Suicide brake question
- Thread starter Walker
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
for a cruiser i would say it is a bit sketch but once you got used to it then i guess it would be ok. i dont think i would want one as my only brake though. but i have seen a lot more of the local fixie guys running brakes like that just so they can tell cops they have a real brake.
I was thinking of the hand lever type set ups. Just thinking it would look cool on the Excelsior with drum rear brake but due to the hilly topography it needs to be very functional as well.
The issue is not functionality, I suicide brake will absolutely work your drum brake as well as your handlebar lever. However you will be braking with only one hand on your handle bars. I imagine it's a skill like anything else. Heck, I used to ride all around town with no hands and even do skids no handed (coaster brake). Anything is possible.
I say go for it.
I say go for it.
Well, i kind of got to try out the suicide brake idea on Friday night while coming home from work, its about a 16 mile drive. I was cruising along doing 40 or so and only about 2 miles into the drive when a guy whips out in front of me without looking, i slammed on the brakes and the pedal went to the floor. Just barely missed him. After pulling over to see what was up i saw brake fluid dripping down just where the firewall meets the floor of my VW jetta. Blown brake line. I had to get home to the babysitter so off i went, cautiously, with only my e-brake and downshifting to shed speed. I had to make a couple of down hill traffic light turns that were pretty hairy but managed to get home just fine, traffic was light. I'd planned on selling the Jetta this summer and buying a little suv type thing this fall, bummer. I dont think I'm going to bother fixing the car, just going to craigs list it as is. Oh well, i'd managed to squeak 2-1/2 years out of that beater for under $ 1,200.00, can't complain. Time to get something newer, safer and 4 wheel drive for my driveway anyhow.
After that experience, i dont think I'm going to do the suicide brake after all. Yikes.
After that experience, i dont think I'm going to do the suicide brake after all. Yikes.
cman said:
I wish I had some. No chance. I was 11, that was 1975. The bike is long gone. And I am old.
It was a 24" 3 speed Raliegh. Such a nice bike. Very well balanced. What I did was get up some speed, squeeze the seat tight and hit the brake. hard. It was way cool. 8) Was that immodest? 
My suicide brake back in jr high (83') was my shoe on the back tire. I remember well cause me and my friends would swap parts around and I bought a Hutch windstyler frame for 40.00 but didn't swap over any brakes from my other bike so I used my shoe. My mom was pretty POed at me cause I was wearing out my Vans really quickly. I also got busted by a cop since I was coasting through stop signs and went over a hill and he was parked waiting for me. He said some lady was complaining about kids not stopping at stop signs on the way to school. It was a four way stop and no cars were anywhere in sight or I would have stopped, maybe!
