Olavimuff

Hello.

I have read that it is possible to add roller brake for this hub gear shift. Its manual refer only to the Shimano BR-IM70-R or BR-IM73-R, but cant find any shop to buy from.

Does some other brake models may fit with this hub gear shift?

Andrew R Stewart 

I can't speak to any specific roller brake add on possibility (although Shimano has used some modular designs on their IGHs for a while, the same shell has been shared with different braked versions). But I will ask if you have ever used a roller brake before. We see a number coming through our shop every year and more and more riders find out that a disk brake generally stops the bike quicker and with less effort then a roller design does. This discovery often happens when that rider gets a new/different bike that doesn't have roller brakes (and most these days will be disked). Just trying to make sure that you end up with the braking performance that you want...Andy

Olavimuff

Thank you for your response, Andrew.

Answer is no, I never used roller brake, also never had disk brake bike. Probably I cant install disk brakes for my existing bike. I have always used v-brakes, but these needs often cleaning and settings.

So I am not sure that I want that brake, but I have read some reviews about roller brakes. It should last longer and easier to maintenance (needs special oil) but have a small wearing. I believe that IM80 should fit also for this model but I cant find any information about that.

What do you think about v-brake vs roller brake? Worth it or not? I drive 5km per day in city area, thats why I love hub gear shifting. I only need more reliable brake for my rear wheel.

Andrew R Stewart 

Roller brakes are known for their lack of "power". They do have a very smooth ramping up of clamping (should be "wedging") level but the brakes generally don't have the wheel skidding capability like a disk brake has (and I feel that rim brakes are really disk brakes too). Roller brakes do seem to last a long time but when service is needed it can be expensive and not quick as most shops won't have parts and perhaps not even the hi temp grease. We have done a couple of roller brake clean and greasings and the internals didn't need replacement but the Shimano grease tube cost many tens of $ and at the rate the two jobs used the grease we have enough for, maybe, another hundred servicings.

For flat land areas and riders who don't push their skills when in traffic roller brakes will be, IMO, fine. But for those who challenge the traffic patterns and or work their brakes pretty hard I would suggest some other design. I work on and test ride disk braked bikes frequently. But it's only been a couple of years that I have had a personal bike with disks. I still find rim brakes good enough for the vast majority of my riding and I do ride in traffic, go down the Finger Lakes hills at over 45mph weekly (during the season) and practice momentum conservation whenever possible (which means that often enough I need to slow/stop RIGHT NOW). Were I still an off season commuter or deep in the woods MtBer I might feel different. Andy

Olavimuff

Hmm, yea, I need more power, not less.

Thank you for sharing your experience, Andrew. I am not gonna buy roller brake, specially because it is rare product and less support available for it.

sweeks

The hub has a spline on the non-drive side which interfaces with the roller brake module. The spline may be hidden under a cover which is easily removed.
I installed the BR-IM70-R on my "winter" bike, a Dahon folder, because I was replacing the rear rims about every 2,000 miles due to rim brake wear. (Just FWIW, I am a heavy user of the *front* brake; the wear is from salty slush and abrasive road dust here in Chicago.) I find the roller brake adequately strong for a rear brake; it's not a strong as a good V-brake, but it's fine on the rear.
The roller brake is lubricated with a special high-temperature grease, not oil. Maintenance once a year is plenty, and it's easy to do.
You should be aware that you will have to provide a place for the brake module's "torque link" to attach to the frame.
The wearing of the rear rim is now non-existent, and the brake is occasionally mistaken for a disk brake!



Shimano Nexus 8-speed hub with roller brake.

Olavimuff

sweeks, one of the biggest problem is that cant buy it nowhere. Its not that expensive for not to try, but not worth to order it from other side of world. I only had a hope that some other model may fit, but it is too risky when no information about that.

By the way, roller brake is the first brake system which need grease inside to work.

ARider2

I agree with Andrew S that a roller brake does not perform as well as a disc or rim brake. The Shimano models you mentioned are no longer available. The current Shimano roller brakes available as of 2020 are models BR-C3000-DX and BR-C6000-DX and retail for around $30 to $70 depending on model and whether front or rear.

sweeks

It is a virtual certainty that only Shimano roller brake modules are compatible with Shimano hubs. There are several models of the Shimano brake. I have another one that lacks the big heat sink, but otherwise works as well. I hope you find one.

This is a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma!
Yet they work (well enough for a rear brake, anyway).

sweeks

How about THIS?

Olavimuff

Thanks for info, didnt know about that model change.