DIY Rivnut touring fork?

[Veloo]

The rivnut thread had me wondering if anyone has ever tried hacking a "plain" fork into a touring fork to mount racks using rivnuts.

I know...sounds crazy. Still had to ask.

[prototoast]

I think you'd have to be crazy to do it. Putting in a Rivnut requires drilling holes, which weakens the fork. Traditional braze on bosses are fairly beefy and help reinforce the hole, but a rivnut crushes around the hole and will add no structural support.

The combination of using a fork that wasn't built for racks, plus using a rivnut instead of a braze on would compromise the integrity of the fork far, far too much for my comfort.

[ultraman6970]

Touring fork is not that hard to find IMO.

[woolly]

Better off using p-clamps instead.

[m_sasso]

Tubus makes these mid fork "clamps" which I have used on continental tours previously, they work better and are way more secure than P clamps.

https://www.tubus.com/en/products/accessories-front-carriers/tubus-product/lm-1-mounting-set-for-forks-without-eyelets/

https://www.tubus.com/fileadmin/_processed_/e/9/csm_72100-LM1_2d5e2ae483.jpg

https://www.tubus.com/fileadmin/_processed_/e/4/csm_72200_LM1_mounted_30237cf5c0.jpg

[11.4]

The Tubus clamps work ok, though I've had problems with them slipping unless they are really tight (where over time they leave imprints in the metal). Don't use rivnuts. They just aren't made to hold real loads -- fenders, water bottle cages, no more. And touring forks are made with thicker wall thicknesses to support the braze-on rack fittings.