yeah, I guess I'll have to experiment, but experimenting right at the beginning of soccer season is not a good idea, I guess I'll just have to take back roads.
Brakes! How are yours?
- Thread starter Bikeguy Joe
- Start date
I have my motor set where it wont idle so when i let off the gas the compression of the motor slows me down and then i use my regular brakes that i set up on front and it works fine for me 
I use a thumb throttle to allow me to close the throttle and use the compression braking like Doubledice. In emergency situations, the compression braking stops me smoothly and it will not lock up the rear wheel.
You do not want to use the compression braking in place of a rear brake. The engine is not getting lubrication when the throttle is closed.
You do not want to use the compression braking in place of a rear brake. The engine is not getting lubrication when the throttle is closed.
Yeah, using the engines compression is a real effective way of slowing down the old 4-stroke unless you have a 4G HuaSheng set-up like mine that disengages the centrifugal clutch at 3,000rpm or so when you let off the throttle and coast at 25mph for 2 blocks+.....time to apply the brakes!
But definetely a no-no for 2-strokes as stated in above posts......lack or no lubrication, thus overheating and scoring of the cylinder may occur.
Good brakes are a must, if you want to go fast.
But definetely a no-no for 2-strokes as stated in above posts......lack or no lubrication, thus overheating and scoring of the cylinder may occur.
Good brakes are a must, if you want to go fast.
Hey guys, I agree, compression braking is a bad bad idea. In an emergency, its another story...
My First set up was a front disc brake and the rear drum (band brake) that was suplied with my kit.
The front disc work good, but the rear brakes band wore out very very fast and when your are topin 30, slammin on the FRONT brakes will end in pain.
So I went to a local bike shop and bought some Single pivot sidepull caliper brakes. I had to drill some holes and make a custom mount for under the frame and they fit great! Now I have 3 brakes on the bike and have no prob coming to a screaching hault. Another plus is the dual brake lever on the throttle side now works both rear brakes.
My First set up was a front disc brake and the rear drum (band brake) that was suplied with my kit.
The front disc work good, but the rear brakes band wore out very very fast and when your are topin 30, slammin on the FRONT brakes will end in pain.
So I went to a local bike shop and bought some Single pivot sidepull caliper brakes. I had to drill some holes and make a custom mount for under the frame and they fit great! Now I have 3 brakes on the bike and have no prob coming to a screaching hault. Another plus is the dual brake lever on the throttle side now works both rear brakes.
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i use front and rear cantilever brakes my bike came with just coaster brakes but the rime and hub was cheap and failled during my second ride it was pretty scary as my rear wheel locked up so i ditched the wheel and transfered everything to a quality wheel i had around i am also using a dual brake handle and have adjusted the brake cable to give me more stopping power on the front and my brakes work amazing now
My front brakes work great now that I replaced them with linear pull brakes for $11 
Set of linear pull handles was $17
All at the local bike shop.
Of course, Now my back brakes are... A little weak, But stiff. They are actualy U brakes from the 80's or something, And they don't like linear pull handles much, But then, they where so soft using the old handles, id praticaly bottom out the handle by time the back wheel started slowing down. Need to adjust that yoke cable I guess.
Set of linear pull handles was $17
All at the local bike shop.
Of course, Now my back brakes are... A little weak, But stiff. They are actualy U brakes from the 80's or something, And they don't like linear pull handles much, But then, they where so soft using the old handles, id praticaly bottom out the handle by time the back wheel started slowing down. Need to adjust that yoke cable I guess.
For me, its gotta be Avid BB7 mechanical discs.
Durable, easy to set up and maintain, inexpensive and have more than enough smooth fast stopping power.
I have bikes with the 160 and the 203 mm discs.
I will NEVER go back to rim brakes!
"IF THOU IMPROVES THE GO, THOU MUST IMPROVE THE WHOA"
BBB
Durable, easy to set up and maintain, inexpensive and have more than enough smooth fast stopping power.
I have bikes with the 160 and the 203 mm discs.
I will NEVER go back to rim brakes!
"IF THOU IMPROVES THE GO, THOU MUST IMPROVE THE WHOA"
BBB
Avid BB7 mechanical discs rock
I use a 203mm in the front and smaller one in the rear. Their touch and feel is totally customizable too.
I use a 203mm in the front and smaller one in the rear. Their touch and feel is totally customizable too.
Hayes mechanical calipers front and rear. Hayes 203mm rotors front and rear. my brakes work very well, better than anything else I've tried. will never go back to coaster and rim brakes
A front brake pad went AWOL a few weeks back... Found this out in the middle of a 30kph+ turn into a store driveway.. Nearly did'nt make the turn with just back brakes (really gotta stop riding like I stole it!)
Bought some 'salmon' koolstop pads (For rain).. They where wayy to squishy for my linear pull.
Bought some black koolstop pads.. Not even broken in yet, And I allready had my back tire go 2' in the air at about 25kph with a light pull on the front brakes.... So I don't really think I need much better!
