Tandem Cycling - Where to purchase an Arai Drum Brake?

I've decided I should add a drum brake to our new Trek T2000, but not sure exactly what all I need or where to order it from. I do most basic maintenance so installing it shouldn't be a problem, but I'm having trouble finding info and what is needed. There appear to be a couple different sizes of drums (we are about 310 - 320 lbs tandem team), and the Trek has the threaded hub, hook, and cable bosses, so a standard "kit" should have most everything to install. I've also not sure about brake levers. Do most poeple just use a standard MTB lever mounted about where the in-line levers would be, or are there other options? all input is appreciated. Any pics would be helpful as well.

Thanks - John

Pretty good info on the Arai is here: http://www.precisiontandems.com/arai.htm

They're fairly simple and you can sometimes find them up for sale on Ebay. Most LBS who use QBP as a supplier can also order one for you. Your best bet for a turn-key set-up would be to patronize one of the tandem speciality dealers, such as TandemCycleWorks.com (Colorado), TandemsEast.com (New Jersey), TandemsLtd.com (Alabama), GTGTandems.com (New York), PrecisionTandems.com (Kansas), or bike123.com (Maryland).

As for actuating the thing, for folks with STI or Ergo, a bar-end shifter is the preferred method; it allows you to set the drag brake with a variable amount resistance to control your descent, and then move your hands back to your primary brakes to further modulate your speed on the descent, e.g., to work as a drag brake. An MTB thumb shifter also works well for stoker-operated Arai brakes or for tandem captains who use bar-end shifters for, well, shifting gears.

As for other options, I don't believe your frame has IS disc brake mounts so your best bet for an auxiliary brake is the Arai.

Your Trek dealer should be able to get you a drum brake.
Braking can be controlled either by stoker via thumb or barend shifter, or if you have STI, by pilot with barend shifter.
Personally, we have never had a need for a drum brake on any of our 2-seaters.

Thanks guys, I road some fairly intense hills last weekend on my single, and since the hills were new I was doing a lot more braking then normal. I thought, wow I would really need to brake if we were on the tandem. We are planning to do the hilly next year in Indiana, so while I have plenty of time, I think it might be important to have some extra braking. There are way to many people (5,000 riders), so best to maintain a slower downhill speed.

John

In spite of what seems to be "conventional wisdom", I run mine from a second brake lever, a basic Shimano Exxage. The right lever controls the front rim brake, the standard-position left lever controls the rear rim brake and the third one controls the drag brake. That way, I can quickly feather it around the potholes and cracks.

Photo here (http://www.mgagnon.net/velo/potence-double.en.shtml)

Your best bet to buy a brake assembly is :http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tandem.html

I have one set up on my tandem with the brake controlled via a bar-end shifter mounted on the stokers bar. This allows me to control the rim brakes while my wife can adjust the drum brake as needed.

If you get the Aria brake, spend an extra 20 bucks and get the "no tool" cable quick release. http://www.precisiontandems.com/homepage.htm