Mounting brakes (front and rear)?

meowy84 · #1 09-19-2009, 05:01 PM

I'm about to mount my engine kit and it strikes me how the heck am I going to install brakes on this thing when the place of the left brake lever will be taken up by the clutch lever? Other than putting two levers on the left side (clutch and brake) which I think will look cluttered/crowded and a bit goofy not to mention that the clutch lever will make it awkward to operate the brake lever.

do you guys have front and rear brakes on your bikes and how did you accomplish it? Do I have to be stuck with having only one brake? And if so which wheel should I choose, front or back? In my opinion I should probably choose the front since when you apply the brakes most of your weight shifts to the front and just like in cars the front wheels do most of the braking.

The problem is that I don't really want to trust just two tiny front brake pads with my life.

I thought about constructing some mechanism that would apply both front and rear brakes with just the one brake lever but then with my work schedule that will set me back a few weeks and I want to ride before winter is here. LOL Also there is the bigger problem of setting up the brake balance which is easily done with proportioning valves on the hydraulic brake systems of cars but with cables it might be a bit of a dilemma. Obviously you don't want the rear wheel skidding out from under you because the rear brakes grab first and harder than the front brakes.

Any ideas?

Kevlarr · #2 09-19-2009, 06:16 PM

Some people run both clutch and brake on the left but to me this would be a little awkward especially if you were in a panic stop situation.

Some people use the dual brake lever which seems a lot simpler and easier to use once properly set up.

Sick Bike Parts Dual Pull Brake Lever

scooterhoot · #3 09-19-2009, 06:24 PM

I have the same brake lever on my bike, but got it from spookytooth, works great! Beats holding in clutch than going for the front brake with your pinkie, and safer too!

Tinsmith · #4 09-20-2009, 08:38 AM

The dual brake lever works great on my bike, but a complete overhaul on the brakes themselves is planned for this winter. Take time and get them adjusted to suit you. The calbes will likely stretch a bit, so stay with it for awhile and adjust them accordingly. Good Luck!

Venice Motor Bikes · #5 09-20-2009, 09:46 AM

The dual pull lever is the only way to go!!

GraingerDoodTim · #6 09-20-2009, 05:14 PM

i have my back brake on the right and my clutch on the left. also on the left hand side I have my front brake. I set it up so that i can pull the clutch with my middle ring and pinkie, and leave the index for my brake. works well and only yanked my front brake instead of the clutch once. but all you need is once cause thats really scary. I rely on my back brake to do a majority of the braking, the front is used mostly for emergencies

Venice Motor Bikes · #7 09-20-2009, 08:44 PM

On two wheeled vehicles, the front brake is responsible for 80% of the total stopping power!

GraingerDoodTim · #8 09-21-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VENICE BOY

On two wheeled vehicles, the front brake is responsible for 80% of the total stopping power!

not here, back brakes are responsible for 100% of my stopping power

Cabinfever1977 · #9 09-22-2009, 02:37 PM

i would use just the front brake and put it on the right side,but im using a coaster brake bike instead so i dont have to deal with that stuff.

HoughMade · #10 09-22-2009, 02:51 PM

This is what I am using:

Dual Brake Twist Throttle Kit - $19.99

...and i don't have anything on the left.