Front Disc Brake Cruiser

scbuzz · #1 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008, 09:33 PM

I have a CH80 on a cruiser bicycle with a Bendix (coaster) rear brake only. Well that crapped out on me today, so Ive started considering brakes. I have a mountain bike that I dont ride anymore and it not only is a quick release with a nice hub, it has a disc rotor. So now im thinking that im going to weld up a mount for the caliper and put my front disc brake setup on there. Is this do-able? Is there a reason that I shouldn't use that wheel? The rotor barely clears the fork, and I noticed that the dropouts are much thinner on my cruiser fork than on my mountain bike fork, but it tightens down alright... Any thoughts?

I really want to put a suspension fork on my cruiser. Anyone done it?

Venice Motor Bikes · #2 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008, 09:36 PM

You should use the disc on the front! It stops better & looks better there too!!!

tyrslider · #3 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008, 09:42 PM

what kinda suspension? I'm liking a couple of the girder jobs floatin' around. The Monark repro and I found a Columbia single spring girder. Anything is better than the ridgid jobs they come w/.

velardejose · #4 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008, 09:51 PM

Hi
If it is a disk brake+quick release be careful
When braking the disk brake pushes the wheel downwards
More about it here
Hope it helps
Peace
Disk brake and Quick Release problem

scbuzz · #5 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008, 09:53 PM

I was thinking like a mountain bike fork for a threaded headset. Would a mountain bike fork place the front wheel in a difference place than a cruiser fork and interfere with the frame dowtube? I just want to dampen the pothole jolts. A pothole is quite another thing at 40mph with a rigid fork...

scbuzz · #6 (**permalink**) 10-29-2008, 11:44 AM

Couldnt get your link to work velardejose. Anything else you can tell me about the disc brake, quick release problem?

velardejose · #7 (**permalink**) 10-29-2008, 12:12 PM

Quote:

The first basic problem of a disk brake is that the position of the disk calliper means that the frictional force of the brake pads on the disk acts largely to push the wheel downwards, broadly in the direction of the open fork ends. The force that the pads exert on the disk is very large - much much greater than the force from a rim brake (due to the smaller diameter of a disk compared to wheel rim) and it is also at an inappropriate angle.

I am not against the MBs
I want to share my findings with the forum to make MB riding safer

Peace

scbuzz · #8 (**permalink**) 10-29-2008, 02:50 PM

I understand the idea of the wheel being pushed by the brake. Does this actually ever happen to the point of creating a problem? Its not going to eject my wheel is it?

velardejose · #9 (**permalink**) 10-29-2008, 04:35 PM

Hi
I have no problems with my quick release, but I always check that it it is not loose before riding my mb
Peace