Though I will admit my back brakes could be better on my old bike.. U brakes.. Can lock the back wheel up, but gotta try really hard to do so. Linear pull are so much better.. Can only replace U brakes with U or cam brakes though, due to position of the mounting studs.. And I can't really find cam, And don't really think they would be much better..
Bought some 'salmon' koolstop pads (For rain).. They where wayy to squishy for my linear pull.
Bought some black koolstop pads.. Not even broken in yet, And I allready had my back tire go 2' in the air at about 25kph with a light pull on the front brakes.... So I don't really think I need much better!
Though I will admit my back brakes could be better on my old bike.. U brakes.. Can lock the back wheel up, but gotta try really hard to do so. Linear pull are so much better.. Can only replace U brakes with U or cam brakes though, due to position of the mounting studs.. And I can't really find cam, And don't really think they would be much better..
Finally got a chance to see what my Avid BB-7 is like. I installed them several weeks ago on my front then the snows came and today was the first chance I've had to test them.Avid BB7 mechanical discs rock
Wow! I thought I had good brakes before but these are some serious brakes. I'm still getting used to to them but learning fast not to squeeze too hard on the lever. If I need to stop...I can stop; just as quick as I need to.
To anyone considering upgrades to their brakes I'd highly recommend the Avids. They are a quality product that will give you all the stopping power you need.
Tom
Here's my preferred set up for serious urban assault bikes-
I use Shimano non adjustable medium size V brake levers, Avid BB7 mechanical calipers, with twin 203mm Avid self cleaning rotors, I like to use Avid sinthered metal matrix "red" down hill race pads, they take a few good stops to warm, but never get to grabby unless you want them to.
I use brand new butter fly springs every time i swap pads, i usually get 2 seasons out of a set of pads.
I use new stainless steel cables and good stiff Shimano housings with O ring sealed jagwire or avid housing end ferules.
As each cable is assembled i add that thin plastic cable sheath to each exposed cable making sure the system is as water tight as possible.
This works for shifter cables as well.
She stops on a dime and will give you 9 cents change at any speed, in and conditions.
Its an in expensive system that's proved to me time and time again that good doesn't necessarily need to be uber expensive.
I've been riding for 45 years, on every bicycle brake system known to man, from the old rod actuated "pull up" English/Chinese rim types, coaster brakes, drums, side pulls, cantilevers, V brakes and even the new metal matrix rotors and 2 piston hydraulics on center lock hubs... nothing stopped better than the Avid BB7s and 203 mm stainless steel rotors.
If your going disc? DONT waste money on any thing else!
I refuse to ride V brakes or any other rim brake any more.
Here's a few pics-
http://s944.photobucket.com/albums/...ad286/tjm1959/?action=view¤t=IHWlft.jpg
AVIDS ROCK!
BBB
I use Shimano non adjustable medium size V brake levers, Avid BB7 mechanical calipers, with twin 203mm Avid self cleaning rotors, I like to use Avid sinthered metal matrix "red" down hill race pads, they take a few good stops to warm, but never get to grabby unless you want them to.
I use brand new butter fly springs every time i swap pads, i usually get 2 seasons out of a set of pads.
I use new stainless steel cables and good stiff Shimano housings with O ring sealed jagwire or avid housing end ferules.
As each cable is assembled i add that thin plastic cable sheath to each exposed cable making sure the system is as water tight as possible.
This works for shifter cables as well.
She stops on a dime and will give you 9 cents change at any speed, in and conditions.
Its an in expensive system that's proved to me time and time again that good doesn't necessarily need to be uber expensive.
I've been riding for 45 years, on every bicycle brake system known to man, from the old rod actuated "pull up" English/Chinese rim types, coaster brakes, drums, side pulls, cantilevers, V brakes and even the new metal matrix rotors and 2 piston hydraulics on center lock hubs... nothing stopped better than the Avid BB7s and 203 mm stainless steel rotors.
If your going disc? DONT waste money on any thing else!
I refuse to ride V brakes or any other rim brake any more.
Here's a few pics-
http://s944.photobucket.com/albums/...ad286/tjm1959/?action=view¤t=IHWlft.jpg
AVIDS ROCK!
BBB
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Are you still around?
I like your cruiser with this very nice seat. Where did you buy this one? Thanks.
On my china bike, I'm in a real need for better brakes. Its an old 28" schwinn "ace" that I'm running 26 inch tires on, but the thing is so barking heavy it takes a long time to stop. Maybe coaster brake on the back? I don't like rim brakes. Bad storys with them
I have a heavy duty rear wheel with double walled steel, 12g spokes, and a Shimano clone coaster hub. I also have a Worksman front wheel with drum brake. For routine stops, I use the front drum. If I need to stop a little more quickly, I apply both brakes. This setup is working well for me. I prefer drum brakes to anything with external pads, for two reasons. Number one, drum brakes are nearly impervious to weather, unless water is somehow able to get inside the drum itself, it will function in rain or snow. Secondly, drum brake shoes will outlast any type of external pads, hands down. You can run the best disc pads available, and they will still need replaced a long time before my drum's shoes ever will.