Don't like coaster brakes?

Kevlarr · Jul 31, 2010

Had you ever taken it apart and greased them? Most cheap china bikes are known for hub failure due to lack of lubrication. My Cranbrook hub died after 250 miles but it had a bearing failure after only 50. If I'd taken it apart and greased it right from the beginning it may have lasted. My new HD rear wheel has a CB-110 clone hub and it has almost 1000 miles on it without a single problem and I've serviced it twice so far.

Don't bash on all coaster brakes just because your bearings failed, that could happen on any hub.

bairdco · Jul 31, 2010

i've destroyed just about every type of hub and brake there is. melted coaster brakes, ripped the arms off calipers, broke freewheels, axles, spoke flanges...

i've snapped BMX Tuff Wheels, broke a Motomag, taco'd heavy duty rims.

wrecked quality products and junk alike.

stuff breaks. some quicker than others.

Dave31 · Jul 31, 2010

I always service the hubs before mounting a motor. Whether its a Wally Bike or a high dollar bike and I have yet to have any failure. Of course I just jinxed myself lol

saetta · Aug 1, 2010

I used it on a cruiser style frame. The rear fender still has room to mount.

Bikeguy Joe · Aug 1, 2010

I'll add that I have a Huffy Cranboob that has about 1000 miles on it, and I greased the bearings on both wheels BEFORE I got it built.

No problems, so far.

Goat Herder · Aug 1, 2010

Wheel grease wise I always drill a small hole in the center of the hub. If I can't get an official grease cert mounted there I at least have a hole to butt my grease gun to. I do this to all my wheels and I pack those suckers! Done it that way for years now before I new what motor assist was

It is neat to observe because you can see the old black grease oozing out the sides, and good grease starts oozing there just wipe off the access and ride on!!

Been a very along time since I messed with a coaster brake hub. I like the freedom to peddle backwards. Prolly want to disassemble those and clean them out?

Dan · Aug 1, 2010

I don't care for coaster brakes due to the chain length issues that can come up. Like to pull up to a lite and no matter where I left the peddles, be able to put cranks back to allow for a smoother take off and like to back peddle as folks are looking at the bike going by and wondering if there is a motor on that bicycle.

Cool GH. I always thought that would be the way to go. "Grease, to much is never enough"

Is one of those things. If it takes a few seconds to do, ya end up doing it. Disassembling a wheel to grease is some thing that always seems to get put off. Read never done.

the willi · Aug 1, 2010

coaster brakes suck! thats just me, i have never like them free wheel! Dan says starting out where you want! Thats the only way! I run a 28tooth with a disc mount, works great! only draw back is low rpms but its prefect for me!

bairdco · Aug 1, 2010

i run a front drum brake with the coaster. when i come to a stop, i just let off the coaster and pedal to where i want, and use the front brake to stop me.

another cool trick, is if you're at a stop and want to adjust the pedal position with the coaster, just stand up, leave one foot on the pedals, grab the front brake, lean forward to unweight the rear wheel and pedal.

i've always hated freewheels, or i should say, my shins hate freewheels. i dunno how many times in my BMX racing days i'd slip a pedal and freewheel full force into my shin. actually, if i rub my fingers over my shinbones, i could probably tell you exactly how many times by counting the dents...

motocafe · Aug 1, 2010

hmmmmm.. ....

Goat Herder · Aug 1, 2010

I lost track of all my scars. Now days if'n I hit my shins it just itches a little. I road with free wheels so long I would prolly get killed trying to arrange my peddles in rough terrain. Its all I know. It would be too awkward for me to have a coaster brake in the rear. I use the scariest bone cracken claw grip peddles I can find. I have had my feet slip off of anything less.

But that's just me....

KCvale · Aug 2, 2010

bairdco said:
i dunno how many times in my BMX racing days i'd slip a pedal and freewheel full force into my shin. actually, if i rub my fingers over my shinbones, i could probably tell you exactly how many times by counting the dents...

Hehehe ;-}
An old man's legs can speak volumes about how hard he's played over the years.

jbcruisin · Jan 16, 2011

I finally put the 36 tooth sprocket on my crank. When it warms up I'll ride & report whether it made my bike stop any better.

wayne z · Jan 16, 2011

I love coasterbrakes for their low maintance, reliability, and wet weathether performance.

I've been giving considerable thought to adapting one to my front wheel.

wayne z · Jan 16, 2011

OK said:
My ultralight plane had a cheap go-kart drum brake on the front wheel that took a LOT of pressure to be effective. I jokingly called them no-slows.

I bought a sliding door ball bearing pulley at tru-value and bolted it to the brake lever where the cable was hooked before.
I routed the brake cable around the pulley 180deg and fixed the end of the cable to the fork tube.

This doubled the tension on the brake arm when I used the brakes. they were great brakes after that mod.

This would work with the front coaster mod too, to cut the brake pressure needed in half.

curtisfox · Jan 16, 2011

How about a picture?

wayne z · Jan 16, 2011

curtisfox said:
How about a picture?

Sold the plane. Think about it, you can figure it out.

A cable looped 180 deg around a pulley mounted on a moveable lever, with one end of the cable fixed to the fork.
If you pull the other end with 100lbs force and 1 inch travel, the lever that the pulley is mounted on will see 200lbs force and 1/2 inch movement.

curtisfox · Jan 16, 2011

Got it like a snatch block on a comealong

wayne z · Jan 16, 2011

curtisfox said:
Got it like a snatch block on a comealong

Yea, exactly :~)

bairdco · Jan 17, 2011

when i was trying the front coaster mod, i made a pulley type set-up to wrap around for an increased pull:

it helped a little, but not enough.

i was considering getting one of these before i gave up on the whole project:

here's the link. it's called a "travel agent."

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