Need a front brake on springer forks?

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jimthebarron

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May 27, 2011
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Hi,

I have just bought a Nirve Skulls with springer forks.

I am putting an 80cc engine on it and I need it to stop!

What options do I have?

Cheers Jim
 
Last edited:
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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northeastern Minnesota
Not all of us are familiar with that bike and it's springer setup. It would help to have a picture to look at.

Yes, you need a front brake. I had a Schwinn springer fork and made up a V brake setup using a unit I hacked off of adump bike and then modified a little to fit on the Schwinn. Worked quite well and cost almost nothing. I sold the bike a few years ago and don't know that I have photos accessible. Anyway, post a photo.
SB
 
F

FMB42

New Member
Sep 27, 2013
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Glad to see that you're thinking "brakes" before you build Jim.

Like SilverBear says, you need a front brake. I'm sorry to say that I don't know anything about your forks (your bike, or anything for that matter). However, take a look at what Custom Motored Bikes offers in the way of brakes (they have disc brake caliper and wheel hub adapters, etc, that might work out for you at a reasonable cost and effort).

Otherwise, I'd swap the fork out for something you can attach a brake too. Btw, my favorite brake for the money is the Avid BB5. This brake system is affordable, easy to adjust, and stops my 210 pounds of lard quickly and controllably from 30+ mph.
 
wheelbender6

wheelbender6

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Sep 4, 2008
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They are required to have a front brake in some parts of the UK on bicycles. When using a springer fork, they will mount a front caliper brake on the steering tube where it extends below the frame head tube. In the pic below, a caliper brake could be mounted where the fender is attached. Not a perfect setup. The front wheel moves fore and aft a bit as the fork compresses.
 
BigBlue

BigBlue

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Nov 29, 2011
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Wow, those are some wide tires. My guess is 3.0 inches. It's going to be hard to find some caliper brakes to work with the width of the tire and fender.

Look for calipers that are made for balloon tires and fenders. Tektro C326 might work.

Chris
AKA: BigBlue
 
F

FMB42

New Member
Sep 27, 2013
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BigBlue said:
Wow, those are some wide tires. My guess is 3.0 inches. It's going to be hard to find some caliper brakes to work with the width of the tire and fender.

Chris
AKA: BigBlue
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth. Those tires gotta be 2.5 - 3 inches wide by the looks of 'em! Well, one thing's for sure Jim, you should have excellent stopping power once you get some good or better brakes on that fork.
 
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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OK Jim,
I think I have an idea how your springer is set up. From what I can see it is much like the old Schwinn springer. The bike in the pictures is a 1953 Schwinn Hornet.

I was faced with the same kind of situation you're up against and this is what I did. Before I begin, someone else may have a better solution for you. If you look to see how many posts I have you might get the idea that I am really knowledgeable. Nope, I keep learning here, but am not a mechanic, not an engineer, never raced bikes and what I don't know would fill many books. I know so little that it is perhaps easier for me to think outside of the box since I don't know much about what is supposed to be inside the box, if you follow me.

In short, I'm going to share what I did and what worked for me... not to suggest this is the best way to do this or the best answer. Listen to others. What I will say in favor of this approach is that cost next to nothing and stops the bike lots better than a cantilever brake. I'm not even sure what you call this kind... a V brake I believe. I bought little U bolts for it and got some new brake pads. That's it. The brake itself was scrounged from a bike at the dump.

The photos should tell the story, but ask for clarification if you need it. Good luck to you.(cont.)
SB
 

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silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
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northeastern Minnesota
I believe I used a hand held rotary tool (like a Dremel) with a cutoff wheel to remove the front V brake hardware from the donor fork, then ground down the rough edges and painted it. Then I held the plate up against the two rod deals it was to be bolted to and marked spots to drill for the U bolts. Pretty simple.
The photos are old and the bike was sold a long time ago. So, these will have to do.
SB
 

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wheelbender6

wheelbender6

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Sep 4, 2008
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Very slick, SB! The v-brake will be far more powerful than a bmx styled caliper brake. I like the center pull v-brakes far better than the side pull vees and your mounting piece has the needed cable hanger. Amazing what can be done with an old suspension fork, a drill and some u-bolts.
 
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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northeastern Minnesota
Well, that should do it! Norm is very well thought of around here. While he is a vendor and builder of great bikes, he is also one of us... a big grinning kid on a cool motorbike. Good luck to you and let us know how things turn out... pictures, too.
SB
 
maniac57

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
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silverbear said:
OK Jim,
I think I have an idea how your springer is set up. From what I can see it is much like the old Schwinn springer. The bike in the pictures is a 1953 Schwinn Hornet.

I was faced with the same kind of situation you're up against and this is what I did. Before I begin, someone else may have a better solution for you. If you look to see how many posts I have you might get the idea that I am really knowledgeable. Nope, I keep learning here, but am not a mechanic, not an engineer, never raced bikes and what I don't know would fill many books. I know so little that it is perhaps easier for me to think outside of the box since I don't know much about what is supposed to be inside the box, if you follow me.

In short, I'm going to share what I did and what worked for me... not to suggest this is the best way to do this or the best answer. Listen to others. What I will say in favor of this approach is that cost next to nothing and stops the bike lots better than a cantilever brake. I'm not even sure what you call this kind... a V brake I believe. I bought little U bolts for it and got some new brake pads. That's it. The brake itself was scrounged from a bike at the dump.

The photos should tell the story, but ask for clarification if you need it. Good luck to you.(cont.)
SB
Click to expand...

Very ingenuous! Excellent installation for builders without access to a welder.
Looks to me like this setup would function every bit as well as a stock V-brake bike.
Kudos to thinking outside the box!
 
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
SlowBalt said:
Your easiest way out would be a front drum from husky. $120 + shipping.
Click to expand...
Of course we're talking about a Nirve here and not an old Schwinn springer fork, so it might well work. As I recall I tried fitting a drum brake with the Schwinn and for some reason it was not possible... don't recall why and no longer have the bike, so can't go stare at it. .. might be that it would have required opening up the axle holes more in the fork ends and there wasn't enough meat there to safely remove some. I think that was it. Don't know if the disc setup would work on the old type Schwinn or not, but they are supposed to have great stopping power. I like the traditional look of drum brakes.
SB
 
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