Hi all, I've been thinking of building a kind of chopper/lowrider bike for my next bike. I've been looking at several pics getting ideas but have not been able to figure out where to get one of those beautiful springer front ends. Does anyone know? thanks..
Springer front end
- Thread starter tech2353
- Start date
You can find several of them on Ebay for about $40.00 or you can Google search for lowrider parts....or try Front Ends : Forks - Choppers U.S., LLC
Yep, thats what I was looking for, a little pricey but but whats money when you are building something of beauty. thanks for the tip. Some time ago I thought I saw a post where a fella in Decator Il, was building custom chopper bikes but can't remember if it was in this fourm or another. Maybe someone may also remember.
I was thinking about putting a springer on my Schwinn Point Beach. However, do I lose the front brake? I've seen some photos and I don't see any brakes installed...
Is it a hard conversion?
I have a caliper brake on my springer fork. It is attatched where the fender would normally mount.
changing the fork is very simple
changing the wheel is a little more involved
you need to get the hub laced to a rim (unless you can find one already built)
I believe Home - Choppers U.S., LLC has an adapter to allow a disc caliper to be mounted to a springer as well (I could have the site wrong though)
changing the wheel is a little more involved
you need to get the hub laced to a rim (unless you can find one already built)
I believe Home - Choppers U.S., LLC has an adapter to allow a disc caliper to be mounted to a springer as well (I could have the site wrong though)
Hey, got a Moondog, but just did the conversion last week. I love it!! - if you can build a bike, you can do this conversion no problem.
here is the writeup I did for my bike - prob pretty similar to yours:
Springer front end:
The ride just became much more enjoyable knowing I can ride in comfort w/out having to stress out looking for and avoid the smallest little ripple in the road.
It really does work!
Pretty easy install compared to what I read it would be like.
I needed to fabricate a spacer to go between the top of the front fork adjustment nut and the bottom of the springer mount. - no biggie. c-pic
Drilled the front to attach the support bars for the front fender.-c-pic
Brake was a little tricky. Needed to take off the front support bars to fit them into the workable space.-c-pic
YOU WILL NEED TO USE NEW BRAKES. The KMC brakes have the welded gussets on each side of the fork. You will need to purchase side pull WIDE brakes. Make sure they will fit around the fender - many do not.
Regarding the spacer I mentioned, you may not need one if you know the measurement of the fork support tube. - I didn't. But, it needs to be perfect because the front fork locknut is closed on top so you can't thread it past the threading on the front fork. - lesson learned the hard way. Also take into consideration the thickness of the top of the springer mount on the fork.
I just measured mine, and it is just over a 1/4" or exactly 9/32" - so take that into consideration to the additional length the springer fork tube will need to be.
Motoschwinn,
Not sure if the Point beach cruiser uses a gusseted fork or not, but all you need is a beach cruiser side pull brake or just something wide. BMX brakes WON'T work. A hole should already be in the fork to attach it with.
Just make sure you Loctite the adjustment bolt. Or if you have enough thread, add a Nyloc nut to the back end of the thread.
Difficulty factor to me, was way overblown. Can't beat the ride!!
Kruis'in Style,
Troy Fitz.
Couple pic's to show what I did: - hope they help!
hey,
thats the same as mine - it WILL work loose - best idea is replace the nut with a nylock or use some sort of locktite/metal glue to secure it
Symptoms are a gradually increasing shimmy on the front.. it will get to the point where it completely comes free which is *not* good..
It might have had something to do with me ending up on the floor in the middle of a three lane roundabout approach today
Jemma xx
thats the same as mine - it WILL work loose - best idea is replace the nut with a nylock or use some sort of locktite/metal glue to secure it
Symptoms are a gradually increasing shimmy on the front.. it will get to the point where it completely comes free which is *not* good..
It might have had something to do with me ending up on the floor in the middle of a three lane roundabout approach today
Jemma xx
The trouble with caliper brakes is that they are no good. You need a proper V-brake with bosses on each fork and I'm not sure where you can these. Schwinn have them on the Deluxe 7 so it can be sold in countries with laws stipulating all bikes must be sold with 2 brakes. Most cheapskate maufacturers just throw on a cheap caliper brake to save the trouble of welding bosses onto the forks. Given that so many cruisers have those wretched coaster brakes on the back, which are totally useless in terms of stopping power, the need for a really good front brake is even more important.
There is no good reason why all springers can't come with V-brake or disc brake or provision for both but the people who make bikes have little in common with the people who ride bikes and the cruiser market is driven by pubertal kids who don't really know what's good from what's bad hence the silly coaster brake on almost all cruisers.
I have seen springers with V-brake bosses as after-market parts but I don't know where they came from. Even that lovely Monarch vintage fork has no provision for brakes and it's made in either Canada or USA which shows how bad things have become in the brain department.