Felt Slater drum brake doubt

[Lce_emiliohl]

Hey guys, I own a Felt Slater... still stock. I want to install a drum brake in the front wheel, does anybody know if a Sturmey Archer XL-FD would fit?

 

[Starnger]

Does your fork have a drum brake arm clip? If so - no problem, it would fit. If no - you got to customize one yourself. Sturmey Archer sells clips in similar style as coaster brake clips, but maximum fork tube diameter they make them for is 22.2mm, so if your fork is wider you would need to put a seatpost clamp there.

 

[horsefarmer]

Nice bike! I wonder how well a front brake would play with a springer fork? Specifically how much they compress and cause weight transfer?

 

[Starnger]

Nice bike! I wonder how well a front brake would play with a springer fork? Specifically how much they compress and cause weight transfer?

I have used roller brakes on Schwinn-style reproduction springer forks, it works well. Of course inertia will compress your fork a little while braking, but nothing horrible, around same amount of travel as on medium size bumps.

 

[SILVERKINGPC]

Drum brakes are NOT made to fit linkage forks. Not easy to rig as the brake arm rotates and moves when linkage forks are compressed. If the brake arm is attached to a leg, the springer stops working. @The Renaissance Man has some experience with this and had to come up with a clever custom adapter.

 

[Lce_emiliohl]

Does your fork have a drum brake arm clip? If so - no problem, it would fit. If no - you got to customize one yourself. Sturmey Archer sells clips in similar style as coaster brake clips, but maximum fork tube diameter they make them for is 22.2mm, so if your fork is wider you would need to put a seatpost clamp there.

No, the fork doesn’t have the arm clip. But there is another Felt that is pretty much the same as mine, the Shelby Cruiser and this one includes the front brake in the same fork but I haven’t found a picture so detailed that I can see the fixation of the brake arm. I will measure the tube diameter to see if I can fit one clip but I think is wider.
This is the Shelby:

https://www.mecum.com/lots/DA1116-258583/2011-felt-shelby-cruiser/

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[Lce_emiliohl]

Nice bike! I wonder how well a front brake would play with a springer fork? Specifically how much they compress and cause weight transfer?

Actually the springer fork is very stiff, I think it’s more for the looks than function


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[Lce_emiliohl]

Drum brakes are NOT made to fit linkage forks. Not easy to rig as the brake arm rotates and moves when linkage forks are compressed. If the brake arm is attached to a leg, the springer stops working. @The Renaissance Man has some experience with this and had to come up with a clever custom adapter.

Hi! This one has the same fork and a drum brake from stock. That’s why I wonder.

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[toro1978]

All right, my turn. If you take a good look at that springer you will notice that the dropouts are not on the rockers, but on the front fork. I also have this type f springer, only longer and also plan on putting a drum brake in it. All you need to do is connect the reaction arm to the same fork that has the dropouts. If you were to use a disk brake you would mount the caliper also to the front fork.
However there might be some space between the reaction arm and the fork leg, you should just use something metal or hard plastic to put between and then use or fabricate a fitting bracket. Or if you have a way to bend the reaction arm (better don't or at least disassembly first).

IF those rockers were the older type - that has two holes for the forks AND dropouts for the wheel -then it would have been tricky, but using a short chain between the fork leg bracket and the reaction arm should compensate for the fork's travel.

 

[Lce_emiliohl]

All right, my turn. If you take a good look at that springer you will notice that the dropouts are not on the rockers, but on the front fork. I also have this type f springer, only longer and also plan on putting a drum brake in it. All you need to do is connect the reaction arm to the same fork that has the dropouts. If you were to use a disk brake you would mount the caliper also to the front fork.
However there might be some space between the reaction arm and the fork leg, you should just use something metal or hard plastic to put between and then use or fabricate a fitting bracket. Or if you have a way to bend the reaction arm (better don't or at least disassembly first).

IF those rockers were the older type - that has two holes for the forks AND dropouts for the wheel -then it would have been tricky, but using a short chain between the fork leg bracket and the reaction arm should compensate for the fork's travel.

Thank you! When you install the brake on your springer fork please share some images. I think the only difference between the Shelby and mine in the fork may be a bracket for the reaction arm. I haven’t found a picture so detailed to see where I’m the reaction arm stays but it surely has something that keep it tight and not rubbing the fork. Now I guess the Sturmey XL-FD should have the correct dimensions to fit in my bike.


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[wheelbender6]

One reason we love drum brakes is that they fit almost any fork. I have one on my rat trap springer.

 

[toro1978]

I won't be installing it properly until after the build off. For the build off the bike won't have any front brake, but after it will need one.
So I mocked it up for you, but you have to consider that the sturmy archer has other dimensions. Still I doubt you will see trouble because those forks with these sturmy archer hubs are often combined together.

Because of the rake of the fork the two forks are close so I don't have the space to install the reaction arm properly and had to tilt it forward. I will probably be able to install it the right way with some tinkering, but I won't bother until the time comes.
I got lucky that on this model the smart germans have drilled the reaction arm so it can be held by a standard coaster brake bracket. Nice. I have another Sachs hub where they didn't.

 

[Lce_emiliohl]

I won't be installing it properly until after the build off. For the build off the bike won't have any front brake, but after it will need one.
So I mocked it up for you, but you have to consider that the sturmy archer has other dimensions. Still I doubt you will see trouble because those forks with these sturmy archer hubs are often combined together.
View attachment 129968
Because of the rake of the fork the two forks are close so I don't have the space to install the reaction arm properly and had to tilt it forward. I will probably be able to install it the right way with some tinkering, but I won't bother until the time comes.
I got lucky that on this model the smart germans have drilled the reaction arm so it can be held by a standard coaster brake bracket. Nice. I have another Sachs hub where they didn't.

Thank you! I will have to install the reaction arm the same way as you do with a coaster brake bracket. The main fear now is to tear apart the wheel but, it should work fine.


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[toro1978]

Sturmey archer drum brake on a rock Shox suspension fork:

 

[nosferatu1381]

I have put those hubs on backwards, if its is the shoe brakes in there they dont care

 

[SILVERKINGPC]

Good pics of that Chinese suspension fork. So yea, that NEW springer on the alu Felt is made for Drums as Toro says...the old linkage forks of yesteryear are not.......except for perhaps the Columbia springer, where the AXLE mount is on a leg an NOT the linkage. in terms of these old linkage forks, it is a challenge to set it up to work and have it look good as well..
Here is a not-working linkage fail that needs a moving or slotted/chained arm attchment...

And the RenMan solution that I think is brilliant! Note the darker colored bracket he fabricated to allow the axle of the hub to rotate with the linkage...