Looking for 16" fork w/ brake mounts U or V, 1" steer tube

My boys have Redline Pitboss bikes and one of them desperately wants front
brakes. It is the 2003 model with steel frame and uses forks with 1" steer
tube. It has proven to be very difficult to find a 16" fork with brake
pivots installed AND a 1" steer tube.

I want to make this work so bad, but the damn 1" steer tube is trouble. I
may try using one of those brake plates that should adapt U brakes to the
old style fork, but it sure would be nice to find the real deal. Either U
brakes or V brakes would be acceptable.

Hoffman Condor 16 forks have 1 1/8" steer tube as well as Haro
Straightshooter
forks.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks!
--Dan

dg wrote:
My boys have Redline Pitboss bikes and one of them desperately wants front
brakes.

Well, if your sons are riding bikes that small, they can't be very
heavy. There will be no advantage to using stud-mounted brakes that
require a different fork. I say use some good caliper brakes like
this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-Nexus-Ca...temZ7194072376

They are easy to set up and reasonably powerful even for my over 400
lb. bike + rider weight. They will work with U-brake compatible
levers, but not with linear pull brake levers. The stock pads, like
all Shimano pads, are junk. Replace them with Kool-Stop Continental
pads and you'll be all set.

Chalo Colina

"Chalo" wrote in message
ups.com...
dg wrote:
My boys have Redline Pitboss bikes and one of them desperately wants
front
brakes.

Well, if your sons are riding bikes that small, they can't be very
heavy. There will be no advantage to using stud-mounted brakes that
require a different fork. I say use some good caliper brakes like
this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-Nexus-Ca...temZ7194072376

They are easy to set up and reasonably powerful even for my over 400
lb. bike + rider weight. They will work with U-brake compatible
levers, but not with linear pull brake levers. The stock pads, like
all Shimano pads, are junk. Replace them with Kool-Stop Continental
pads and you'll be all set.

Chalo Colina

They ride PITBOSS bikes, there is no stopping at "adequate", ha ha. Yeah, I
know you are correct in what you say but I would sure like to try out the U
brakes. Having grown up with what seems like ridiculously archaic sidepull
brakes that never seemed to stay centered and rubbed on one side, I really
love modern bicycle brakes. Its like for 20 years nobody really pursued the
design and manufacture GOOD brakes, but now things are going pretty well.

I have managed to find sources for 16" forks with U brake pivots, but they
all have 1 1/8" steerer tube. Redline really screwed up when they used the
1" on this bike. It really makes it inferior to the other brands that went
ahead and used 1 1/8". If I had it to do all over again I would have to go
with something with 1 1/8" tube, it would make things so much easier and
leave more options open.

Anyway, I ordered a U brake adapter plate and a U brake. Thanks for the
comments though!

--Dan

dg wrote:

They ride PITBOSS bikes, there is no stopping at "adequate", ha ha. Yeah, I
know you are correct in what you say but I would sure like to try out the U
brakes. Having grown up with what seems like ridiculously archaic sidepull
brakes that never seemed to stay centered and rubbed on one side, I really
love modern bicycle brakes. Its like for 20 years nobody really pursued the
design and manufacture GOOD brakes, but now things are going pretty well.

I completely agree that traditional single-pivot BMX calipers are weak
and lame. I have worked with them as much as I care to, without
satisfactory results. However, the link I posted was for a very
well-made dual-pivot caliper brake, whose mechanical advantage and
rigidity are both far superior to any BMX caliper I've ever seen except
for the long-departed Dia Compe Big Dog.

Anyway, I ordered a U brake adapter plate and a U brake. Thanks for the
comments though!

That's not a bad solution. I use that combination on the front of one
of my choppers, and it's quite a bit more potent than the old-fashioned
centerpull brake on the rear of the same bike.

Chalo Colina