drilling fork for lorider mounts

[foxyrider]

It's coming up to touring and holiday season and with camping on the agenda, the need to carry more than 2 bags. Whilst my 'touring' bike, a Focus Mares, does the load carrying very well it doesn't have lorider mounts, last year I used the not very pretty Tubus hose clip method. It works, didn't budge but it's damn ugly.

It has occurred to me that maybe the forks could be drilled and fitted with a threadsert to dispense with the clamps. The forks are pretty solid aluminium jobs, it's a CX bike so they are very robust! Obviously warranty goes out of the window but they are almost out of that anyhow.

So question is - is this a reasonable idea? I'm looking at M5 threads in one side of each leg to fit a Tubus Logo rack. (the fork section is almost square which precludes any of the alternative clamp systems to be used.)

Please - no diatribes about bike loading!

[robgul]

Not the same material but I drilled and fitted Rivnuts to the front forks on my 1975 531 Galaxy - about 10 years ago - and have used low-riders and more recently a Blackburn front rack (over the wheel) albeit with relatively light loads - no problems ... so far!

Have to say that the racks I used did seem to have most of the load-bearing on the mudguard eye bolts down by the front axle.

Given that ali forks are going to be more substantial than 531 steel I'd go for it - just remember to measure, mark and measure again (twice!) before wielding the electric drill (and make sure the drill is close fit to the Rivnuts)

Rob

[alexnharvey]

I would be very concerned that it would weaken the fork or cause a site where cracks could propagate from leading to catastrophic failure. More so in Alu than in steel although I wouldn't do it on steel either.

I think this is absolute madness!

[Brucey]

I wouldn't do it; not in a million years....

cheers

[PT1029]

Drill a hole in Aluminium forks, never if it was my bike.
Forks will be susceptable to metal fatigue (all the road vibrations), by removing some metal you will
1. Increase the fatigue as the stress will have gone up (you drilled some of the metal out)
2. You will have created a stress raiser (ie extra stress to the surrounding metal) which aids the formation/propogation of cracks.

The threadsert will have no tensile strength at the join (unlike something welded/brazed into a fork), so won't help the fork.

Stick to a clamp on method, or replace the forks for ones made with bosses.

I might be willing (possibly...) to drill a hole in aluminium forks if I had access to an aerospace metal (X ray?) crack detector to use before/after each ride... possibly.... but I wouldn't be able to take said detector on holiday....

Cheers
I think Brucey says it more suscinctley!

[Tangled Metal]

Swap out the forks. You can get them for about £70 with the necessary bosses. Just need to get the same geometry for the forks.

[DaveP]

...or make a tidier clamp?
I know what you mean about the Tubus approach, but for a couple of weeks I can look the other way.
Please don't drill your forks - remember Box Girder Bridges?

[Vorpal]

I wouldn't do it; not in a million years....

cheers

+1

Buy new forks, try a different clamp system, or live with the ugly.

[foxyrider]

Guess it's the hose clamps then!

Another pair of forks isn't easy on this machine - conical headset/steerer, disc brake and extra long - don't think i'll get one off the shelf or for less than £150!

[Vorpal]

You could try an Old Man Mountain rack?

http://www.oldmanmountain.com/category/ ... sc-qr.html shows some of the front racks; they make low rider style front racks for most bike configurations. IMO, they are decent looking rack, but they aren't cheap. They can do custom ones if you don't find what you fancy.

[GranvilleThomas]

I honestly thought this was a wind up! Drilling holes in forks? Please don't do it what ever they are made of.

[g.meredith]

The Tubus hose clip method can only be described as god-awful. It is such an affront to the senses I shelled out for an extortionate Old Man Mountain.

[reohn2]

I wouldn't do it; not in a million years....

cheers

+1

Buy new forks, try a different clamp system, or live with the ugly.

+1
Mrs R2 has lived with ugly for 40 years,she seems to have got used,at least she doesn't hide behind the settee.
For my part I've lived with ugly for 63 years,and got used pretty(sic) early on

[Freddie]

I have a front rack that clamps round the fork tubes that I could sell you. PM me if this is of any interest.

[Tangled Metal]

What bike do you have? Contact Ghyllside cycles in Ambleside or perhaps spa cycles in Harrogate. I've spoken to the former and he seemed very confident that you could get replacement forks for anything included tapered steerers. IIRC mine is 1" - 1 1/8" tapered and he said that was no problem. I think he reckoned £70-90 possibly just over £100 if it's something a bit unusual.

Even at £100 It's cheaper than the prices I've seen for old man mountain racks by quite some ways. Pot just live with ugly. Ugly but functional is OK with me personally.