Front Rack Fork End Solution.

General Help
1

Currently trying to find a solution to a front rack problem.

Customer has bought VO rack. VO Porteur Rack

The fork has not eyelets to take a rack and its bolt up axle not QR. I have been scanning the internet for half hour or so and am yet to find a solution i am happy with. Ideally I am looking for a fake stainless fork end with and inch of length on it. Looking to bolt the legs of the rack directly onto the stainless fork end and then mount the fork end on the axle and get rid of the washer.

Anyone else got any ideas or can point me in the right direction.

  • Gypsy
2

Fancy: Laser cut a “Y” piece out of 1-2mm stainless plate that bolts to two holes on the rack tangs and has a washer sized open section.
Ghetto: Rough cut / file & finish the above out of whatever steel plate you have handy.
Super ghetto: P-Clamps low on the fork blades.

3

The SOMA Porteur rack comes with some polished fork end adaptors.

Perhaps you could order those separately and fit them somehow?

4

Get some fork ends out of a Frame builders kit and drill them for the rack mount. Remove washers from wheel and bolt up both fork ends.

5

They’ll be far too thick. You’d need a longer axle to do this.

The reversible fork from the Soma rack is a great solution

6

can’t seem to find the soma fork ends individually! Thinking i’ll be making up my own.

7

Get a new fork with eyelets and more rake to better balance the weight whilst you’re at it.

If the owner is too precious to swap out for the appropriate fork then he’s attaching the porteur rack to the wrong bike and the compromised solution will result in a compromised ride/handling with load. Lose/Lose & money/time spent.

Compromises

8

tie wire and cable ties…>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Weld a strip of steel to a washer that fits over axle, drill two holes in strip to connect to rack mount. Paint finished adaptor piece, put leather/rubber washers in between rack and adaptor piece to prevent galvitic corrosion. If having a full washer is inconvenient for mounting rack to axle, then cut out the end to form a wye. Otherwise just get strip of steel, even stainless, thats wide enough and drill one large and two small holes.

9

What Spirito said +1.
The customer has spent some serious coin on that rack.
If the customer wants to use the rack (rather than just look at it), then get fork that’ll allow the rack to be fitted properly and used safely.
You may be able to get a suitable fork second hand, but it’ll be worth it even if you have to buy new.
Get a chrome fork and you won’t need to re-paint. Chrome will also look great with that rack.

10

Buy a cheap Wald basket and use the arms from that.

I am sure that up until recently Cetma was suing them also for his racks

11

Not changing forks. Sticking with the original plan. Rack is going on the customers wife’s weekender, for the markets and occasional ride. The rides will be short and not hauling massive weight. Going to make up a set of reversible fork ends like the soma ones.

12

What about these? Not sure if long enough or strong enough.

Fender Stay Mount for eyeletless frames- 10mm - Hardware - Fenders - Accessories

13

Definitely not strong enough.

14

Well not definitely, would be adequate for a bunch of flowers and one cup cake.

You could double them up, or failing that just make your own out of thicker plate.

15

Also there is only one hole for the rack to mount to. You’d want 2-3 mm thk. steel sheet minimum i would think. Wouldn’t take a great deal of time to make some but why TF doesnt Velo Orange make these already???

I’d be a-email’n…