Converting Whiskey Fork to Rack Mounting Fork
 

I have a Kona Rove TI that I'd like to ride across the USA on, but the front forks (carbon fiber Whiskey) do not accept low rider racks. Has anyone converted such to allow for the racks? Whiskey's website shows some options with what I'll refer to as mounting points (on steel they'd be braze-ons), but they have through axles. My hubs are with skewers.

The other option I'm considering is getting a touring specific bike similar top the Kona Sutra (or a little upgraded from there, as I wouldn't mind a bit lower gearing). Maybe even a Jones Bike, but I suspect I'd be dropping speed a mile or two (unless I ride one and determine otherwise). Kind of a waste though, as my Rove is a great bike for the trip, but I really want to put some weight in front, as opposed to all on the back (did that for many tours years ago and while I made it fine, there is a better way).

Thank you.

What do you mean by "convert"?

If you want to alter your fork, I'd recommend not disturbing the structure, but sanding off the paint and bonding a mounting point in front of the fork with carbon tow wrapped around the leg.


But that doesn't mean the fork will ride nice loaded because the geometry of this bike doesn't sound like it was intended for that weight in front.

Convert = new fork. I would not feel comfortable/safe modifying the form.

I am concerned that a new fork that meets my needs will still not change the bike to handle weight further forward - like you mentioned. Before I finalized my conclusions I'd probably talk to Kona (or Lynskey, the frame builder).

Another option is the Fuji Touring Disc LTD, or KHS TR 101

Generally speaking, decreasing the trail by increasing the rake makes front loads handle better. It would be easy enough to get a longer rake fork and try it, if you don't mind the expense.

Best carbon fork for bike packing or touring, or call it what you want, on the market ;)

https://www.rodeo-labs.com/product-category/forks/

I assume you will end up buying a fork. Maybe new, maybe used.

How much weight do you think you would have on the bike. My titanium bike (Lynskey Backroad) handles a load great, but some titanium bikes would be too soft. I am not familiar with your bike.

Do you need mounting points for a low rider rack or do you need mounting points for cargo cages? I do not need to know the answer, but you should know before you go shopping.

If you know the length from the axle to the fork crown race and if you know the fork rake, you could shop around for a steel fork that has the brazons that you need that has specifications similar to what you already have. And of course you would want one to match your wheel axle type and brake type.

If you wanted to be able to use either fork later on the bike, you should get a new headset race and install that on the fork you get instead of removing your old race.

When I bought my Lynskey frame, their fork cost over $300, but I had a steel fork in storage that had specifications that were a very close match to their fork. So I built up the bike with that fork that I already had. That is why my Lynskey has disc brake in back, V brake in front. I was starting with a bare frame, so I was not locked into details like brake type.

If there is a bike charity or a bike coop in your community, they might have some used forks for sale.

I know I did not answer your specific question, but just throwing some ideas that might help you out.

Regarding speed, once you load down a bike with camping gear, etc., having a titanium touring bike is real bling. But if that titanium meant that your bike was only 3 pounds lighter than steel, the speed will be almost exactly the same because your bike will be almost as heavy. I am very happy that I built up my titanium bike, but I did not expect it to be faster or lighter when touring.

That is good information. I would like to make room for a low rider rack (I have already), but getting a little more bias towards up front would be a bonus. Looks like they have three options for rake.

I cannot seem to find the current rake data for my Rove, but will keep searching. The frame and forks are about 15 years old, so hard to pick up from current sources.

UPDATE: 45mm is the fork rake. So, if I went with a 48mm (from the company str pointed out below) I'd be moving in a direction more suited for what I'm talking about. Agreed?

I travel quite light, so not a ton of weight on the bike. I'm not interested in speed per se I threw that out earlier of course), but better said just a bike that feels efficient. Some have much more upright riding position, wider flat bars, larger and heavier tires, and even much heavier frames (setting up a big contrast of course) and I find that all adds up to a bike that just doesn't feel fun to ride. I know I could cross the country on an old Huffy, but I prefer something more refined/efficient.

Thank you!!

I'll study those. Quick glance shows one with skewers. I just looked at/rode the new Trek Checkpoint and at $6700 I think a sub $500 fork sounds like a better option.

Looks like they have three options for rake. 45, 48, and 50mm. Am I right to assume the 50 is more rake than the 45 and 48?

https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/fork-offset-head-angle-trail-342679

https://www.theproscloset.com/blogs/news/why-mountain-bike-use-reduced-offset-forks

I would chose an offset what gives me a low trail. for more easy steering with front load.
The great thing about the Rodeo fork is that all three leg eyelets pass the fork leg.

