I want to install my Salsa Anything Cage on the front fork on my Surly Grappler, but it juuuust won't fit as-is with the 8-pack rack I have on their. The front fork has 4 mounts and the rack is using the top mount, but I need maybe 1/8" of more clearance to mount the cage on the bottom 3 mounts.
I'm tempted to grind off a small amount of the plastic on the top of the cage to make it fit, but I am nervous that the cage would crack or break. Anyone have any ideas?
by Peinecone
13 Comments
It’ll be fine
You might be better off with the Blackburn Outpost cages., as cutting into the plastic on the Salsa will surely make it a breaking-point.
Edit-the Outposts have a cutout on the side of the mount that your front rack mount may slip into seamlessly.
If you won’t have any other use for it, may as well try and modify it to make it work! Or sell it and get something that does fit. Good luck!
I’d cut it with a multi tool (the power tool not the bike tool).
Move the rack to the holes on the inside of the fork blades. It’ll have better support at that steeper angle anyway.
Use a dremel tool to carve out the area needed. Keep a radius on your cuts. No sharp angles. It’ll be fine. Heck it’ll be awesome.
Cut or move the cage up and install on the rack mounting?
I did just this modification with a dremel abrasive wheel and my Salsa Anything cage. The brake cable on my Krampus was in the way, so I cut a small slot on the back of my cage and it’s structurally just fine.
I wouldn’t even give it a second thought.
Have you tried using a slimmer bolt?
Shims under the salsa cage on the bolt to space it so you don’t need to cut anything?
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Just grind the top. Won’t impact the cage if you grind vs cut. Dremel it down. Mount it up. And the cage will still work with any other bike.
I have modified a set of Anything HD cages before with a Dremel and they’re still going strong 8 years later.
These things are strong.
Maybe try a button head screw for the rack and some spacers for the cage?