Is it sketchy to mount struts for a rack to the inside of the mid-fork eyelets instead of the outside? Spokes pass the head of the bolt with .5” clearance.
It’d make me nervous if it was mine. A suggestion, though: swapping out your cap-head bolts for something with lower clearance (e.g., flat or pan head bolts) might help.
KimJongSkill492 on
I wouldn’t ride it tbh, and I ride some sketchy stuff. If it’s a thru axle wheel with disc brakes maybe. But a QR/Rim brake wheel is asking for trouble. Can you find a rack that mounts on the brake posts? I’d personally recommend a sunlite gold tech rack!
Satyr_Janus_Ajax on
So you’ve got mid-fork braze-ons on the *inside* of the fork, but not on the outside, correct?
What rack are you trying to install?
skinnypenis09 on
Guys, 0.5in is 12.7mm ON EACH SIDE. Unless your wheel is seriously out of true, you won’t have any issues.
Idk why 5mm of tire clearance is completely acceptable but 12.7mm of spokes clearance is an accident waiting to happen.
Moist_Raspberry_6929 on
You can flush head bolts
chimi_hendrix on
Are the stays reversed? Seems like they could reach the other side of the fork blade if swapped / rotated?
WHATEVERRRBRO on
No, it’s not sketchy. It’s perfectly fine. If you’re ever worried about wheel clearance you can always push on the wheel with your hand to see how much it might flex. I would stick a short screw in the empty hole though, to prevent dirt and water ingress.
St_Kilda on
My bike has the same and I had a front rack installed for a year without any issue.
Velocidal_Tendencies on
Those are braze-ons for fenders, not racks. Im not your dad, or your mum, Im not here to tell you what to do.
I will tell you that in all the jerry-rigging Ive done I would not ride a bike with a rack mounted to the inner fender mounts.
TheNetworkIsFrelled on
13mm per side is FINE.
If it weren’t, racks like the Tubus Duo wouldn’t work at all they they do work brilliantly.
Longjumping_Work3789 on
I would do it. Maybe use some lock washers and threadlock, and check the bolts regularly. It’s not like tire clearance. Rack bolts do come undone from rattling around. If a bolt popped and a strut were to get snagged in the front spokes it could do some damage.
BrightDamage8260 on
could always use a bolt with a smaller head, this is no more sketchy than if a brake caliper or pad came loose for those concerned, that said ive ridden bikes 35 years and dont recall any bolts ever just randomly comming loose.
skeletorlaugh on
I think it’s fine, but you could always get button head bolts, that would trim it down even more.
metalpossum on
Use button head screws with Loctite, they’re a lower profile head.
Magpiecicle on
As others said, loctite and you’ll be fine.
Remember that loctite is available in different strengths, red is a strong one and will be overkill for tiny bolts like these (you’ll probably snap them if you need to remove in future)
I’d suggest loctite purple for such small fasteners, or blue if you can’t find purple available.
Kyro2354 on
Can anyone answer why there’s eyelets on the inside of the fork? I’ve never seen that before except for maybe disc brakes
16 Comments
It’d make me nervous if it was mine. A suggestion, though: swapping out your cap-head bolts for something with lower clearance (e.g., flat or pan head bolts) might help.
I wouldn’t ride it tbh, and I ride some sketchy stuff. If it’s a thru axle wheel with disc brakes maybe. But a QR/Rim brake wheel is asking for trouble. Can you find a rack that mounts on the brake posts? I’d personally recommend a sunlite gold tech rack!
So you’ve got mid-fork braze-ons on the *inside* of the fork, but not on the outside, correct?
What rack are you trying to install?
Guys, 0.5in is 12.7mm ON EACH SIDE. Unless your wheel is seriously out of true, you won’t have any issues.
Idk why 5mm of tire clearance is completely acceptable but 12.7mm of spokes clearance is an accident waiting to happen.
You can flush head bolts
Are the stays reversed? Seems like they could reach the other side of the fork blade if swapped / rotated?
No, it’s not sketchy. It’s perfectly fine. If you’re ever worried about wheel clearance you can always push on the wheel with your hand to see how much it might flex. I would stick a short screw in the empty hole though, to prevent dirt and water ingress.
My bike has the same and I had a front rack installed for a year without any issue.
Those are braze-ons for fenders, not racks. Im not your dad, or your mum, Im not here to tell you what to do.
I will tell you that in all the jerry-rigging Ive done I would not ride a bike with a rack mounted to the inner fender mounts.
13mm per side is FINE.
If it weren’t, racks like the Tubus Duo wouldn’t work at all they they do work brilliantly.
I would do it. Maybe use some lock washers and threadlock, and check the bolts regularly. It’s not like tire clearance. Rack bolts do come undone from rattling around. If a bolt popped and a strut were to get snagged in the front spokes it could do some damage.
could always use a bolt with a smaller head, this is no more sketchy than if a brake caliper or pad came loose for those concerned, that said ive ridden bikes 35 years and dont recall any bolts ever just randomly comming loose.
I think it’s fine, but you could always get button head bolts, that would trim it down even more.
Use button head screws with Loctite, they’re a lower profile head.
As others said, loctite and you’ll be fine.
Remember that loctite is available in different strengths, red is a strong one and will be overkill for tiny bolts like these (you’ll probably snap them if you need to remove in future)
I’d suggest loctite purple for such small fasteners, or blue if you can’t find purple available.
Can anyone answer why there’s eyelets on the inside of the fork? I’ve never seen that before except for maybe disc brakes