Although one could not mount a low rider rack like a Tubus Tara OMM has mounts that allows mounting smaller racks to forks without mounts.
https://oldmanmountain.com/product/axle-pack-3/

Now isn't that a nifty idea! I'd even feel comfortable with those on my carbon forks, as they don't appear to scratch or nick the surface. However, they don't work with QR.:(

Such good information to help me make an informed decision. Thank you! Reading it next :thumb:

I've toured on all kinds of setups of panniers, rear only, front and rear, front and rear and other stuff on top of rear rack on long trips, bikepacking setups with much less stuff -- and my suggestion is to think about NOT going the expense route of a new fork, but some sort of handlebar mounting system-- like a revelate design harness setup like I have, or a cradle system made by a few companies.

With lighter more compact tents, sleeping quilts, camp mats nowadays, I can put all my sleep set up in my revelate harness--tent, drybag with quilt, campmat, pillow.
This frees up a bunch of space from the rear of the bike, where I have some light panniers that I put clothes in, and then a frame bag to put heavier tool items etc in.

re low gearing--- all of us who have toured a lot know that even with a medium load, having low enough gearing just makes a trip more enjoyable, so what is your bikes setup right now.
You expressed concern about your gearing, so what are the numbers? How low is your first gear in gear inches.
check out gearing charts to figure this out
Let us know if you want some help with this, as its important for you to know what your bike has as it is now, to get an idea if a cross country trip with X pounds of bike + load weight.

show us a photo of your bike and or give the gearing details

not going the "new fork" route will put money towards other mounting systems, although having front and rear panniers is also a very valid cross country touring option, especially if not on off road trails.
Its very nice to balance the load and the easy on, easy off aspect of panniers is really nice at the end of each day. Easy peasy and fast to unload and load up in morning.

you have a bunch of options, fun to discuss details if you are serious about getting other ideas.
cheers

What brand and style are your hubs? Some brands of wheels are convertible from QR to TA with a change of end caps, which would allow you to choose the fork presently offered. If you have a straight steerer fork and the new one is tapered you would need a new lower headset cup that's going to raise the front end a little. A new gravel fork might be a little longer too since people have wanted more tire clearance.

But I think if I were trying to keep this bike in service I'd go for a decauleur type bag instead of trying to install low riders

They are Sram 900s. Just spoke to the Spork (fork) staff and they are excellent to work with. So if I can only stay with QR I'd need to change the headset lower bearing to be straight. It is a tapered at present. They suggested that the 48mm offset would work well (and if I had the thru axles either the 45 of 50 (Currently they are 43).

I'm tending to agree with you on the decauleur style bag as well.

Hey djb hope your fine,
written that sounds very good, but looking at the setups here in the forum i fear he will end up with 4 full panniers and a BIG water proofed Ortlieb ROLL on top of the rear panniers ;) thats very far from going light, its lightyears away from going light. Also, maybe I really missed the pictures of light setups here.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4d8eecfe22.jpg
I have a bike specific tent now that will fit between the hoods (like the dry bag shown in the picture). The tent on the rack is gone now and I'd like to keep this area free and clear - or at least very light and small item. I wouldn't mind dropping the weight lower though.

The bike has a 34 tooth front ring and the big one in back is a 42. I don't care about the other end of the spectrum, as if I'm spun out at 22 mph that is perfectly fine with me - I'll coast after that.

I completed my last 9 day motorcycle trip with two very small bags, and an 11,000 trip that involved camping gear with two panniers and a tank bag. My pack for hiking the Rockies for multiple days was 16 pounds, including food. I typically go light.

I don't think I have enough gear to necessitate front and rear panniers. Once you add the weight of two racks and four bags to the other stuff I think it becomes inefficient.

""The bike has a 34 tooth front ring and the bib one in back is a 42""

thats some strong gearing ;) with weight on the bike. ;)) nice tires, I used them several years.

I switch bak and forth between these Schwalbe Maraton Supremes (TLE) and the Donnally gravel tires in 40mm width.

I just found out the I can swap out the QR on my Sram 900 hubs for thru-axle. That opens some doors and reduces complications. Keeping the skewers required me to change my headset from taper to straight (due to the Spork fork options) and there was only 48mm offset available. With the thru-axles I can go with 45 or 50mm, and leave the headset alone. Thank you for mentioning that Darth Lefty :thumb:

So it looks like this:
Spork Fork with eyelets and greater offset of likely 50mm;
Possibly a decauleur style rack, with square type "bag"
Off the back I'll need to think about. I like the rear rack, but maybe some very small panniers.
Possibly a long frame pack (one that allows me to keep my water bottles), but that would depend on what I end of carrying with me.

I like looking at pictures of ppl's setups. It give me good ideas. I know just about anything will work, but I like things that look good to me and function well too.

Well, a quick Google shows that those are indeed convertible-endcap hubs and with $20 in parts you can convert them to any of the axle standards

I had no idea that was possible until you wrote that earlier - thank you again.

