crank_addict

Goofy as 'get out' why start such monster when I have enough projects in the works?!

Early Japan Schwinn frameset 4130 chromoly that happily accepts modern 29er rim Shimano Alfine 8 speed and dyno front. Disc is another thing and optional but my evil side says 'do it'.

Also looked at a pile of 700c tires and worked up to fitting the widest possible. Stopped at Panaracer Tour in 42 width. Hehe.

Do I stop this nutty idea before I 'brake' apart this fork and possibly frame? Hydraulic cal kits are cheaper than buying most any conventional rim brake calipers. This is soooo tempting.

Share your crazy idea of a project - completed or scrapped.

crank_addict

crank_addict

Taste the candy orange flavor. If its a go, powdercoat.

steelbikeguy

are you looking for someone to talk you out of the project, or are you looking for enablers??

I've got more projects than I have time too, and they seem to just find me or multiply in the dark closet. Right now I'm trying to "update" an electro-mechanical clock from the 50's that I got from my dad. It's a neat bit of German engineering that has a solenoid activated pendulum that is briefly energized by a switch tied to the escapement mechanism. The switch has seen close to a billion cycles, if I recall my calculations, and is seriously worn. I'm working on a variable reluctance sensor and a simple one-shot circuit to generate the pulse that drives the solenoid. The VR sensor gets rid of the mechanical switch, which should perhaps let it operate for another 60 years or so??
Anyway,.. it's a family heirloom and definitely a C&V sort of project. A photo is attached below.

Steve in Peoria

Hudson308 

I love those old World Voyageur/Voyageur II's... but I would personally use the discs on something that doesn't have such nice chrome right where the caliper mounts would go.

wrk101

1973 World Voyageur I wouldn't mess up that fork either.

Ex Pres 

MB33 

Out of curiosity, let's say you welded the bottom of the fork dropouts and used thru-axles, would the stress still be too much to keep the fork in alignment?

Reynolds 531 

You could use

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable-...v8Ng:rk:2:pf:0

Lascauxcaveman 

I wouldn't treat the fork that way either. You could get away with it if you're light and use very good self discipline babying the front brake, but why risk it?

RobbieTunes

Doesn't fit me. I'm not going to venture an opinion on your builds, because I might just steal one, and I don't want anyone to think I was interested.

crank_addict

Yes, that's part of the consideration plus add a gusset strut between chainstay and seat stay.

The fork is the wildcard. Found adapters for them but do know the risk. Under $50 gets me the whole hydraulic brake package - front / rear new.

As for the fork, I'm thinking of a full panniers rack. Mounts to fork ends and crown center hole. 2 for 1 use.

crank_addict

Knowing you Steve, likely could do it all blindfolded. Cheers!

RiddleOfSteel

A good part of me thinks this is a great idea in an outrageous way. The other part goes..."but the chrome!" If the chrome, heck even the paint, was in a rough or rougher state, I'd say go for it. Obviously the front fork needs bracing due to disc brake mounting and forces. You could look for a 1" threadless disc fork--Nashbar sells one it looks like. That would quickly take care of the front. For the back, it's perhaps a little easier. Either way, unless you're fabbing it up yourself, there'll be some money involved. I like the sneakiness of a disc conversion on an old steel steed for all the reasons that one would want to run disc, but it's a long road to go down if you choose and a stiffer fork in whatever form will be noticeable...though thankfully you are able to stuff 42mm tires, which helps make up for an initially stiffer ride. Nothing rides like a nice rim-braked steel fork, though. I've run a bunch of steel, pure aluminum forks (Cannondale 3.0 frames), full carbon forks (both rim and disc brake), and there's something nice about the give that they have. Anyway, that's what's bouncing around in my head.

verktyg 

When disc brakes were first introduced in the late 70's we set up one bike with them. Make sure your dental and medical insurance is up to date and has high enough coverage.

The FIRST thing that we discovered was applying the front brake provided enough downward force to rip the hub out of the dropouts!

Modern forks made for disc brakes are designed to correct the problem.

verktyg

non-fixie 

It would give the term "death fork" a whole new - and more deserving, I might add - meaning.

My wildest experiment was this contraption. Foldable prototype MTB frame, 700C rims, 14-speed drive train, caliper brakes, flat bars, and a seat post from a one-wheeled circus bike.

Well, it looked good on paper ...

pastorbobnlnh 

IMO and to add 2 cents worth of advice: I say go for it with the exception of the front fork. See if you can find a suitable replacement which is disc ready or can be made safely into one.

The Golden Boy 

Man, I want some of that paper...

Steve Whitlatch 

Thats it! I'm not giving you anymore frames until you paint my Paranount! lol

The Golden Boy 

I play around with all kinds of stupid ideas in my head. Richard Watanabe - The Complete Pondering List

With bike things it usually involves a lame attempt at turning a perfectly good bike into a wannabe tourer... brazing on canti posts or something stupid... I haven't acted much on any of it.

But I've thought of it. So I was thinking "don't be afraid of that disc brake thing- go for it!"

Then I read:

jethin

steelbikeguy

maybe split the difference and install some of the Magura hydraulic rim brakes??
It should at least satisfy any urge to have something unique. No idea how hard it is to find these things. I've only ever seen one bike equipped with them.

My alternate idea is to install some of those Shimano(??) disc brakes that were briefly on road bikes back in the late 70's (early 80's?). Pretty awful looking, and if you are lucky, won't work especially well. Of course, they are probably incompatible with the hubs that you've got.

Steve in Peoria

steelbikeguy

I'm sure I'm not the only person who watched that movie and thought "I need a lab like Doc Brown's!!".
A DeLorean might be fun too.

Steve in Peoria

Road Fan

I like the visual concept, but I agree with the others, the frame needs to be able to structurally handle the stresses of the disc brakes. The frame is rather beautiful as it is, so to reinforce the fork blades, crown, and the seatstays/chainstays could really affect the lines of your Voyager. Obviously it's your frame.

I really like the chunky thick hubs. If they are a matched pair hubgen and IGH, that's a nice concept to try out with the fat 700c tires. A similar pair intended for rim brakes or even hub brakes also make an interesting concept that does not affect the frame lines, or potentially the structure.

Road Fan

Steve, I like this idea a lot, especially the techy non-contacting sensor.

If you also take the time to inspect and where necessary refurbish the other bearings and pivots, you might even get more than 60 more years out of it.

How are the provisions for continued lubrication? That's probably the key to more longevity.