Disabling coaster brake?
02-06-19, 11:01 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Chapel Hill NC
Posts: 1,683
Bikes: 2000 Litespeed Vortex Chorus 10, 1995 DeBernardi Cromor S/S
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 645 Post(s)
Liked 797 Times
in
446 Posts
Disabling coaster brake?
i have a cheapie (Nashbar) commuter that came originally with a 3-speed internal gear and a rear coaster brake. I added a front brake, as the coaster wasn’t really adequate. I have a spare caliper and lever, so I’m pondering adding a “proper” rear brake and doing away with the coaster. I don’t want to replace the wheel or the 3-speed hub, so how can I inactivate the coaster brake and leave the rest of the hub functions intact?
02-06-19, 11:49 PM
#2
Senior Member
Does it rain much in NC? If you get a fair share of the wet stuff I'd suggest that there's much to be said for the coaster brake at the rear and a rim brake on the front.
From my own commuting by bike I found that the front wheel and particularly the braking faces of the rim did not get overly gritty even in the wet stuff. But the REAR ! ! ! !.... I swore that a sand truck had dumped on me when I wasn't watching on more than a few occasions. And this was just from some street and some paved walking and riding paths. And in fact I went over to disc brakes when the prices became tolerable in the blink of an eye for this reason.
So perhaps instead of disabling the coaster it may be better to ask what can be done to make it a little, not a lot, more powerful instead. A good performing and easily modulated coaster brake which can deliver all the back wheel will tolerate for braking in the wet could be a wonderful thing.
You've done a HUGE improvement already by going with a good front brake. Even in the wet we get a good 60 to 70% of our braking from the front. And more than that in the dry. Just need to learn to modulate the pressure so as to not shock the contact patch in the wet.... well... same for the dry too. But in the dry the transition can be a lot faster obviously as long as they are still not a sudden clutching of the lever.
From my own commuting by bike I found that the front wheel and particularly the braking faces of the rim did not get overly gritty even in the wet stuff. But the REAR ! ! ! !.... I swore that a sand truck had dumped on me when I wasn't watching on more than a few occasions. And this was just from some street and some paved walking and riding paths. And in fact I went over to disc brakes when the prices became tolerable in the blink of an eye for this reason.
So perhaps instead of disabling the coaster it may be better to ask what can be done to make it a little, not a lot, more powerful instead. A good performing and easily modulated coaster brake which can deliver all the back wheel will tolerate for braking in the wet could be a wonderful thing.
You've done a HUGE improvement already by going with a good front brake. Even in the wet we get a good 60 to 70% of our braking from the front. And more than that in the dry. Just need to learn to modulate the pressure so as to not shock the contact patch in the wet.... well... same for the dry too. But in the dry the transition can be a lot faster obviously as long as they are still not a sudden clutching of the lever.
02-06-19, 11:58 PM
#3
Banned
remove the traction strut arm..?
Ger another rear wheel Sturmey Archer hub? .. or Shimano ... they go to 11..
...
Ger another rear wheel Sturmey Archer hub? .. or Shimano ... they go to 11..
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 02-07-19 at 12:06 AM.
02-07-19, 12:04 AM
#4
Senior Member
02-07-19, 12:52 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,688
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1074 Post(s)
Liked 295 Times
in
222 Posts
You can open the hub and remove the brake shoes.
But it will be a kinda-sorta fix. It won’t allow you to back-pedal like on a regular SS/derailer gear bike.
Mount a rear rim brake if you wish, but leave the hub alone. There’s very little to be gained from disabling the coaster brake.
But it will be a kinda-sorta fix. It won’t allow you to back-pedal like on a regular SS/derailer gear bike.
Mount a rear rim brake if you wish, but leave the hub alone. There’s very little to be gained from disabling the coaster brake.
02-07-19, 01:00 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,688
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1074 Post(s)
Liked 295 Times
in
222 Posts
In case of accidental back-pedalling, that’ll generally lead to the hub turning on the axle instead of on the wheel bearing until a wheel bearing goes entirely, ride-stoppingly out of adjustment.
Removing the brake shoes is a better option.
Removing the brake shoes is a better option.
02-07-19, 12:02 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 18,081
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4204 Post(s)
Liked 3,861 Times
in
2,309 Posts
Depends of the hub's design. Most all IGHs I have dealt with use the axle to deal with the anti reaction forces and the brake reaction arm for, well brake forces. Some IGH hubs have the backing plate/brake shoe end cone (that is what the reaction arm is attached to) independent of the axle. Andy
__________________
AndrewRStewart
AndrewRStewart
Last edited by Andrew R Stewart; 02-07-19 at 12:02 PM. Reason: added clairity
02-07-19, 12:22 PM
#8
Banned
* there is a , lot of internal torque with double reduction gear ...
....
02-07-19, 01:51 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,879
Mentioned: 38 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6963 Post(s)
Liked 10,963 Times
in
4,688 Posts
Have you ever disassembled a coaster brake hub? Or rather, have you ever tried to reassemble one? I did it once, and vowed to never open one of 'em again. I still don't know how I got it all back together.
I would just leave it alone. Go ahead and add a caliper, but leave the hub alone.
I would just leave it alone. Go ahead and add a caliper, but leave the hub alone.
02-07-19, 05:10 PM
#10
Senior member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Oakville Ontario
Posts: 8,117
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 943 Post(s)
Liked 658 Times
in
371 Posts
i have a cheapie (Nashbar) commuter that came originally with a 3-speed internal gear and a rear coaster brake. I added a front brake, as the coaster wasn’t really adequate. I have a spare caliper and lever, so I’m pondering adding a “proper” rear brake and doing away with the coaster. I don’t want to replace the wheel or the 3-speed hub, so how can I inactivate the coaster brake and leave the rest of the hub functions intact?
I suspect the Shimano 3 speed would have similar possibilities, but that is one model of IGH that I have not thoroughly explored.
02-07-19, 11:03 PM
#11
Insane Bicycle Mechanic
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: other Vancouver
Posts: 9,837
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 805 Post(s)
Liked 706 Times
in
377 Posts
Have you ever disassembled a coaster brake hub? Or rather, have you ever tried to reassemble one? I did it once, and vowed to never open one of 'em again. I still don't know how I got it all back together.
I would just leave it alone. Go ahead and add a caliper, but leave the hub alone.
I would just leave it alone. Go ahead and add a caliper, but leave the hub alone.
__________________
Jeff Wills
Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
Jeff Wills
Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
02-08-19, 10:11 AM
#12
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,503
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,466 Times
in
1,434 Posts
A rear caliper brake may not stop better than a coaster brake. If you want to do it so that you can backpedal, then follow the instructions above. If you just want to stop better, don't bother. A front brake plus coaster brake really should be adequate.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
02-08-19, 01:59 PM
#13
Banned
And perhaps someone will like the coaster brake wheel , and so why not replace the whole wheel & sell off the one you don't now want ?
I like the new S-A NIG 3 speeds..
I like the new S-A NIG 3 speeds..
