Fork Braze-on for Low Rider Rack?
 

I'm going to have a frame builder add through-holes on the fork legs of my '83 Specialized Sequoia for a front rack. (Yes, I know I can use clamps and that's what I'm already doing). There seem to be two different styles of through-holes, threaded and unthreaded. The unthreaded is just a hole through the fork leg, and would require a bolt to go completely through the rack and fork leg. The threaded style looks like a bottle cage braze-on on each side of the fork leg, so that a bolt can be screwed into each side of the fork leg. I have the threaded style on another bike, a Curtlo mtb. The frame builder whose going to do this work is only familiar with the unthreaded through-hole. Does it make any real difference which style I get? Thanks.

I've been thinking about drilling a hole on each fork, of my modified rigid MTB, to mount a low rider rack with a bolt through the fork. Since it's steel it should work fine as long as I seal it from rust. I too would be interested in others' opinions.

I have an 1984 Specialized Expedition and it has the unthreaded version. If you want to use the Blackburn Custom lowriders on it, I would suggest the unthreaded, since they require the hole completely through the fork. Although the Custom lowriders are out of production, they seem to be on eBay quite frequently. I used them on my bike and they worked well and are pretty light for a front rack.

If you are contemplating other types of front racks, it probably doesn't make much difference which way you go.

Both the threaded and unthreaded through-holes goes all the way through the fork leg.

Yes, I'm going to use the Blackburn Custom Lowriders, purchased off eBay. I have that rack on my other bike with the threaded through-hole and it works perfectly, but uses two bolts, one threaded into each fork leg.

Kind of sounds like either method will work.