Threaded V Non-Threaded Forks...What the?

[go you good thing]

I want some springer forks for my 26" cruiser so I phoned my local bike shop and spoke to the guy that I bought my bike from. He said he would ring his supplier and find a price for me.

He rang back and said that he could only get 1" forks and I had 1"and 1/8th forks so he could not get them. However he did say that I could maybe find an adaptor that reduces my head stem down to 1" and then fit the 1" forks.

I then rang around and found another bike mechanic that said his supplier only sells 1" and 1/8th forks in the springer style so he would get me a price.

He then rang me back and asked me if it was threaded or not?????

I haven't pulled down a front end on a bike for years so anyone got any idea of what he is talking about?

Also has anyone heard of these size reducing adaptors :?

mmmmm.

 

[azbill]

threaded forks are held to head tube with a locking nut "threaded' on top
threadless forks are held to headtube with a bolt down center of stem

how is your stem (the part that connects handlebars to forks) attatched?

if it has a bolt in center of it, it is treadless and taking stem off will let fork fall out of headtube

if you take stem off and forks are still holding, must be threaded

hope my rambling made sense... haven't had any coffee yet

 

[OldPete]

Threadless stem.

I do recall several years ago hearing of a sleeve that increased stems from 1" to 1 1/8" but have never seen one.
Older threadless are 1", newer are 1 1/8"...Generally.

 

[iRide Customs]

Sound to me like it is a standard 1'' threaded quill style fork. I don't think I've seen anything other than that on the standard springer style fork

If anyone needs one of the shims Pete is talking about, I think I have some laying around. My local bike shop carries them.

Dan

 

[go you good thing]

Many thanks for the replies.

I now have looked at my setup and beleive I have a threaded type.

The good thing is my second supplier has the threaded 1 1/8 type as standard whereas the bike shop I purchased it from does not.

I will take my bike to the supplier this week and get a quote on some shiny new ones

Many thanks again.

This place rocks

 

[go you good thing]

Just continuing....

The springer forks do not have a hole for the caliper brake so my supplier said that a cable operated hub drum brake will be the go.

I would like a disk brake but would have to weld a bracket to the new springers so the drum was the other option.

I have not used a drum brake so is it equal in stopping power to the caliper brake or better/worse?

 

[OldPete]

Once the shoes are beded in all will be good I'm sure.
If the brake shoes had been properly arced there will be little beding in time or break in as Yanks put it.
An unmounted shoe should just rock when held inside the drum. Not much, just barely perceptible to your fingers.

 

[azbill]

I have not used a drum brake so is it equal in stopping power to the caliper brake or better/worse?

I use a drum on the front of my deviate

no rear brake
bike is very heavy (especially when I fill the 3.3gal gas tank)
always stops me with confidence 8) 8) 8)

 

[go you good thing]

Thanks azkronic.

Great news on the stopping power.

Is that a bracket that is bolted to the flat part of your forks?

It looks like it uses the same principle as a rear coaster brake.

Did you have to drill and bolt it on or did it have a hole already there?

It looks like the other side has a bracket housing for a disk brake caliper so I am guessing that your forks came ready for both types.

 

[azbill]

Thanks azkronic.

Great news on the stopping power.

Is that a bracket that is bolted to the flat part of your forks?

It looks like it uses the same principle as a rear coaster brake.

Did you have to drill and bolt it on or did it have a hole already there?

It looks like the other side has a bracket housing for a disk brake caliper so I am guessing that your forks came ready for both types.

The shape of my forks meant that I couldn't use the original brake arm retainer ... it kept sliding up, causing brake arm to rotate
my solution was to drill through brake arm and bottom triangle of forks and use a nut n bolt with washers as spacers

it does use same principle as coaster...you have to clamp the brake arm

good luck