fix front brake

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rareposter
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Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: fix front brake

Post by rareposter »

OK, if it's a track-specific fork, I would not be drilling it - there's a reason they come with no mounting hole for a brake because you don't need brakes on a track bike!
You can (sometimes) get away with drilling them, I've seen it done but equally there are some forks out there that will be wrecked either by the drilling or by the forces going through them once a brake is attached.

If you want to fit a front brake, go and buy a proper road bike fork that has a hole already in it.

You can see the difference in bolt length on this image:

Image

Longer bolt = front brake.
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gaz
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Location: Kent

Re: fix front brake

Post by gaz »

Mike Sales wrote: 13 Sep 2022, 7:01pmWould track forks have the crown front drilling?
Fair point.
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slowster
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Re: fix front brake

Post by slowster »

It is a unicrown fork. I have never seen a unicrown fork of that type fitted with a caliper brake by a bike manufacturer, and I would not fit one to that type of fork. The sleeved nut is designed for use with cast fork crowns with a recess for the nut. The front of the caliper where it presses aginst the fork crown is a flat washer, and should press against a similarly flat surface, i.e. a fork crown designed for a caliper brake.

The sleeve nut typically has only a narrow shoulder, i.e. ~1mm. Fine in a cast fork crown designed for it, but IMO completely unsuitable for use with a unicrown fork with a hole drilled out. Not only is the sleeve shoulder narrow, the curve of the unicrown tube will reduce the contact of the nut against the metal even further.

Get a fork that is actually designed to be fitted with a front brake.
steverod
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Joined: 23 Jul 2022, 8:02am

Re: fix front brake

Post by steverod »

Thanks for that. Your explaination is very informative. I took the fork and brake to a bike shop. They didn't advise it but said the only option for this fork is a long bolt caliper through to the back. I'll do that and if I enjoy riding it I'll get a new fork. There's every chance once I'm on the road it won't be for me. The tires are tubless! I'll probably get a flat 5mins out :)
fastpedaller
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Location: Norfolk

Re: fix front brake

Post by fastpedaller »

mattsccm wrote: 13 Sep 2022, 5:48pm Bog standard allen key/recessed fitting. Neater than the older type with a bolt through the fork and a nut at the back. Been the norm for decades.
And no use if you want to fit a mudguard!
steverod
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Joined: 23 Jul 2022, 8:02am

Re: fix front brake

Post by steverod »

The strange thing is the bike shop swore my new brake was a back one (see pic above). From what I've learned here it's a front recessed one. Is that right?
rareposter
Posts: 1994
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: fix front brake

Post by rareposter »

steverod wrote: 14 Sep 2022, 4:26pm The strange thing is the bike shop swore my new brake was a back one (see pic above). From what I've learned here it's a front recessed one. Is that right?
I don't think so, I'm sure you've got a rear caliper.
The brake bridge to mount a caliper on the rear is much thinner than the crown of the fork so - given that both bolts are recessed - you need two bolt lengths. Front caliper bolts (and the 5mm "nut" that screws onto it) are much longer than the rear bolt and nut.
See it on this image - there are no visible bolts holding the brakes, they're "within" the brake bridge at the rear and the crown at the front and you can see that the fork crown is much thicker so needs a longer bolt.

Image

steverod wrote: 14 Sep 2022, 4:16pm They didn't advise it but said the only option for this fork is a long bolt caliper through to the back. I'll do that and if I enjoy riding it I'll get a new fork.
I would not be drilling that unicrown fork, I'd be buying a proper fork to begin with and keeping the one you currently have in perfect condition. Worst case, you wreck that fork (and/or the brake doesn't fit) and you then have to buy a new fork anyway.
Jupestar
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Re: fix front brake

Post by Jupestar »

steverod wrote: 14 Sep 2022, 4:26pm The strange thing is the bike shop swore my new brake was a back one (see pic above). From what I've learned here it's a front recessed one. Is that right?
Pretty sure its a rear. Looks too short for a front. What brand is it? Where did you buy it?
steverod
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Joined: 23 Jul 2022, 8:02am

Re: fix front brake

Post by steverod »

Cheap from ebay.
mattsccm
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Re: fix front brake

Post by mattsccm »

"And no use if you want to fit a mudguard!" :lol:
Surely , if possible you would mount the guard in front of the fork? Thats gives a bit more front coverage and it's easier to extend at the back. You'll be doing that any way as no mudgaurds have enough of a rear flap.
mattsccm
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Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: fix front brake

Post by mattsccm »

"It is a unicrown fork. I have never seen a unicrown fork of that type fitted with a caliper brake by a bike manufacturer"
I have. Several. Probaly cheap kit as that's where you usually see then on raod bikes but several have passed through my hands over he years. At least one had a recessed brake as shown by the OP.
Now, if he had asked about the fork I would be asking its origins, not the brake.
Barrowman
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Re: fix front brake

Post by Barrowman »

Plus one for the advice not to drill a unicrown fork yourself.
And plus one for the fact your brake is almost certainly a rear and not a front
If you turn the fork upside down and offer the brake up underneath with the Allen Nut screwed on a thread or two it should bridge across the depth of the fork. But I would fight the temptation to use it.
rareposter
Posts: 1994
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: fix front brake

Post by rareposter »

mattsccm wrote: 15 Sep 2022, 6:35am Now, if he had asked about the fork I would be asking its origins, not the brake.
An awful lot of technical questions on this forum follow the same format of providing near zero initial information then drip feeding it in over successive posts and it really doesn't help answer the question.

Here the OP has only later revealed it's a track bike fork, the brake caliper is some random thing off eBay and there's still no info on why that particular undrilled unicrown fork is being tried instead of a proper road fork ready for a front brake...?

It's all very confusing.

I've seen similar with questions like
"what gears do I need to ride up hills?" or
"there's a click on my bike, what could it be?"
with zero other info provided to actually help answer. Weird.

OP: I'm assuming that you have a track bike and you'd like to make it road legal by putting a front brake on it?
Or are you building up a winter fixie from a frame, fork and parts and these are just the random bits you've acquired?

Frankly it would be a lot easier and cheaper, not to mention far safer, buying a proper road fork with the relevant mountings already in place. PlanetX sell new carbon road forks for £90, you can often pick them up for nearer £50.

Or there's options like this:
https://www.bricklanebikes.co.uk/blb-track-fork-cream
steverod
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Joined: 23 Jul 2022, 8:02am

Re: fix front brake

Post by steverod »

Thanks for the links. It is a track bike. There's every chance I'll ride it once and not like the experience so I don"t want to spend much. Saying that, £50 for the appropriate fork sounds a good deal.
Mike Sales
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Re: fix front brake

Post by Mike Sales »

steverod wrote: 15 Sep 2022, 11:05am Thanks for the links. It is a track bike. There's every chance I'll ride it once and not like the experience so I don"t want to spend much. Saying that, £50 for the appropriate fork sounds a good deal.
Don't give up on it after only one ride. Riding fixed is something you might grow to like as you get more at ease in the saddle. It's a bit of an acquired taste.
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It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
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