Hypothetical fork swapping question

[lulubel]

Is there any reason why it would be a bad idea to get a Surly disc trucker fork (700c) and put it on my Surly cross check frame (also 700c) so I could have a front disc brake?

There are minor differences in the axle to crown length and fork rake, but they are very minor.

Disc Trucker fork
Cross Check fork

I'm not planning to change the fork in a hurry, and not necessarily at all, but I'm curious as to whether this would present problems or not.

 

[zizou]

It will be doable, you may feel a difference in how the bike handles with the different rake but if it is as minor as you say then it wont be much of an issue.

 

[Andy_R]

+1mm of rake difference....won't notice that. Go on, do it!

 

[Cubist]

The difference in rake is 1mm, so I sincerely doubt it'll have much effect. The head angle may change a little, as the A-C is 10mm more on the current fork, so you'll be lowering the bars a bit with the trucker fork. That wouldn't be much more than a degree if that. The bigger rake may go some way to negating that. I'd say go for it.

Do Surly have a view on it?

 

[lulubel]

Do Surly have a view on it?

I haven't seen anything on their site, so presumably no-one's asked them. If I decide to do it, I will ask them first.

I'm still thinking about using it for touring (MTB for "local" tours to explore Spanish mountain trails, Surly for long distance touring), and I think I'd feel more comfortable with a disc brake on the front if I was descending a twisty mountain road with a heavy load. Not so much for the extra stopping power - I can lock the wheels easily with the cantis - but for the better modulation, and therefore control, that you get with discs.

Surly keep talking about "maybe, one day" bringing out a disc version of the Cross Check, and I think that may happen sooner rather than later if more companies start putting discs on their cross bikes, so it could become irrelevant. By the time I need to make a decision, I might be able to get a new Cross Check fork, or even a whole new frame if they've made other improvements to it.