I found some online, but now need an axle (15mm looks like). I texted Spork, as it appears as though one comes with the fork.!

given your backpacking hiking experience, that is really good that you know what light setups work for you for given temps. Being on bike, even with a light setup allows for more leeway of having a bit more clothing and space for adding in store food purchases at end of day--thats why even with a minimalist setup, its nice to have some spare room to temporarily add in groceries.

I mentioned four panniers because you asked about a fork to use a lowrider on, so thought you wanted to go that route.
Your bike with a 34 chainring and 42 cassette, along with a guess of 700x50 tires, gives a gear inch range of gearing from 23-88 gear inches. This "gear inch" term is still a good standard to look at, as you can see in black and white what your gearing is. Here is a chart with your bikes setup. I've toured a lot with varying loads, and 23 is still too high for me, its nice to get a bit lower, but having a 1x drivetrain, you are always limited in compromises.
Your 88 g.i. top gear will spin out roughly at the speed you mentioned, my touring bike has a range of about 17-103 g.i and I spin out at around 50kph, 30 mph, which is fine by me, but with a 1x, you don't really have an option if you want to lower your gearing a bit, unless you go with a bigger cassette, which will have slightly bigger jumps between shifts.
2x setups really do have the advantage here to have a wider range of gearing, but you've got what you got.

https://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=...&DV=gearInches

there are lots of smaller rear panniers available, Ortlieb even makes bikepacking rears that combined are about 25 liters, and there are numerous other brands out there also, especially with the small rear panniers becoming popular again in bikepacking.
Your frame appears to have ample room for a partial frame bag that could still allow water bottle access, again--tons of options out there you can look into. I have a couple of partial frame bags, one shorter that easily allows for one full size vertical water bottle and a slanted shorter one. The other partial frame bag is bigger and fits all the way under the toptube, limiting water bottles access, although your frame has more real estate than my frame.

the front flat rack option is also there for you as you say, and you could use the same fork.
You've got lots of options to think about, and as you say, you can choose things that work well and have a nice aesthetic also.

I'm running 40mm wide, so maybe just a little better. I'm not sure how to work that calculator, as I've seen that before. However, I'd guess that the 23 gear inches you cite would be maybe 22. Would I like a little lower, yes just in case.

I'm sorting out what I'd like the bike to look like and how I want it to feel while riding. Ortlieb Sport Packers look appealing, as does a Carradice style seat bag. I've had a Dill Pickle in the past, but that particular one needed a little more support (it got a bit too loose for my tastes).

I know its a contradiction from what I wrote earlier, but I'm even looking at a setup for large saddle bag, large bag in front (resting on a small front rack), and a frame bag like you mentioned. Maybe front low riders and saddle bag. The weight is a bit higher with the non low-rider setup, but I like the way the bike feels with the weight towards the center-line. Panniers are nice and low, but when I stand to pedal (up steeps for example) I don't have the same feel/rhythm that I like while riding a bicycle. Have you noticed that?

I'm having fun with it though. We are fortunate to have so many options. Also, I'm happy that I've tested so much and found that I'm very happy with less. I was looking at my 16 pound kit played out one morning in the Rockies and saw a couple of things I could do without. After getting caught in a hail and rain storm at 11,000 feet though, I thought an emergency set of warm clothes would be smart. I enjoy traveling less when I have more to organize and keep track of. Got back early August from a week in the north Georgia mountains, and if it weren't for multiple saws and support gear (I hike and volunteer to clear trails for the TNGA), I'd have only one daypack full of my things (drove my Jeep to the area).

BTW - The guy I'm working with at Spork Forks is excellent - very helpful. I have a couple of suggestions for their website, as the explanations of their products are hard to follow. However, when I speak to them, all is clear though.

A few notes on a Carradice bag:
.

1. They used to be expensive, and that was before tariffs. Now if you can find someone in UK to ship one to you, probably even more expensive.
2. I do not like the way the bag hits my legs as I pedal, I used a stem with appropriate shim on the seatpost and a wood dowel (sprayed black) to push the bag further back, see photo below.
3. I tried a piece of cardboard inside the bag to give it more structure, worked great, so I later replaced that with a piece of coroplast to be more permanent if it gets wet. I put several creases in it. The coroplast is not attached to the bag, just in it loose, see photo, disregard the banana case.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...435f72e765.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...42bc651d64.jpg

With the Coroplast above, the bag has plenty of structure, does not sag like a wet pillow case.

The bag shown above is a Carradice Pendle, too small for bike touring. Photos below show a Nelson Long Flap. In this case the bag was supported from the bottom with the two panniers.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...925a62646e.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7940f45171.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e1434b2964.jpg

The only thing that I do not like about the Carradice bag is that it is the opposite of quick release, it takes several minutes to attach it and several minutes to detach it every day.

Someone on this forum has done extremely light weight touring with a large Carradice bag, his name on this forum is Nun. With a search you might find some of his past posts. I just did a quick search, here is one post:
https://www.bikeforums.net/18999363-post12.html

And another:
https://www.bikeforums.net/21164526-post12.html