Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - front wheel drum

My track frame is not drilled for front brake, I want to ride with a front brake... some of the time.
Anyone ever used a front drum brake with some sort of release mechanism, maybe those bmx folding seat post clamps.
I know SRAM and Shimano both make these sort of hubs right now, I want to know if anyone knows if they work ok (with a bmx lever)

Here's an ANT with a drum brake, and it looks like the answer is yes.

http://www.antbikemike.com/images/Bikes/Iver/iver3big.jpg

That's a really good idea, actually. Interesting.

The mallard drums are a little smaller and a lot better looking if you can find one

That's an SRAM drum I believe. looks slick. They are most often used on tandems and heavy tourers, so they should stop HARD, but they are heavy compared to a conventional front brake.

I've been wanting to put drum brakes front and rear on an old Schwinn Phantom style cruiser with 26" MTB rims. I think it would make an awsome battleship town cruiser.

Drum brakes are used on tandems and tourers because you can use them on long downhills to control your speed without the overheating failures you can get with rim brakes. I've seen them operated with click-shifters for that purpose. Other than that they don't work better than rim brakes. Better than nothing, though. And looks really nice.

off-topic but that bike is SOOOOO HOT!!!!!!

This is surely more work than drilling the frame/chrome drilled fork from BikeWorks.

two of our cargo bikes have drum brakes. Significantly inferior stopping power compared to v's, and a ***** to patch a tube, but consistant power in any weather and under load...

I forgot about the all weather part. That is another plus.
I'm seriously thinking about putting one on my coaster brake Steamroller now.

this is what you want.

http://www.d1.dion.ne.jp/~amvna/net/murayama/breaki1.jpg
link (http://www.d1.dion.ne.jp/~amvna/net/murayama.htm)

this is what you want.

http://www.d1.dion.ne.jp/~amvna/net/murayama/breaki1.jpg
link (http://www.d1.dion.ne.jp/~amvna/net/murayama.htm)

Hey... similar hubs are also available (http://www.nashbar.com/profile_moreimages.cfm?category=&subcategory=&sku=15294). One (negative) thing about these is there's a built-in elastomer which "prevents" you from locking up the hub / taking a header. But hey, perhaps you wanted to stop short? I've read that it's possible to disable this elastomer, but that remains unsubstantiated...

Also, I had thought the case for disc brakes is that they require an appropriate fork, due to the transfer of force / stress to the fork leg... anyone know why/how this should be different for front drum/roller brakes?

Probably the same reason coaster brakes don't require extra bracing in the rear, where most disk brakes do. Disc brakes are super-powerful, and these just aren't.

Plus, it looks like that arm on the drum brake goes a long ways up the fork. Maybe that plays a part too?

It's early, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, but I think there's also something about how the disc is braking directly against the fork, but the drum brake is braking against the drum shell...I think that the only force being exerted on the fork for drum brakes is the force of your hand and the lever pulling the pieces together.

off-topic but that bike is SOOOOO HOT!!!!!!

I agree. I think the drum brake looks a little chunky, but supposedly the builder went with that allow the rims to be fully powdercoated for a cleaner look (http://www.antbikemike.com/antique.html).

this is what you want.
link (http://www.d1.dion.ne.jp/~amvna/net/murayama.htm)

Damn - I need to get one of those for my Bianchi...

As I understand it, disc brakes need to be attached to _stiffer_, not necessarily stronger, frame/fork members in order to minimize flex that would make them not work properly.

This definitely goes in my mental file of what I'd have built if I had all the money in the world: custom frame with built-in threaded chain tensioners like the one on the Ant above, plus built-in tabs to hold the brake arms for a coaster rear hub and front drum brake. And non-machined powdercoated rims.

This is surely more work than drilling the frame/chrome drilled fork from BikeWorks.

It would be more expensive, but it would allow you to convert the bike back to track form, by changing the wheel and unclipping the bmx lever. You wouldn't have to change the fork (pain in the ass)

It would be more expensive, but it would allow you to convert the bike back to track form, by changing the wheel and unclipping the bmx lever. You wouldn't have to change the fork (pain in the ass)

Drilled forks w/o brakes will not compromise the trackiness of your bike, and unbolting a brake from the fork crown is certainly less work than unbolting the arm from the fork and switching wheels. That said, I kind of hope you do this.

Everyone knows front rim-brakes look stupid and will probably result in a months long dry spell, with spring approaching, I just can't afford that.