MTB forks and disc brakes.

[Drake]

On my old mtb, I have v-brakes fitted front and rear.
Because most of my braking is done using the front brake only, I've been considering fitting a disc brake brake to the front.
But I foresee problems here.
1. Current forks are old 1" steerer.
2. I don't want suspension forks.
3. 26" wheels
I would rather replace my current forks, which are non suspension, and not fit an adapter kit.
Any suggestions ?

[531colin]

Use KoolStop red pads (or R2's favourites, the name of which I forget) and be happy.

[alexnharvey]

Are you only trying to improve braking peformance, or do you want to change to discs for some other reasons too?

If braking performance is the issue I agree with Colin, try the best pads you can find first. I have been very happy with the performance of koolstop salmon pads, my commuting bike has the multicompound ones which are part salmon part black and they are very good. I also had salmon pads on a cantilever brake system for my retro mtb and they were outstanding too.

There are three downsides, compatibility, cost and rusty nuts. The koolstop cartridge system is not compatible with other linear/v brake pad cartridge systems, the majority follow the shimano standard. Presumably not an issue if you like them and are willing to bear the relatively high cost for the replacement pads, ~£10 for a pair.
A great annoyance to me is that the nuts are poorly plated rather than stainless and rusted in a short time. Given the price that's a disgrace, especially as the intention of the cartridge is to be able to leave them on the bike for the longer term without replacement. I have very cheap one piece selcof pads on the rear and their nuts have not rusted.

For those reasons I am considering trying the discobrakes pads (probably the tricoloured cartridges ones) which were recommended on the forum recently. http://www.discobrakes.com/?s=0&t=2&c=28&p=146&tb=001

Where can I find stainless nuts for v brake pads?

[531colin]

.......... The koolstop cartridge system is not compatible with other linear/v brake pad cartridge systems, the majority follow the shimano standard.........
Where can I find stainless nuts for v brake pads?.........

All I do is widen the slot for the fiddly split pin, and KoolStop go in my old XT parallel-push pad holders.

Stainless nuts...http://www.westfieldfasteners.co.uk/A2_Nut_Cap_M.html

[hamster]

One alternative is Magura hydraulic rim brakes. They are unbelievably powerful and have way more modulation than V's too. I've run them for 20 years, they are utterly reliable and never need bleeding etc.

[Brucey]

On my old mtb, I have v-brakes fitted front and rear.
Because most of my braking is done using the front brake only, I've been considering fitting a disc brake brake to the front.
But I foresee problems here.
1. Current forks are old 1" steerer.
2. I don't want suspension forks.
3. 26" wheels
I would rather replace my current forks, which are non suspension, and not fit an adapter kit.
Any suggestions ?

I don't ever remember seeing a 1" steerer rigid fork for 26" MTB wheels with disc tabs on it. Maybe Pace did one back in the day...? So.... my advice would be

- if you really want to do it, and you can't find a fork, think about having a fork modified (but NB many won't be strong enough, so choose carefully) or
- fit better V brakes, or
- perhaps a hub brake, or
- get a different MTB...

cheers

[gerrymcm]

There's some on ebay at present with BIN price.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/26-MTB-ATB-FO ... 4mm-260mm-
STEERER-THREADED-BLK-/182035666608?hash=item2a622bd6b0:g:iAwAAOxyYSdTAyfd

Don't know if they're any good but they're reasonably priced.

[Wesh-Laurence]

To convert from v-brakes to disc brakes you need to buy:-

1) Have a front fork that has the mounts for mounting disc calipers.

2) Have a front wheel with a hub onto which you can mount the disc rotor.

It is probably not worth making these changes on an old MTB. You could buy a second hand MTB with disc brakes for about £200.

[markfh]

Hi Drake,

Noting the comments above, if you are going down the road of replacing the forks then there are a couple of things that you may want to check:-

1) what the axle to crown distance and reach of the current forks is, as if you change these significantly it will affect the handling and stability of the bike.

2) What sort of headset you have and what sort of stem you have. It will be either threaded or threadless. If it threaded then you will have a quill stem which clamps onto the inside of the steerer whereas if it is threadless you will have an A-head stem which clamps onto the outside of the steerer. The reason for mentioning this is that if you get a replacement fork that is intended for a threaded headset it will be difficult to use with a threadless headset and conversely if it is intended for a threadless headset you will need to get it threaded for use with threaded headset. In either case you might also need to get it cut to the correct length although this is more critical if you have a threaded headset.

Noting 2 above, you may also need to replace the headset particularly if the existing crown race is well and truly stuck/corroded to the existing fork.

See Sheldon Brown for an explanation of the differences between the two type of headset and other headset terminology (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ha-i.html#headset].

[reohn2]

Use KoolStop red pads (or R2's favourites, the name of which I forget) and be happy.

BBB Tristops

[gregoryoftours]

Yes seems like quite a bit of hassle and expensive for all the parts but that fork linked to on ebay would work, as long as the steerer is threaded in the right place for your frame. I'm guessing that your current setup has a threaded headset? If not you'd have to buy a 1" threaded headset (probably ISO standard) as the fork can't be used with a threadless headset.

If the head tube on your frame is quite long you'd have to be careful that the stem wedge is lodged below the threaded section. It says they can also cut more thread for an extra charge. 400mm axle to crown is non suspension adjusted so would work with an old rigid mtb. Before you cut the steerer to length first screw the top bearing race down past the cut point. When you unscrew it it will clean the threads where you cut. Otherwise it can be really hard to get the headset parts threaded on again.

[Drake]

Very many thanks for all your thoughts and suggestions, a lot of food for thought there.
There is nothing wrong with the braking performance of the v-brakes system, in fact it's very good.
But for sometime now I've thought that disc brakes are the way to go. Not because of any improvement in braking performance, but purely as a maintenance issue.
I know that a few of you on this forum don't necessarily see that disc brakes have any advantage over other systems, and of cause you maybe right.
But if you can bear with me on this, this is my thinking,flawed though it maybe.
I can do most things that I need to do as far as maintenance is concerned, but the one thing that I find i difficult or nie on impossible is wheel building. It remains a complete " black art " to me. So no rim wear is quite an attractive proposition and no costly replacements via the LBS.
I do appreciate that discs themselves are a serviceable item, but replacing them is something that I could do. Oh yes should have said that my current hubs are disc brake compatible.
In reply to the gentleman that queried the cost viability being my bike is technically old now, you are of cause quite right.
But for me if the bike makes me smile and the setup is right, then why not.

[Brucey]

FWIW I often find that brakes discs are often more difficult to straighten than wheels are...

Maybe a drum brake would be a sensible option for you?

cheers

[gerrymcm]

I'd second a drum brake option. I used a shimano one for approx 4 years commuting into central London and found it very effective. as the important bits are internal they are unaffected by the weather.

Edit - I remember the shimano drum I had fitted was considered so powerful by Shimano that they fitted a device, which name escapes me, that limited the power that could be applied.