Midblade fork adapter (small)

thingiverse

Emulates the functionality of: http://surlybikes.com/parts/all/front_mid_blade_mount_kit P-clamps U-bolts http://thetouringstore.com/thetouringstore/tubus-bicycle-racks-for-touring-and-commuting/tubus-fit-solutions/ "Tubus Aluminum Alloy Fork Mounting Kit" for mounting front racks on forks that do not have eyelets in the middle of the fork length. These racks could be used for panniers, potentially. The pieces could be sensitive to the compressive forces introduced by the screws. Be careful. Remember that the lower eyelet on the forks (for fenders, etc.) should always be present & should take most of the load. This piece only prevents rotation about the wheel axis. It might bear some up/down load, but only as a bonus. This is the small version for small-diameter forks. Think road forks. I have another version for much larger diameter mountain forks that has more features. Unless I get enough interest, I'm not going to apply these features to this smaller version. I'll explain the features in the post of the larger version. Bonus: these might also work for rear racks if your seatstays are small enough. I might make a version of these explicitly for that purpose if I get enough interest. How I Designed This Why I think this design is better than the alternatives listed above (although I haven't tested all of them): The Surly version is quick & easier to install, but lacks the security of nylon locknuts. This is a must for touring, unless you like retightening the bolts every so often & potentially losing hardware due to vibration. P-clamps: they're okay. Still would add inner tube shims to prevent paint rub-off. U-bolts: very secure, but very ugly & out of place. The ones that come with the Nashbar front rack are rubber-coated, but still rubbed off a lot of paint on my fork over 6300 miles or so. Add inner tube shims. The Tubus version is slimmer & nicer in this regard (metal, so can use less material). But the through or blind hole in the center makes it impossible to use nylon locknuts (see Surly). If it's a through hole & the bolt is too long, you might unknowingly barrel the bolt straight into your fork. If it's a blind hole & the bolt is too long, you might bottom out & not know you don't have enough torque. I guess you could use red/blue Loctite threadlocker, but I'm a fan of permanent-until-you-don't-want-it-to-be solutions, like locknuts. Assembly & Materials 1 piece has through-holes, the other has nut insets. The nutted piece goes on the inboard (wheel side) of the fork. Use nylon locknuts. Use fairly long 4 mm screws to attach. You can add spacers on the outboard sides so that the pannier hooks don't gouge your fork's paint. Use inner tube shims to increase friction & provide a better custom fit.