[CR]Detachable forks?

(Example: Events:Eroica)

Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 18:24:37 -0800 (PST)
From: "Stephan Andranian" <sandranian@yahoo.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Detachable forks?

Just a question:

I was recently shown a picture of a fork which could be (according to the bike owner) "removed" from the steerer tube by merely taking off and removing the front brake. The steerer tube would fit into the fork crown (like a sleeve) and then the brake bolt would secure it there, supposedly not taking any of the stress.

Anyhow, he said the fork had been there a while (since the seventies?), and I had never seen nor heard of anything like it. The fork crown did not seem to match the vintage of the bike, but then what do I know? Anybody run accross something like this? Was it production made, or made in someone's basement? Was it original equipment on any bikes?

Just curious...cause I would never ride on one.

Stephan Andranian
Costa Mesa, CA