JoeTBM 

OK, We very rarely get newer used bikes in our shop but got in one the other day with a brake system I have never seen before.

It has a single handle but yet controls both the front and rear rim brakes via cables.

Not having seen this before, I am unsure what it is even called to look up help on repair/adjustment. It seems the brake cable travels from a floating pad of one brake assembly to the other brake assembly..

Can someone tell me what this brake system is called and possibly point me to some repair/ adjustment docs/videos?

Thanks

ARider2

I recently came across such a bike. I believe it was a Jamis or a Hudson. The bike only had a right hand brake lever which engaged both front and rear brake sets. The rear brake has a floating brake pad that slides forward when it contacts the rim. The floating rear brake pad is attached to a brake cable leading to the front brake set which is actuated when it contacts the rim. As the floating brake pad contacts the rim it slides forward which pulls the cable which engages the front brake pad. The front brake set is normal. We asked the bikes owner about the brakes (which were weak at best) and he asked us to convert to a conventional system with separate brake levers. Some people need a brake system to operate with only one lever but I think the Double Barrel brake lever offered by Problem Solvers is a better option...

dedhed

Common on tandem bicycles with 3 brakes. 1 drum and 2 rim brakes.
There are a number of ways to accomplish this.

https://problemsolversbike.com/files...le1-2_inst.pdf

dsbrantjr

Probably the simplest solution would be to convert the brakes to 2 separate levers as ARider2's customer requested.

HerrKaLeun

Never knew that exists. I doubt it improves braking because your finger force will be split in half for each brake. I guess diverting braking force over 2 brakes helps cooling each brake, though. So the above tandem comment makes sense.
I first though it was for a person with just one hand to control front and rear. but on a bike, you want separate control over rear and front brake (unlike a car, where the driver only has 1 brake, but the computer uses electronic brake force distribution, ABS and VSC to control each of the 4 wheels individually)

Bianchigirll 

FWIW DiaCompe used to, or maybe still does, make a drop bar style lever to control both brakes.

JoeTBM 

As you described. Is there a name of this brake system and any fine points for adjustment, like a youtube video. I checked Park Tool's site and didn't see anything covering iit? It might have been a Jamis bike, right now it is in the back of our storage unit so getting to it to check is a royal pain.

JoeTBM 

I think I found it, check out this link

bike world news

Thanks to @ARider2 for pointing me in the right direction

JoeTBM 

It is called a Sure Stop brake system SURESTOP Brake System | Safer, Smarter, Simpler Braking

I also found two YouTube videos, 1st showing how it works and 2nd is how to replace the active pad



Edited to add a replacement parts kit

https://surestop.bike/replacement-parts/

HerrKaLeun

Lol. they are afraid of the FRONT locking up? The front never locks up on normal surface, the rear will. and the added 2m of cable for the front brake (going to rear, then back front) adds so much friction and stretch that the front brake just will be a token brake. and ultimately you only use the force of one hand. That must be less overall braking power than than using the force of 2 hands.

elcraft

They are also in use for bikes designed for bicycle Polo. Since one hand is wielding a polo stick, the other must do double braking duty...

ARider2

We found the braking was weak with the one lever system, giving little or no front braking power and weak rear braking too but it was several years old and would probably have performed a little better with new pads and cables. Using separate brake levers and new pads had it working well again.

Wanderer

Frequently used by someone with one hand!

xiaoman1 

Maybe this guy,

The Fugitive.....
Best, Ben

dabac

What I’ve seen happen though is a rider clamping down hard on the front brake, w/o being properly braced or positioned. Inertia then proceeds to drape the rider over the handlebar, at which point all semblance of balance and control is lost.
While not necessarily a lockup by definition, it can quite probably feel like one.
And blaming lockup, inferior design is more acceptable to the ego than admitting to user error.

thumpism 

Found, but not purchased, at the local co-op. While it might not provide the best braking performance, depending on how the brakes are adjusted, for someone with a bum paw it might be just what s/he needs.

HerrKaLeun

You can fly over the handlebar due to lack of skill, that doesn't mean the wheel locks up. My bike ahs 203 mm front rotor and Deore brakes and stops on a dime. The front is impossible to lock up on dry pavement. On ice, or deep mud, Sure. If the front would lock up, the rear would not lift up and you would fall sideways.

And this 2-brake contraption only gives HALF the brake force to each brake since you only use one hand, which happen to be half the hands you use on a normal setup. Yes, locking up may not be an issue, but stopping before you hit something will be an issue.

bwilli88 

My daughter was born with a short left arm, just below the elbow. I built this bike for her, a grip shifter for the rear and a thumbie for the front. A bar end on the left side lifts it up high enough for her to rest her arm on.

JoeTBM 

Nicely done