Drum Brakes are dumb brakes and don't stop for crumb cakes

[Bettleguise]

I'm walking home one night step off the curb and some hillbilly fixed gear rider plows into me and sends me flying. The guy had no bell no lights and no brakes, luckily his bike only weighed 15 pounds or so. But since then I vowed to always have lights brakes and a bell or horn.
Cruising around the beach or the suburbs is one thing, but commuting in a city, I think it's wise to have two brakes, front and rear.
So I buy a Sturmley Archer and lace it to my front wheel. I did some research so it wasn't a big shock when I found out that a drum brake doesn't really stop the bike. It slows down really nice, very smooth, but it's weak weak weak.
What's the deal? I heard that they wear in and get better over time. Is there something else I'm missing? What can i do to get it to work better, clean, acetone, sand, cable slack? I'm using and old school dicacomp lever.
I'd like to hear what experiences folks here have had with drum brakes and some advice on them. I added alot of weight to the bike for pretty much minimal benefit and I'd like a little piece of mind knowing I have good stopping power.

 

[roadmaster]

i rode an old schwinn tandem with only a rear drum, long time ago, and i had absolutly no probs. the few bikes i came across since rode just fine and i really liked how the drum brakes worked. maybe s.a.'s quality has fallen abit, but drum brakes are rather simple and should work fine.

 

[necessaryevil]

I've had a few Schwinn Krates with the old Atom drum brake. They all stunk no matter how well you cleaned or adjusted them. Old technology.

 

[JoKeR63]

Some of these things work in ONE direction only. While off your bike, lightly apply the brake in question and push the bike forward then back. If it works better in reverse, you need to put the lever on the other side of the fork.

 

[user 135]

All you ever need to know. http://bikesmithdesign.com/tips/drum-brakes.html

 

[FunkyStickman]

I'd like to hear what experiences folks here have had with drum brakes and some advice on them. I added alot of weight to the bike for pretty much minimal benefit and I'd like a little piece of mind knowing I have good stopping power.

I put a Sturmey drum 8-speed hub on my RRBBO4 bike, and I have no complaints on it stopping. I used a plain old MTB long-pull brake lever. It doesn't lock up the back wheel, but it will haul me down from 20+ MPH in a very quick controlled manner, no fuss, just works. The bike with me on it weighs close to 240 pounds, maybe more. Also, drum brakes work better on smaller wheels, bigger ones have more leverage, which means less stopping force. Heck, if you want, I can make a video of it being tortured on my bike!

while we are on drum brakes. does anyone know where i can get a 3 speed drum brake 110mm spaced. i also need one for the front.

If you want new, here's the Sturmey 3-speed with drum:
http://www.ebikestop.com/sturmey_archer ... HU2213.php

Front drum:
http://www.ebikestop.com/sturmey_archer ... HU2202.php

These guys (ebikestop.com) have the best price I could find anywhere new. Their price on the 8-speed was a good $30 cheaper than any other store I could find it at.

 

[Danimal]

Ok, anybody have an old (70's or older) Sturmey Archer 3 speed drum brake hub? If it is laced to an old school wheel, even better. Something like this:

 

[bean]

Ok, anybody have an old (70's or older) Sturmey Archer 3 speed drum brake hub? If it is laced to an old school wheel, even better. Something like this:

Stop teasing us with this pic!! :wink:

Is it a sin to covet thy fellow forum member's bike? :mrgreen:

 

[Danimal]

LOL, I should make it my sig picture.

 

[Walker]

Dan, I think i have one that will fit, send the bike to me and i will check. 8)

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

Dan if you want I'll come by and pick up the bike and take it to Walker

 

[Bettleguise]

Cman!
Good link, I tried sanding the pads. But the Sturmley is fixed on the inside of the drum so I'm a little confused about the up and down and the alignment.
It does seem to work better in one direction,anybody else using Sturmley come across this?
The lever that attaches to the fork bends a little when i tighten the clamp, could this be an issue too?

 

[JoKeR63]

Cman!
Good link, I tried sanding the pads. But the Sturmley is fixed on the inside of the drum so I'm a little confused about the up and down and the alignment.
It does seem to work better in one direction,anybody else using Sturmley come across this?
The lever that attaches to the fork bends a little when i tighten the clamp, could this be an issue too?

OK, which direction? the suspense is killing me!

 

[Bettleguise]

Um, I got excited too. But I tried it on the right side, with the lever in front of the fork, worked better but it made a clicking crackle noise. Like footsteps creeping in the woods. I got scared and put it on the left, like you see in the picture above only sideways. So I guess it's only suppose to go in one direction. I always believed the ear was the best diagnostic tool when it comes to fixing bikes. A wonder you don't see more blind bike mechanics.
I think part of the reason it feels mushy is that the cable is long and just hanging there. So securing it at a couple spots along the way helps. I want to route it internally through the bars and then through the truss rods. Think the bars will break from two small holes?
In the meantime they stop me well enough as long as it's a planned stop.