Has anybody ever had any problems with the forks on older rigid mtbs being too flexy after having disc brake tabs brazed onto them?

A (new) cautious frame builder has said he’d rather not fit some to my bike because of the risk of the forks not being strong enough.

His work looks really good and high quality, like he has an eye for detail in making things ‘properly’, so i’m not going to name him, some caution is generally a good thing.

Just wondering if anybody’s ever had any problems?

If not i’ll just go somewhere else, and maybe get a nice frame built by the cautious fellow sometime.

Ta,

Tim

i have seen a set of forks snap after having a disc tab brazed on. the for was never designed to take the stresses and strains associated with disc brakes.

Depends on the fork, really – old Project2s, no worries, old skinny things with brazed crowns maybe not.

1″ or 1 1/8″ headset?

TimothyD – Member

Has anybody ever had any problems with the forks on older rigid mtbs being too flexy after having disc brake tabs brazed onto them?

A (new) cautious frame builder has said he’d rather not fit some to my bike because of the risk of the forks not being strong enough.

I’ve been told this but done it anyway without issue, I didn’t use the forks for years tho.

Bit of bracing should help.

What are you going to brace it against – the down tube? 🙂

Thanks for the info re the forks snapping, seems like the guy is right to be cautious.

Ta,

Tim

bencooper – Member

What are you going to brace it against – the down tube?

I was thinking of triangulating the brace along the fork leg – obvious, is it not? 😛

The forks are from the early to mid ninties with a brazed crown and a 1 inch fork steerer with curved fork legs.

Think i’ve decided against it though.

I test fitted a disc wheel with 160 rotor fitted to similar forks you to that you mention and the wheel wouldnt go in the forks anyway due to the rotor hitting the legs.

The forks are from the early to mid ninties with a brazed crown and a 1 inch fork steerer with curved fork legs.

I wouldn’t put a disc mount on forks like that either. My worry is not so much them snapping – though that’s a possibility – it’s that they could bend far enough to twist the wheel out, a la Allan.