Drum Brakes?
- Thread starter Duchess
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
Just grabbed both! Gonna see about building an ebike for my wife. This seems like a good starting point.
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2013
- Messages
- 4,295
- Reaction score
- 9,472
SA doesn’t recommend their drum for off road. I put one on a newer Schwinn tandem and its an improvement over the cheap side pulls with steel rims. I have one on a coaster brake klunker and braking is marginal. It lets you scrub off enough speed for corners, just. I can definitely go around corners faster after I added it but the braking is pretty weak. It does work as well when it’s wet. I also have a Gigant (Atom clone but not as good) front drum brake on another klunker and it’s just a little better. I can’t really lock either up very well. They do have a nice feel. The SA axles and nuts strip easily so go easy on the Neuton Meters.
Thanks for the info. I won't be using it off road anymore than unpaved paths. I don't expect it to be amazing, but I definitely want something better than a set of cantilevers. I'm probably putting too much motor into it and it might end up being something like an old muscle car—all go and no slow—but if it doesn't work out, I'll find a more appropriate frame to move the electric stuff to.
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2013
- Messages
- 4,295
- Reaction score
- 9,472
In my experience drums aren’t any better, and maybe not as good, as properly adjusted cantilevers when it’s dry. Cantilevers need fiddling to keep them working optimally. Drums just need an occasional cable tightening and they are better when it’s wet. They are probably the next best choice after juice discs for your purposes.
I have a build on the rack now with SA drum on the front and Shimano roller on the back.
Was disappointed at first as they both seemed spongy. But after fair amount of adjusting and tweaking they seem to get a pretty good solid grip, and with a little squeeze stop the free spinning wheel with a definitive thunk, at least as good as any calipers I've had.
I'll report back more, once I get it on the road for a real test.
Was disappointed at first as they both seemed spongy. But after fair amount of adjusting and tweaking they seem to get a pretty good solid grip, and with a little squeeze stop the free spinning wheel with a definitive thunk, at least as good as any calipers I've had.
I'll report back more, once I get it on the road for a real test.
"I totally forgot about the Monark repro forks, but I don't know if I trust that suspension or build quality for higher speeds. I thought of 26", but would rather stick with the 700c. If this turns out to be a huge fail, I'll revisit this option, but I already ordered the hub, so I'll find out."
The Monark repops are pretty good (from Monark Forks website)..stay away from the type 1 first version. The type 2 I've used for a couple whizzers with drums and had no problems with them..they now have a super sized one for wide tires.. or the Sportsman Flyer monarks are Super as well.
The Monark repops are pretty good (from Monark Forks website)..stay away from the type 1 first version. The type 2 I've used for a couple whizzers with drums and had no problems with them..they now have a super sized one for wide tires.. or the Sportsman Flyer monarks are Super as well.
Drum brakes will be definitly too weak, plus all bycycle will be heavy after conversion and if you use any discbrake, drum brake or rollerbrake it will rip spokes from the rim. If you thinking about vbrakes or cantilever thats mean so you have boss pivots for them mounted on the frame and you can use hydraulic Magura hs33 which will stop bicycle by the rim. If you dont have boss pivots on the frame you can add adaptors (basicaly it is a clamp with boss pivot which you can screwed to the legs of fork). I have old schwinn stingray converted to electric, and I try drum brakes, roller brakes and disc brakes, they cant stop bike or they rip off spokes from the rim, finaly Magura hs33 do the work as it should be, emergency breaking from 30mph is not the problem anymore...
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2020
- Messages
- 1,637
- Reaction score
- 5,370
Sturmey Archer make a 100mm front drum hub which is quite powerful. The linings look to be semi metallic. I have one on my 1939 Roadmaster (not electric) and it pulls it up very well. The bike weighs 27kgs.
27kg is mot much, try to do that with my 60kg cruiser... Anyway, with drum brake we have two big problems, first, soon or leater the outer shell of the hub will be polished by the brakepads, so power of breaking will decrease with time, second brakepads are enclosed in the hub shell and you cant see how much of them left without oppening hub. You must remmember so mechanical stering of this brake deppends from inner cable which will strech, and the outer cable which will compress, normaly this is something good becose you have modulation in your hand, but on heavy bike you cannot rely on it, no matter how you will setup it, it will just slow you down, but hard to call it breaking.
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2020
- Messages
- 1,637
- Reaction score
- 5,370
You could be right however I have a 80's Honda Super Cub upgraded with a powerful 125cc engine on a Greek Island where my outlaws live. It is about 95kgs and will do 65mph with drum brakes front and rear. With semi metallic linings it will stop it easily without any fade and the front brake is cable operated.
First, you have strong steel rims and thick spokes, second innercable is much thicker and the outer cable is build like a gear outer cable in bicycles, there is no compression at all, as much strong as you press on the brake lever going strait to the brake. Second, brakepads in your hub are bigger, thicker and much more wide than in bicycle hub. It was design by Honda for so big weight and speed, you cannot compare it with bicycle parts.
It will be difficult becose in UK is 4am now and its raining. Write in youtube Magura hs33 ad you will see how it is made. Basicaly this is extremaly strong, hydraulic v brake. I will upload pictures of my bike leater if I dont forget.
Trials riders traditionally use these brakes. BEEFY
Beefy...will crush rims.
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2020
- Messages
- 1,637
- Reaction score
- 5,370
That is my concern with powerful rim brakes.
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2020
- Messages
- 1,637
- Reaction score
- 5,370
Downunder e-bikes are restricted to 14mph so braking is probably less of an issue than in other countries. I’ve seen a few young kids riding e dirt bikes 2-3 times that speed on bike and foot paths and gave them a stern talking to when I caught up to them at a set of lights. Guess I must be getting old or responsible.
Rims are already a consumable...they just get consumed a little faster
.
