coaster break info

lucajo16 · Sep 9, 2014

so yesterday I blew out my coaster break and I ordered a wheel from amazon. first I planned to buy one from sportsman flyer but I got impatient....im slow. >.>

so my question for you all is once I get my wheel what should I do to keep it from dieing on me as I ride. I plan to ride in the winter and by summer have it modified enough to sell for what I want....a ruff cycle chopper build. XD I plan to put on a top end kit and a CDI with built in tank. Itll be able to keep up with traffic and will be cool looking. outside of that I live in Cincinnati and have had no issue riding around....cops go by and don't tend to bother me sense I do all the legal stuff.

any ideas, questions or remarks?

KCvale · Sep 10, 2014

Just make sure the axle spins free with no wobble when you mount it, that's about all there is.

Venice Motor Bikes · Sep 10, 2014

It really helps to take apart the hub & add lots of high quality grease to the inside!!

Most coaster brake wheels come from the factory with very little grease in them & can fail really fast after a engine is added to the bike!

Sidewinder Jerry · Sep 11, 2014

Personally I'd only have a coaster brake for emergery stops only or to help hold the bike if stopped going up a steep hill. Install rim or disk as primary brakes. With coaster only brakes if the bicycle chain breaks or comes lose you have no way of stopping.

Venice Motor Bikes · Sep 11, 2014

LR Jerry said:
Personally I'd only have a coaster brake for emergery stops only or to help hold the bike if stopped going up a steep hill. Install rim or disk as primary brakes. With coaster only brakes if the bicycle chain breaks or comes lose you have no way of stopping.

Coaster brakes are very reliable! (I prefer them on all my bikes).

I always advise adding a good front brake to a bike because the front brake is reponsible for 75% of the total stopping power!

You say "if the bicycle chain breaks or comes lose you have no way of stopping"... well, if a cable breaks?, you have the very same problem!

(That's why there's separate front & rear brakes).

Sidewinder Jerry · Sep 12, 2014

Just what I said. With front and rear rim or disk with a coaster brake gives you 3 braking systems. When we who've been around awhile do builds we know to replace cheap parts with higher quality ones. We know to replace a low quality chain with a high quality one. Then align it properly. This prevents incidents such as the chain breaking or coming lose. The same is true with cables. My main thing was don't go with a coaster only braking system.

Experience has taught many of us here not to skimp on quality; it literally could save your life.

KCvale · Sep 12, 2014

LR Jerry said:
My main thing was don't go with a coaster only braking system.

Absolutely
Nothing leaves my shop without working front and rear brakes.

There are however different quality coaster brakes, Huffy's for example have the worst rear hub I've ever seen and infamous for self-destructing so I won't build on one.

The_Aleman · Sep 12, 2014

Coaster brakes are for amateurs. My position, always has been and never will change.
Stemming from many miles on pedal bicycles and exacerbated by motor-assist.
I could go in quite deeply and argue for days against their supposed "pros" over their very serious cons.

But I won't.

I will say this: If you must go coaster, exercise common sense and go with a quality heavy-duty chain and do not use generic model brakes on these.
Hi-Stop aint gonna cut it! I suggest at a minimum Sturmey Archer or preferably, an HD model like Worksman.

Don't skimp on the index lever bolt, either. Zip-ties are stupid. Use the highest grade bolt you can get through that lever hole and back it up with a nyloc nut.

Sidewinder Jerry · Sep 13, 2014

The_Aleman said:
Coaster brakes are for amateurs. My position, always has been and never will change.
Stemming from many miles on pedal bicycles and exacerbated by motor-assist.
I could go in quite deeply and argue for days against their supposed "pros" over their very serious cons.

But I won't.

I will say this: If you must go coaster, exercise common sense and go with a quality heavy-duty chain and do not use generic model brakes on these.
Hi-Stop aint gonna cut it! I suggest at a minimum Sturmey Archer or preferably, an HD model like Worksman.

Don't skimp on the index lever bolt, either. Zip-ties are stupid. Use the highest grade bolt you can get through that lever hole and back it up with a nyloc nut.

This is something I'm a 100% in agreement with you. Living in a mountainous region the most important thing on a bike here is the brakes. Hills over 20% grades, narrow roads, sharp curves and 50+ foot dropoffs on the side of the road should explain it all.

Whether you use rim or disk don't skimp on the price of the pads. Yes you can get cheap ones get ready for your bike to be covered in pad dust. You'll also quickly be needing new ones. The really good ones are going to cost at least $25 a wheel.

lucajo16 · Oct 11, 2014

Well I had the wheel running and after about 20 miles it (the new wheel) came loose. So I'm going to buy a works men set of wheels and go from there. I men both front and rear to. If 75% of breaking comes from the front then I'm wearing out the breaks with a rear only set up. I'll also get a sprocket adapter and a new chain tensioner so that my bike looks smoking hot XD

Venice Motor Bikes · Oct 14, 2014

If a 'new wheel' came loose after only 20 miles?, That's improper installation! (so don't blame it on the cheap wheel).

Venice Motor Bikes · Oct 14, 2014

I'll also add that if you're having this much trouble with a very simple coaster brake wheel?, You're setting yourself up for even greater headaches by trying to install a more complicated wheel.

lucajo16 · Oct 14, 2014

I'm about to do my own work causecause the guy that has done the last two wheels this has happened. The last wheel was a high stop and this one is the cb 110

lucajo16 · Oct 15, 2014

Well is there any links to how there supposed to be set up? I'm about to go to a non coaster break set up.

Mr.B. · Oct 16, 2014

I use them on my retro 1909 bike build- For looks, not performance (exasperated by the steep hills in my area).

My bike is also unusually heavy so for safety I laced big (est. 250 to 500 cc bike?) Yamaha drum to the front.

At first I used a vintage Bendix from a old Schwinn tandem, These old heavy duty ones seem to be better quality than any of the newer ones I’ve seen.

Even at that it only lasted about 1000 miles before the axle became bent enough I could no longer properly adjust the cone tension.

I switched to a vintage New Departure, The axle is a little larger and has held up just fine. But I do find myself changing the brake disc every 400 miles or so. But thats easy enough, and it’s probably good that it causes me to inspect things that often.

One thing I learned early on was to use good grease, and lots of it!

Going down a single big hill would melt the old stuff out, all over the road, my tire, and often my pants- :- (

I solved that by using Lucas X-TRA Heavy Duty industrial- Designed for trucks, tractors, and construction equipment it’s rated for high temperatures...

Works a charm!

-Kirk

lucajo16 · Oct 16, 2014

Cool so use high grade greece. I still don't get why its acting up at only 20 or 30 miles. Its the cb 110 that everyone uses when they go coaster break. Its one from amazon and I had the wheel packed with Greece before it was put on with a motor

lucajo16 · Oct 16, 2014

So I asked about my wheel and my trusty bike mechanic said that I busted out the bearings. I got no idea why but this keeps happening to my wheels. Is there a reason why this keeps happening?

lucajo16 · Oct 17, 2014

Hay Mr.b. where do you get your Greece at?

Mr.B. · Oct 20, 2014

Advanced Auto (formerly Western Auto)...

-Kirk

Dan · Oct 20, 2014

Howdy Lucajo. Can you post pictures? I'm thinking some thing may be wrong with size or application?

Dunno and like everyone here, would like to be of help. Most especially with such an important safety feature.

Some really great and knowledgeable folks here.

coaster break info

Member

Well-Known Member

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles

Well-Known Member

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Member

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles

Member

Member

Well-Known Member

Member

Member

Member

Well-Known Member

Staff