My current brake setup is a coaster brake and a rear handbrake on a single speed hub. The bike came with the coaster brake, and I added the handbrake myself. the frame had a hole drilled in the cross bar between the chainstays for the fender. since i removed my rear fender for chain clearance, I realized that I had the opportunity to add a handbrake. I have no front brake and will probably keep it that way. My current ssetup works ok, except in the rain I cant rely on my handbrake, and even using both brakes, making quick stops can be a little hairy. I just put new pads on the handbrake. I cant weld and even if i could i dont have access to equipment. I dont want to switch rims because the rim i have is a custom rim that I got for a great price and the seller i bought from closed down their ebay store. one idea i had was to possibly somehow make the coaster brake lever operated instead of pedaling backwards. i thought of doing this with a cable and spring, but not sure exactly how or even if that could work. anyone have any ideas on the subject? please keep it along the idea of something I can easily do at home. if you suggest i get a rim that can fit a drum or disc brake, that will be of no use to me.
do it yourself brake setups/mods?
- Thread starter motor_bike_fanatic
- Start date
On all two wheeled vehicles, the front brake makes up for something like 85% of the stopping power!
It would serve you much better to install that hand brake on the front wheel.
It would serve you much better to install that hand brake on the front wheel.
anyone have any ideas on the subject?
OK, MBF.
Because you asked...
At least you have a nice looking custom rim that will get you all the way to the scene of the crash!
You'll be lookin' good 'til the very last!
I hope that's an acceptable trade-off for you.
For myself, it's not.
I run some ugly stuff, but it's the best I can do that feels good, and performs best as I can afford.
In the 50cc class, there ain't much speed, but stopping remains critical.
KoolStop makes rim brake pads that are designed to wipe some of the water from a rim for improved braking. You might look at them. Salmon colored ones are popular for performance.
I shall switch to a disk brake front soon as I can. They are better.
As I grew up from knee high to a turnip gone to seed, riding motorbikes, I was told, and learned firsthand, that the back brake is only there to keep the mc in line with the front wheel when you are using the front brake to stop.
Sand and gravel notwithstanding. (which is the reason I won't run a dual cable lever).
IMO
rc
OK, MBF.
Because you asked...
At least you have a nice looking custom rim that will get you all the way to the scene of the crash!
You'll be lookin' good 'til the very last!
I hope that's an acceptable trade-off for you.
For myself, it's not.
I run some ugly stuff, but it's the best I can do that feels good, and performs best as I can afford.
In the 50cc class, there ain't much speed, but stopping remains critical.
KoolStop makes rim brake pads that are designed to wipe some of the water from a rim for improved braking. You might look at them. Salmon colored ones are popular for performance.
I shall switch to a disk brake front soon as I can. They are better.
As I grew up from knee high to a turnip gone to seed, riding motorbikes, I was told, and learned firsthand, that the back brake is only there to keep the mc in line with the front wheel when you are using the front brake to stop.
Sand and gravel notwithstanding. (which is the reason I won't run a dual cable lever).
IMO
rc
Put a front brake on it. Since you ride this in the rain, you really shouldn't be relying on the back wheel to stop you. It's just going to lock up and slide.
I dont run my custom rim for looks, and that comment was a little insulting. I dont know how much you know about beach cruiser hubs and spoke sizes, but I have run standard spokes and 12 gauge spokes, and they always had two different hub diameters. rims with 12 gauge spokes usually have a slightly larger diameter hub, making it more difficult to fit the rear sprocket. I have stripped bearings due to ill fitted sprockets. The rim I have now has 12 gauge spokes with a standard size hub, and the sprocket fits perfectly. I didnt order this rim with the knowledge of it being made this way, it was just my good luck. and if i did order a rim like this custom made, it would probably cost me at least twice what i paid for the one I have. if you saw my bike, you would know that im not in this hobby for cool looks. my bike is a rat rod through and through, so dont insult me without even knowing anything about my bike. That being said, I moved the brake to the front today. I am a little concerned about stopping too hard and going over the handle bars at 25-30mph. I was thinking if I apply the coaster brake first and wait a second or two before applying the front brake, I could avoid stopping too hard with the front brake? is this accurate?
You can't pull that brake handle hard enough to go over the bars. (Unless you have a hydraulic disc with a very large rotor).
If front brakes were that dangerous, no-one would ever use them.
If front brakes were that dangerous, no-one would ever use them.
I have lifted my rear wheel off the ground on a mountain bike with no motor by applying the front brake too quickly. if you try to come to a dead stop at 25-30mph using just a front rim brake, you might flip over the handlebars. or at least lift the rear wheel off the ground. i dont think it has as much to do with how hard you pull the brake as it does with how fast you are going and how fast you apply the brake.
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Front brake lock-up is not a huge concern at that speed. Plus there is added weight from the engine. Also shifting your own weight will help. If you're worried about the rear lifting you can slide your behind towards the rear. Brakes have gotten better over the years but they are not that great when extra weight is added. A suspension front end will help with lock-up once again. The front end will dive slightly pushing more weight to the front and making the front brakes less likely to lock up. Of course anything i have just said may not put your mind at ease. It hardly ever does. I suppose you could adapt a hydraulic ABS system. Adding more weight, complexity and cost. But even ABS systems only work at 20 kmh or 12.5 mph or above.
You can buy a fork equipped with cantilever posts on eBay for cheap (got one recently for $20). Then just swap forks, the headset cup, & install the front brake. I run 2 of my 3 MB's with just a front v-brake & have never had any problems with stopping or 'over the bar' worries. By keeping the saddle lower than I would on my 'pedal only' bikes, I could never lift a rear wheel.
-Lowracer-
-Lowracer-
ran the engine today for the first time since moving the brake to the front. stops me pretty quick, and so far havent lifted the rear wheel so much as a millimeter, even at top speed. might need to tighten the brakes a little bit, but even with the brakes a little loose, she stops easy enough. much better than when I had the brake on the back. wish i had done it months ago. brake even fits better on the front than it did on the back.
