Steering lock
There are many ways front racks improve your bicycle life: massive cargo capacity, easy loading of bulk, balanced weight distribution… But, if you’ve got a kickstand on your bike, then a front rack means the front wheel has a tendency to flop to one side, causing the bike to want to fall over, and making it difficult to load.
So, the answer is… a steering lock.
This spring loaded steering lock is fabricated from stainless. There’s a pin that locates into a reinforced hole in the fork steerer tube. The pin has a keyway, twisting it a quarter turn to lock, pushing against the spring. The spring ensures it can’t ever accidentally engage while cycling.
It’s a fiddly little thing to fabricate, but so easy to live with. It’s these sort of details that I really relish. Something to make people’s lives better, a small daily luxury, tactile and subtle.