fit disc brake on front wheel

generalcyclist

hybrid bike (racer with flatbar)
want to fit a disc brake to front wheel
will an 'adapter fitting' do ?
or
do I need ...
A new fork
A new wheel
both
anything else ? (e.g. will current brake shifters do ?)

The Rookie

Fork with disc brake mounts, front wheel, front brake including disc and bolts and any adaptor to the fork you have.

Brakes come in two common mounting, IS (International Standard) where the boles in the fork are unthreaded and 'across' the fork parallel to the wheel axle, and PM (Post Mount) where the hole is threaded and the holes point towards the rear of the bike.

If you bolt an IS calliper to an IS fork you don't need an adaptor for 160mm disc (fine for a commuter), likewise if you fit a PM calliper to a PM fork, otherwise adaptors are available to work with most combinations.

generalcyclist

Thanks. So I would need a new fork, wheel and brake lever ?
I was hoping an adapter on my current fork (no disc brake mounts) and hub(?) would do, but I guess not.
I'm pretty clueless.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19765271#p19765271]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

Fork with disc brake mounts, front wheel, front brake including disc and bolts and any adaptor to the fork you have.

Brakes come in two common mounting, IS (International Standard) where the boles in the fork are unthreaded and 'across' the fork parallel to the wheel axle, and PM (Post Mount) where the hole is threaded and the holes point towards the rear of the bike.

If you bolt an IS calliper to an IS fork you don't need an adaptor for 160mm disc (fine for a commuter), likewise if you fit a PM calliper to a PM fork, otherwise adaptors are available to work with most combinations.

The Rookie

I'm not aware of any adaptor to put disc brakes onto a non disc brake fork, for starters the fork may not be strong enough to take the loading which is put into the fork in a very different place to a rim brake.

generalcyclist

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19766024#p19766024]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

I'm not aware of any adaptor to put disc brakes onto a non disc brake fork, for starters the fork may not be strong enough to take the loading which is put into the fork in a very different place to a rim brake.

OK thanks
I thought this would be the case but when a novel cyclist it's hard to know what the latest is.
I was looking at these disc brakes
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/front-hydraulic-disc-brake-kit-id_8244983.html
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/cable-disc-brake-kit-id_8171759.html

The Rookie

Hydraulic discs are inherently more reliable than cable but are harder to fix if something does go wrong, cable need some TLC and occasional adjustment to keep running at their best.

Best price you'll get
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-deore-m447-disc-brake-caliper/rp-prod119952 they slao do the SLX trecking for a little more.

generalcyclist

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19766252#p19766252]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

Hydraulic discs are inherently more reliable than cable but are harder to fix if something does go wrong, cable need some TLC and occasional adjustment to keep running at their best.

Best price you'll get
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-deore-m447-disc-brake-caliper/rp-prod119952 they slao do the SLX trecking for a little more.

ok thanks
I will keep this thread in mind

Pufftmw

I did this conversion to my Ghost last year and used one of these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kinesis-cx-dc37-carbon-road-fork-disc-mount/ and then fitted Shimano hydraulics with a 160mm disc for the rest. Wheel was a Shimano disc specific.

That fork has good clearance and a mounting point for front mudguards.

Its not a cheap conversion but so much better to know you're going to stop when you grab a handful. As a slight bonus, when dry I rarely use the rear, so that's increased the longevity of that wheel. Only issue I've had is noise but that is just a matter of adjustment.

generalcyclist

thanks. that's what I have in mind.

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19774575#p19774575]Pufftmw[/url] wrote:

I did this conversion to my Ghost last year and used one of these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kinesis-cx-dc37-carbon-road-fork-disc-mount/ and then fitted Shimano hydraulics with a 160mm disc for the rest. Wheel was a Shimano disc specific.

That fork has good clearance and a mounting point for front mudguards.

Its not a cheap conversion but so much better to know you're going to stop when you grab a handful. As a slight bonus, when dry I rarely use the rear, so that's increased the longevity of that wheel. Only issue I've had is noise but that is just a matter of adjustment.

The Rookie

Look at the Mosso forks on ebay, start at £40, not carbon but the that's a lot cheaper!

generalcyclist

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19775181#p19775181]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

Look at the Mosso forks on ebay, start at £40, not carbon but the that's a lot cheaper!

Thanks. I would prefer carbon but as you say other types will be cheaper

I guess there aren't that many race bike forks meant for disc mounts currently ? Decathlon don't seem to have any disc-brake race bikes yet (or at least the front)

generalcyclist

would this be any use ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HOT-Carbon-Fiber-Fixed-Gear-Bicycle-Front-Fork-for-V-Disc-brake-28-6mm-51IL-/262072348671

What specs are important ?
i.e. head fitting (race bike)
wheel size (mine 700c)

I presume a MTB fork will not do

The Rookie

You need to look for CX forks really.

Specs
1/ Steerer size (1", 1 1/8" or tapered - yours is probably 1 1/8")
2/ Steerer length (long enough for your headtube+headset stack+stem height-3mm at the shortest, if you want spacers add that in as well).
3/ Axle to Crown height to maintain geometry.

Wheel size doesnt matter as a 700c and a 26" MTB tyre have a similar radius, a 29" MTB is bigger so your 700c will clearly fit anyway.

The Mosso is a Cx style fork!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mosso-Ridged-Straight-Blade-FK-M5-MTB-Fork-Black-Red-7005-3x-Butted-Heat-Treated-/191692608772?hash=item2ca1c51504:g:g2YAAOSwVL1WAAGh

You have the 2 styles of disc mount mentioned earlier, IS and PM, PM will save you about 30-35g in weight (if using a 160mm disc) as it needs no adaptor or second set of bolts.

generalcyclist

do I need to buy a 'disc' wheel ?

i.e
a disc road bike wheel (if such a thing exists)

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19775239#p19775239]The Rookie[/url] wrote:

You need to look for CX forks really.

Specs
1/ Steerer size (1", 1 1/8" or tapered - yours is probably 1 1/8")
2/ Steerer length (long enough for your headtube+headset stack+stem height-3mm at the shortest, if you want spacers add that in as well).
3/ Axle to Crown height to maintain geometry.

Wheel size doesnt matter as a 700c and a 26" MTB tyre have a similar radius, a 29" MTB is bigger so your 700c will clearly fit anyway.

The Mosso is a Cx style fork!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mosso-Ridged-Straight-Blade-FK-M5-MTB-Fork-Black-Red-7005-3x-Butted-Heat-Treated-/191692608772?hash=item2ca1c51504:g:g2YAAOSwVL1WAAGh

You have the 2 styles of disc mount mentioned earlier, IS and PM, PM will save you about 30-35g in weight (if using a 160mm disc) as it needs no adaptor or second set of bolts.

The Rookie

You will need a wheel with mountings (6 bolt or centrelock) for a disc yes, otherwise you won't have any brakes.
Either a 700c road/CX wheel or a 29er MTB wheel would be fine, if getting an MTB wheel you would want a narrowish XC type wheel.

NOTE: Disc wheel can also refer to wheels with a solid aerodynamic centre, not what you want.

Pufftmw

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19775252#p19775252]generalcyclist[/url] wrote:

do I need to buy a 'disc' wheel ?

i.e
a disc road bike wheel (if such a thing exists)

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-rx31-road-disc-brake-front-wheel-centrelock/

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-xt-saint-rt81-ice-tech-cl-disc-rotor/rp-prod67209 (or similar)

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-rs785-road-disc-brake-caliper/rp-prod119978

I also got hydraulic/cable STI hoods but not applicable for you, so any decent hydraulic lever