Fitting a 1 1/8 fork onto a 1 inch cruiser frame?

Bettleguise · Apr 30, 2011

Hi, I'm trying to get a front brake onto my Columbia firebolt. So been researching my options, ie drum brake and Shimano's new roller brake hubs. But I think a disk brake would be the best and lightest option. So threadless 1 1/8 fork and headset into an older 1 inch frame without grinding? Possible?
I read a little about bmx guys using a mix of headset parts and getting a 1 1/8 fork into an older frame. Basically the idea is use the existing frame cups and find some threadless headset parts to work with it. Bmx headsets are a little different though.
Don't want to grind the frame, because I'd like to be able to go back to the original forks. But I do have a dremel so, that's last resort
I like front brakes and I'm riding in heavy traffic so figured I'd throw the question out there. Thanks.

udallcustombikes · Apr 30, 2011

It can be done. You just have to do like you said and mix and match parts to find the right combo of cups, bearings, and headset parts.

Bettleguise · Apr 30, 2011

Awesome, I was thinking about going with the roller brakes at first but heard bad things about them. So I will commence to rounding up my headsets. Still think I'll have to grind the inner diameter of the frame cups a bit, but we'll see.

udallcustombikes · Apr 30, 2011

I used 1" cups that fit the frame, bearing that fit the cups, and cones that fit both the forks and bearings.

gowjobs · Apr 30, 2011

You just need the right cups. They make 1-1/8" headsets with 30mm and 34mm dia. cups (where they slide into the headtube). One of those should be a pretty close fit.

karfer67 · Apr 30, 2011

your big battle will be to try and pass through the steer tube of the 1 1/8 fork because those have the bits of tubing going into the steer tube area of the frame right? i went through this once with a higgins and after a lot of clearancing it did work. a schwinn deals with it better because of the way they are welded.

meatwad1 · Apr 30, 2011

On my Monark what I did was to fill the original cups with smaller bearings. As Karfer said be sure to check to see if the fork can pass through the head tube. On my 1940 Columbia it passed right through but on my Columbia built Elgin that looks exactly the same a 1 1/8 fork wouldn't make it past the internal lugs.

Bettleguise · May 2, 2011

Thank you gentlemen. One thing I didnt think about was that most rigid forks are "suspension corrected" Axle to crown height on what i got now is about 38 cm. Even the basic dimension fork is about 42 cm and most forks seem about 48 or so. Don't want to screw with the geometry too much. Would a 24" fork solve this?