it be the same thing with the bike discussed here?

My SLT is a 2007 and definitely has a metal steerer on the Wolf CL.

Of greater concern to me is that I noticed a thin line where the seam is between the right dropout and the blade.  I'm concerned that it is a crack where whatever adhesive keeps the drop in the blade has given way. . .

I am little confused, is the difference between Wolf CL and SL fork that CL has an aluminum steerer and SL has a carbon one?

LBS has offered a the aluminum as a replacment.  Is there a ride difference.  Are there any performace differences?

The CL has a steel steerer tube, made of true temper steel.  The Sl has a carbon steerer tube that is the main diff. between the two.

sam

Just this morning , as I was coming down the Cypress Mountain my steer tube broke . Luckily , I was in a slow corner . Went down hard .Took the bike back La Bicicletta /where I bought the bike/ . They fixed me , lol . My bike will be fixed as well @ no cost , no kidding . Cervelo , knew they had a problem with Wolf CL front fork . They will replace it with 3T . Strange thing is , why wasn't there a recall ??? If i went down at 45mph , I probably wouldn't be writing this . In any case Cervelo is still my favorite bike . La Bicicletta was very good about it all ..........

You bet they do .....Cervelo knew , they had problem with Wolf CL !!!  Now they use 3T .......Mine broke this morning /the steer tube/ . Luckily , I was in a slow corner . If it happened @ 45mph ......................Hmmmmmmmmm. I wonder. 

All carbon

Haroon.Said:

What insert? My LBS set up the bike. 

Holly Crap your LBS did not put the required aluminum insert into the fork steerer tube? thats grounds for gross neglegence, thank god you did not get injured you could have sued them for that. I would not use that LBS anymore and tell Cervelo about it. Look in the owner's manual there is a picture of the insert and how to glue it into the SL fork, without this insert the star nut will cut and fracture the tube from the inside out. What kind of bike shop are you going to and how did they get a Cervelo franchise without proper trainning. Try to get the new 3T funda fork its way better than the SL forks but still requires an insert.

By LBS , you mean local bike store ??? I had no idea what they were using , my steer tube was just a thin carbon tube ........

Retracting comment.

The Wolf SL fork is not dangerous, it does not have problems, if it did there would be a complete recall. Cervélo are not stupid and wouldn't risk the legal outcome if they were allowing riders to continue using an unsafe product.

I presume the reason they have switched to 3T however is that the insertion of the steerer insert into the Wolf SL requires more care than the installation of an expander plug in a normal fork. Furthermore there is the issue of the maximum allowable stack height which must also be taken into account. 

So in short the Wolf SL is fine if you use it as designed, if not then it can be dangerous. Many of the tales which I have heard of broken steerers have arisen from too great a stack height, over torquing the stem or even not installing the insert and using a star nut directly in the steerer.

Allen.

So for those that have bought any cervelo recently with Wolf CL/SL forks, is the conclusion of this thread to have it go checked out at the LBS where it was purchased? 

Wolf SL fork will fail at some point in time if the 125mm aluminum insert is not installed. My aluminum insert on my Wolf SL fork is only 80mm which not the correct length and will also fail, I am glad that I came upon this site and started checking out my own fork.

Here is how you can check out if the correct length is installed.

1. Remove your fork from the bike and remove the front brakes.

2. Get a powerful flashlight and shine that light through one of the hole were the front brake bolt goes in and block the other hole with your finger.

3. You will need to go into a dark room, so you can see the light coming out of top of the steerer tube. If you look carefully into the steerer tube you will able to see the end of the aluminum insert.

4. To determine the length of the aluminum insert, I used a bicycle brake cable and slide it down to one of the holes of the star retainer (not the middle hole).

So looking down at the steerer tube and sliding down the brake cable, you can guage the length of the aluminum insert, then measure this lenght.

It would be much easier if the Star retainer was not in the way but I don't think it can be removed easily.

I am writting this because I do not want anybody to get involved in a possible fatal accident and this forum has made me aware of faulty installed Wolf SL forks.

You can find the Wolf SL Fork Installation Bulletin at the link below:

www.cervelo.com/ownersmanual/WolfSLForkInstallation.pdf

 The total stack height should be enough to tell if the insert is installed correctly - too many spacers, above or below the stem and you will have trouble (assuming the insert is correct).  My Wolf was replaced with a 3T, but it also needs an insert according to the bike shop, and I am near the limit with only 5 mm of spacer plus the bearing cover.  I should really get a better shot of the new fork install up at some point.

Link to the start of my posts from last year.

The fact that to use this force safely (and not be stressed out) the stack height issue has to be triple checked for fear of death to me says this fork is useless.  I've never heard of this problem with any other fork.

 Guys at the shop said my replacement 3t was the same - you want a carbon fork, then the aluminum insert seems to be de rigeur for now.