Disk brakes conversion possible?

[PimpMan]

I have basic frame old school beach cruiser i want to install disk brakes in the front only.

1. How to mount rotor my wheel hub is basic no thread or mounting holes it. Do i need to purchase new wheel or there's some adapter?

I found this thing it threads on the hub, am i supposed to use rear hub in the front to bolt it on?


2. Fork has no mounts for calipers i think this $6 adapter should work?

 

[Cycleops]

Certainly possible. You'll need disc hubs to be laced to your existing rims or new wheels. There are various adapters you can use to mount the callipers.
RJ the bike guy has a video on it which might be useful.


View: https://youtu.be/emW7M-ZD0Pw

 

[greenmark]

This really is a solution looking for a problem. And once you've done it you'll have other problems to contend with.

That adaptor is for converting disc hubs that take centrelock rotors to accept 6-hole disc rotors. It would not be possible to convert a normal non-disc hub to accept discs. Disc wheels have a dish to them – which means that the hub spoke flange for the disc side is in-board compared to the flange on the non-disc side. You can't move the flanges on a non-disc hub. For disc brakes you need disc-specific hubs.

As for the fork conversion, the non-disc forks are not normally engineered for the brake forces from discs. They’re engineered to have the brakes at the ends of the forks, near the rims. At best your forks will flex excessively when braking – they will feel like noodles when breaking (braking) and it will make your handling extremely difficult. At worst the forks will deform or snap.

Lastly, even if you do manage to get front discs and rear non-discs, your front/aft braking balance will be completely off, which will further make your bike difficult to handle.

EDIT: a few mea culpas for braking noodles

 

[Yellow Saddle]

This really is a solution looking for a problem. And once you've done it you'll have other problems to contend with.

That adaptor is for converting disc hubs that take centrelock rotors to accept 6-hole disc rotors. It would not be possible to convert a normal non-disc hub to accept discs. Disc wheels have a dish to them – which means that the hub spoke flange for the disc side is in-board compared to the flange on the non-disc side. You can't move the flanges on a non-disc hub. For disc brakes you need disc-specific hubs.

As for the fork conversion, the non-disc forks are not normally engineered for the brake forces from discs. They’re engineered to have the brakes at the ends of the forks, near the rims. At best your forks will flex excessively when braking – they will feel like noodles when breaking and it will make your handling extremely difficult. At worst the forks will deform or snap.

Lastly, even if you do manage to get front discs and rear non-discs, your front/aft braking balance will be completely off, which will further make your bike difficult to handle.

Ahmen.

But do a few mea culpas for those breaking noodles.

 

[Milkfloat]

I would suggest that if you want a disc braked bike, then buy one, converting another is fraught with so many problems, many listed above.

 

[ozboz]

I had this idea , but as said if you want disc brakes buy a disc brake bike, but as you only want them on the front , if you bought some forks and front wheel that were manufactured for purpose then maybe you could ,

 

[BrumJim]

Converted my bike to disc on front, callipers remaining on rear.

I bought new forks for the front, which is the most sensible way forward. The wheels must have been disc ready (new, probably). Bike shop did the conversion. There was a small problem with the mudguard stays which was resolved with a bit of bending.

The brake balance thing seems to be nonsense. Most braking is on the front anyway.

 

[Globalti]

It can work if you buy new forks from Carbon Cycles and a new wheel. But you'll also need a new right brake lever.

 

[mickle]

http://www.framebuilding.com/what.htm

 

[BrumJim]

It can work if you buy new forks from Carbon Cycles and a new wheel. But you'll also need a new right brake lever.

No change on brake lever on my bike, although I’m using cable operated brakes.

 

[Mazz]

My one and only road bike has rim brakes, only ever ridden rim brakes bikes - but then I borrowed a road bike with disk brakes and the stopping power was so much better than mine.
Are more road bikes built with disk brakes fitted as standard nowadays?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Are more road bikes built with disk brakes fitted as standard nowadays?

Yes.

 

[Mike Ayling]

Yes.

Quite hard to find a new road bike with rim brakes now.

 

[richardfm]

It can work if you buy new forks from Carbon Cycles and a new wheel. But you'll also need a new right brake lever.

Or left, depending where the OP lives and whether it was cable or hydraulic disc brakes.

 

[freiston]

Even if the intended disc caliper is cable operated and not hydraulic, the cable pull still needs to be considered and the lever needs to match the caliper.

Personally, I think it's a poor way to get disc braking - particularly in using adapters to convert forks not made or designed for disc braking - do it properly or not at all; the cost becomes a significant factor too. I question the reason for the exercise. I have bikes with cable caliper rim brakes, V brakes, cantilever brakes and cable disc brakes. Properly set up and working, all of them do a good job (including cantilevers on a touring bike loaded up with over 30kg luggage). Badly set up (or worn) and all of them are well capable of doing a bad job. I would persevere in optimising the rim braking - even if that means, for example going from cantilever to V brake (but more likely to be an overhaul of the braking system and fettling the set-up, probably with better pads).

I just don't see the point. I can understand someone wanting disc brakes on a new (to them) bike, but that's a different thing.