Hey guys,
Off to Patagonia in a few days and making the final touches for my setup 🙂
I have these quick release Topeak fork bags and only one eyelet on my carbon front fork (Cube C62 Nuroad). Probably loading max 2-3kg each bag.
Just installed the mounts on the fork onto that eyelet and some plastic clamps behind some old tubes.
It feels pretty sturdy but folks seem to worry about clamping things onto carbon forks.
I think the compressive forces from the clamps should be pretty limited, but what do you guys think?
by Fistinton
5 Comments
I wouldn’t trust it. You could mount it with an Old Man Mountain Axle Pack.
I think it will *probably* be ok but it all comes down to risk appetite.
My worry wouldn’t be ‘damaging the fork’. It’s more like if you end up banging your way down a bumpy track, are you sure just one m5 bolt is definitely going to hold up to vibration and bouncing around? I would not be so sure. A carbon fork is meant to vibrate and change its shape in order to provide compliance. Are you sure one of these bags won’t end up falling down the fork and into your wheel while you’re cycling, with potentially catastrophic effect?
then again you say this is ‘final touches’ so if this is you about to fly out in a few days then it’s probably too late for much in the way of change.
At the least I’d make sure the bolts on the fork are threadlockered.
For what it’s worth I actually have cages like these on my own bicycle, but they’re fastened to the fork (mtb suspension fork) using 2 jubilee clips (‘hose clamps’) which for some people probably is too sketchy but has been OK for me, since they’re clamping onto cylinders and the fork provides compliance through its suspension system, not so much through the aluminium material itself.
If you have the money and time I’d use a solution that uses 2x bolts on the fork, such as a lowrider rack or cages designed to use 2 bolts
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cubebikes/comments/1kjyqv5/fork_cages_nuroad_pro/
Bolted on, strapped with sticky rubber, AND only 3kg?
You ll be totally fine.
Ah I suppose I could revert to those cages as well 🤔.
A lot cheaper than 140 bucks for mounts/thru-axle 😅
What about your rear fork