Cyclocross - Poprad Brake Questions

For an '06 Poprad with cantilever brakes:

1) Where would you mount a Harris fork crown housing stop on the Poprad? I've heard they help reduce brake chatter. How do they mount?
2) For the brake pads, should I use threaded post brake shoes like the Kool Stop Mountain Salmon or Dual Compound Mountain for the Avid Shorty 4's?
3) If I wanted to ditch the front cantis altogether, what long reach brakes would work?

Also - anyone ever changed out the front aluminum forks?

Try a carbon fork... I have an 06' Poprad myself and just put a Winwood Dusty on the other day. The difference is phenominal. The bike tracks much better and is alot more comfortable. It really compliments the steel frame. As for the pads... I'm using threaded mountain style Aztecs which seem to be better than the stock ones that came on the Avids.

The fork crown cable stop mounts on the fork crown! :^) Specifically the hole in the fork crown-- it's typically used to mount a fender, rack, etc. I've not ever read any evidence-- even from proponents of the gizmo-- that indicates exactly why this would work and user reprots (what few there have been) have always been mixed. Personally i think it's a myth that this would solve any brake chatter.

I've had great success on my 06 Poprad using Kool-Stop's dual-compound "Mtn. Pads".

The original Avid pads were horrible and the squeal and chatter during braking was significant. After changing to the Kool-Stop pads the problem was all but eliminated.

After a season of heavy use-- mud, grit, sand, rain, puddles, mud bogs in cyclocross racing-- some degree of squeal/chatter returned. Readjusting the toe-in on the pads took care of the problem.

I still experience some squeal and a little chatter on occasion but not even at a tenth of what it was like with the Avid brake pads.

Yeah....the chatter and squealing is not something I have experienced on a road bike (except for the time in 1977 before a race I prepped my bike and got WD-40 all over pads and I squealed and squeaked down every hill - embarrassing but not dangerous).

I may ditch the canti on front altogether and go to a long reach brake in front, and probably a steel or carbon fork, too.

Replace the cantis with a long reach (caliper) in the front? Why would you want to do that?

Front end squeal and chatter is not specific to the Poprad or even cyclocross bikes. Back in the late 80's and throughout the 90's that was something that every mountain biker had to deal with. It's an issue that's been around as long as cantilever brakes.

It's probably more pronounced now because frames are much lighter than they were 15-20 years ago.

Because the bike will be used 85% of the time on the road. I really wanted the bike for days when it is wet outside or I want to ride the trails through the park instead of the road - I won't do any cross racing. For me, the canti front is more a hassle than an asset. The bike with a cross fork gives me good clearance for larger tires - but the canti brakes don't do anything for me. Long reach dual pivot in front will be just fine on the road and for the few miles I'll do on the trails and such. Plus I'm old school - when I see an aluminum fork I think Lambert Death Forks !!!