Front brake suggestions please

[Grenade]

Hi
I want to put 24" wheels on my bike, but my forks are for 26" wheels, as you can see in my pic the current brakes wont work. I want to keep the forks and use 24" wheels. Its the law here where I live to have front brakes.
Any simple suggestions how I can do this?, I dont want to cut off the lugs on the forks and weld them lower.

 

[user 135]

A drum brake might be your only option. https://www.amazon.com/Sturmey-Arch...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HFKADAE0WCRB5WY5GGSN

 

[RustySprockets]

There are a few alternatives, such as clamp-on brake bosses, but I agree that a drum brake hub is the most elegant fix. This exact situation was recently discussed with a UK member confronting the same law, but I've been unable to locate that thread.

 

[HuffnPuff]

As far as I know in Australia it is only law that a bicycle be sold from a shop with two working brakes (in case one fails). Once it is out, my local road rules (NSW) say you only need one working brake, I think most states are similar. BEsides that, the chances of of being picked up and fined because of that are fairly slim, they are more likely to ping you for not wearing a helmet or having a bell.

My fixed gear bike only has one brake and I usually take the front brake off kids bikes because they are next to useless for little hands.

Where are you in Aus?

 

[Grenade]

The clamp on brake bosses sounds good I'll have to google them to see what they look like, with the drum brake I think I'd have to put in a new hub and maybe brackets on the forks I was hoping for something less costly to do.
Im keen to read that UK post RustySprocket.

HuffnPuff I'm in Perth in the "Nanny state". I've seen 3 or 4 constable cares stopping all cyclists on my local coastal bike path going over bikes, a pathetic waste of resources. But im going to search bicycle road rules for WA, thanks

 

[HuffnPuff]

https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/activetransport/bicycle-rules-standards-and-safety.asp

Only needs a rear brake, front is optional. My fixie wouldn’t cut it, it’s only got a front brake.

You are right about a nanny state. WA is even worse than NSW it seems. Wheels and pedal reflectors are mandatory, even in daylight it seems. NSW only requires front and rear reflectors (and lights) at night

 

[HuffnPuff]

Found another link that doesn’t mention reflectors, just one working brake (no mention of it being a rear brake)

https://www.rsc.wa.gov.au/Rules-Penalties/Browse/Cyclists

 

[Grenade]

Thanks HuffnPuff I found both of those links today, it seems like shops have to sell them with two brakes, butthen can be ridden with one rear brake.
Yeah I saw that about wheel reflectors during the day....unbelievable!
Good news is I can now swap out my wheels

 

[HuffnPuff]

I also had a look at the actual legislation after posting. Turns out that reflectors are only for night or poor visibility. Also it is just one brake, not necessarily a rear one. Seems the transport mob don’t know their own regulations.

 

[Grenade]

Thanks HuffnPuff

 

[Phil Fink]

Might be able to adapt an Old English Resilion Cantilever brake, but that looks too difficult, even if one had/built the correct parts.

 

[RustySprockets]

Okay...so...we have answered the legal question, but not the academic one. CAN v-brakes be easily adapted to work with undersized wheels? I now believe the answer may be "yes"...by installing these little doodads.

Their intent is to adapt 26" (559) wheels to larger 700C (622) wheels. So, what's stopping us from swapping these side-for-side and installing them upside-down? Then, they'd allow for smaller wheels, instead.

Thread-in style brake bosses are necessary for this plan to work--they frequently aren't standard fare on budget bikes.

 

[Grenade]

Hey RustySprokets thats an awesome idea for those little doodads, where can I find them on the net? Any idea what they are called?
The more I've searched into this, more potential issues come up. I never gave it a thought that if I only had a rear coaster brake if and its a big if the chain snapped I'd have no brakes and I do live at the bottom of a very steep 300 metre long hill, I've also just read using disk brake adapters can add stress and damage one fork arm. Things I'd never even though about. Probably would never ever happen.

 

[Grenade]

It ok I found em https://www.speedfx.com.au/promax-brake-extender
https://www.speedfx.com.au/box-two-brake-extenders
It also says.... " Depending on your application, they can be mounted in either one of two positions -- above the frame's v-brake mounts, or below "

 

[RustySprockets]

$50 bux? YIKES!

Here's a link to the same thing on Amazon, for half the price. (You can probably find them even cheaper than that.)

https://www.amazon.com/Cycle-Group-PX-BK14EXTEN-BK-Promax-Extender/dp/B00QICKB12

Remember: before you cheer, make sure your bike has the removable brake bosses.

 

[Grenade]

Those Amazon ones are $24 USD plus $27 USD postage to Australia comes to $76 Australian Dollars.

 

[toro1978]

Hi, guys. I would like to say a few words.
1. About lights and reflectors. If You aren't riding on the street I guess it doesn't matter, but if You are forced to ride in traffic I would not remove them. I had an accident where I was driving my old Benz station wagon - close to 5 meters long and some gal came out of a side street and crashed in my passenger side. Luckily she had just started from a full stop and though the whole right side - front light to tail light - was demolished no-one was hurt. She said she didn't see me.
2. About the brakes - my mom has that women's bike, similar to a Holland bike. The front brake cable tore and since she was going on a holiday in a few days she decided to ride the bike and let me take it to the shop while she is absent. She has a coaster brake as well. The very next day on the first big crossroad on a red light the chain fell off. It didn't snap, just fell off. Thanks god, she was able to turn right and avoid being hit. She learned a few words she didn't knew yet from the drivers...
And there was that guy in the UK riding a fixie with a front brake only and he killed a pedestrian. I know a fixie is much harder to stop than a normal bike, but still.
3. Safety gear - I just crashed a few days ago with my bike, nothing bad, only a few scratches, but I wish I had my gloves on.
My mom got startled by two guys having a jolly conversation in the bend and before she knew it she flew to one side, the bike to the other. I had a helmet that I didn't like (makes my head look reeeeeal big) so I gave it to her and she always wears it when riding.
So here is the thing about accidents, we never plan on having them and when it happens it happens faster than one can react, so...

I don't want to sound patronizing, I myself learned a few things the hard way. Many riders don't realize how vulnerable they are in an accident or how fast they are going. Watch for dangerous situations one block ahead and try to avoid them. Take it a bit slower in low or poor visibility conditions! I have seen guys on road bikes coming as fast as they could around the bend on bike paths. That a child could be in their way has never occured to them. Needless to say they are driving a car exactly the same way.
Don't endanger Yourselves and others! A motorcycle rider is usually wearing a helmet, gloves, some protective clothing. We aren't.
Stay safe.

 

[Grenade]

Ok Im not sure the Promax extenders wiil work, my new 24" rim is 50mm smaller in diameter to the older 26" rim therefore from wheel nut to rim the difference is 25mm yet the Promax extenders say they give 16mm therefore 9mm to short? Haave I worked this out correctly?

 

[Grenade]

Just some feedback, I contacted the company who make the Promax extenders they said they would not work going fro 26 to 24" rim.

I found some clamp on extenders Identiti Rebate Rim Brake Adapters, that will fit my forks but they are in England and out of stock until end of September, So ill just have to wait. I've still got to locate another crean 24" thick brick tyre.