Vintage Whizzer, springer forks, drum brake

MaxGlide

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Hello All,

Ok, I have a Whizzer motor on a Elgin frame and it came with Cleveland Welding Shockmaster forks (post war).

I would like to put a drum brake on the front but I've read that this type of springer fork is really not recommended.

So I'm wondering what are good options for front forks that would be ok with a drum brake? Original Elgin forks? Ambassador type forks? Repops?

I was thinking of the Sturmey Archer xFD drum brake.

Opinions everone'

Thanks..... Wayne
 
Hello All,

Ok, I have a Whizzer motor on a Elgin frame and it came with Cleveland Welding Shockmaster forks (post war).

I would like to put a drum brake on the front but I've read that this type of springer fork is really not recommended.

So I'm wondering what are good options for front forks that would be ok with a drum brake? Original Elgin forks? Ambassador type forks? Repops?

I was thinking of the Sturmey Archer xFD drum brake.

Opinions everone'

Thanks..... Wayne
I'd say to get a good Schwinn ("knee-action") springer fork. The modern chrome repops of this fork can vary in quality, so I'm hesitant to suggest to use it on a bike as heavy as a Whizzer. But having said that, the repop I'm using on my '46 Columbia is being used with a Sturmey Archer "Steelite" drum and has posed no problems whatsoever.
However, the original Schwinn springer forks will be stronger.
 
Here is a picture of Kilroy's 1946 Columbia.
Jim
 

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This is the Columbia springer fork from my 1950 3-Star. I have a drum brake on the wheel I'm going to use on this bike too.

Jim
 

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Now, how does that thing work?!!! If the wheel mounts to the un-sprung fork, then it would be pulling on the spring and I'm sure that it actually compresses the spring somehow. Do the bolts for the black fork go into the mounts on the un-sprung forks? Sat and studied the picture a little bit and the more I looked, the less it made sense. Thanks for any insights and cool looking forks!
 
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