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Hi all, is it possible, or even sensible, to convert my current bike with rim brakes (surly LHT 2016) to have disc brakes, at least at the front? Can this be done by getting a new fork and wheel ?
I've done a lot of touring on this bike with rim brakes, and I've basically found that:
they can't properly handle real off road and long descents, either through my hands cramping through holding too tight, the rim getting so hot the inner bursts and general stopping power.
+ when the wheel is a bit knackered from a long tour and has a number of buckles in they're a lot less forgiving for the adjustments.
Thoughts?
front is easy, rear not so easy.
If it currently doesn't have mountings then new forks and hub (or wheel) for the front. Pretty easy to do and well worth it. Both mine and the wife's road hack bike have disk front and vee back. Works well. Much improved wet weather braking
You may be fine with just a front disc brake, as that does the bulk of the stopping. As above, by a new fork
Disc front and drum rear would be my solution.
If you use a cable disc, then you can use matching levers too.
I spent a few months on a fully packed lht with rim brakes. It was excellent, I never had a problem stopping.
What is your current set up? Can it be improved? Are your brakes just cheap and nasty or are you just pushing it past its limits?
From memory I had avid speed dial levers, 7s ring a bell With xt v brakes and brake shoe inserts on mavic 717 rims. I did have a horse shoe thing to brace the back brake, can't remember the proper name for it.
If you really want disc and you love the bike I would probably sell the bike and buy a lht disc. People want a lht with rim brakes for their simplicity for long haul rides where spare parts are hard to come by so it's probably still worth a bit. It's also a surly so they hold their value.
Otherwise, just go front disc as above.
Going tubeless will help with the inner tube bursting.
You can also ask the village blacksmith to braze on disc mounts to your current frame. I know of several Surlys, Steamrollers mostly, that have been converted and ridden without problems, as they don't skimp on the metal.
Surly make a Disc Trucker and sell the fork separately, so you have the option of replacing either the fork or the whole frameset with otherwise identical parts.
Thanks for all the replies.
Maybe I'll just try to optimise the v brakes for the moment, and keep an eye out for any forks going cheap!
Bear in mind . When touring and heavily laden. Disc brakes breaking force transferred to tyres via the spokes.
samunkim
not really an issue as our tandem wheels survive. OK its a high spoke count front wheel but you can brake much harder on a tandem and have an all up weight when touring approaching 1/4 tonne