Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - coaster brakes, how safe?

I have a 1980 soviet (they say it's ukranian) racer, (still has the 1980 moscow olympiad stickers!)
which I have converted into single speed, not fixed gear.
Though I admire the strong frame which seems to be ok,(they say it's cro-mo) even it has rusts here and there, it is the caliper brakes that is unreliable.
I was thinking of replacing it with cheap tektro brakes (20 dolars/rear and front.)
But suddenly it crosses my mind to make my bike look like a fixie (I haven't tried, dare not try fixie!)
by substituting the rear hub with a coaster hub.
(correct me if I am wrong, a coaster brake is the one that brakes when you backpedal, right?)
by doing so, my handlebar will then be clean, no cables, no brake levers, no front brakes.
just like a beachcruiser.
the question is, how safe is it to ride the bike to commute in busy traffic?
Thanks for advices...

It's about as stupid as a brakeless fixie and a bit more pointless. Just get some new brakes.

But suddenly it crosses my mind to make my bike look like a fixie

There is nowt wrong with how a single speed looks, if you want a bike to look like a fixie build a fixie, It's like saying" I wanted to look like a girl so I put on a short skirt", you an't fooling no one, we can all see your ball bag bounce to the beat of your feet. There same amount of work to build a fixed gear as fitting a coaster brake as you need to rebuild the wheel. Buy brakes if you don't want fixie. Build a coster brake wheel if you like coaster brakes, just don't expect it to be a good brake on it's own.

Coaster brakes are not that much fun I think. Not too effective or practical. If you want to ride fast in traffic, use a front brake. A front caliper and a coaster rear would work fine (As would a front caliper and anything else in the back: fixed, another caliper).

Coaster brakes are a lot of fun. Use them if you like them, not because you want to pose as fixed. That will make your coaster cry. (and possibly run off with carnies while you sleep)

They are just as safe/unsafe as any other rear-only brake, with the added bonus of burning out on long downhills.

Coaster brakes are a gas.

i roll on a coaster. do it! it's very safe in traffic & a lot of fun. remember being a kid & trying to show off & compete with your buddies who could do the longest skid on your bmx? awww yeeeeaaaah!

The main problem with coasters are stopping quickly when going fast and regular maintenance.

Rode one around SF for a year and it was a pain. Nice ol Stumery Archer hub but it had to be serviced about 4 times in the year which was a huge pain. Not the easiest of hubs to work upoin.

If you live somewhere flat, it may be a possibility. But if you have hills, forget about it.

i rolled on mine in college in a hilly area & had zero problems.

Get the tektros; it's cheaper, safer, and easier.

Coasters are not all the same---Dump the english versions---The english didn't know how to build a coaster---get an American made one---I like bendix best.Very easy to overhaul.
But then a fixed gear with front brake on a l/w racer is classy---coasters are better left to cruzers.

Fuuuuuuuu** the haterzzzz
Rock that coaster brake!
They're a blast. If worst comes to worst, jam your foot into the rear tri...I rode a burnt out coaster like that for almost 8 months

I think it's lots of fun. I just converted an old Rockhopper to coaster and it's a blast.

Bendix two-speed coaster brake.

I'd love to have one on my winter ice bike.

They stopped making them.

If worst comes to worst, jam your foot into the rear tri...I rode a burnt out coaster like that for almost 8 months

:roflmao:
Did you get the tire groove in the sole of your shoe? That takes me back. I need a beer and a phone.

It's about as stupid as a brakeless fixie and a bit more pointless. Just get some new brakes.
Please explain. Coaster brakes are about as safe and efficient as caliper brakes.

Please explain. Coaster brakes are about as safe and efficient as caliper brakes.
i don't know about that. i can stop quicker on my caliper brake bikes than i can on my coaster bike. that being said, i think i ride my coaster commuter more than i do my expensive other bikes.

Please explain. Coaster brakes are about as safe and efficient as caliper brakes.

Not my argument, but I was never able to modulate the stopping power on coaster as well as I can on calipers. I always respond better to unintentional skidding with calipers than I do with coasters due to this disparity.

Please explain. Coaster brakes are about as safe and efficient as caliper brakes.

Perhaps, but you can't fit one on the front wheel. When it comes to stopping a bike a front brake does it much quicker than a rear.

Please explain. Coaster brakes are about as safe and efficient as caliper brakes.

As was already pointed out:
1. They are harder to modulate
-you have much better fine muscle control over your fingers
-they usually don't apply friction evenly though out the wheels rotation
-You body bounces and shifts a lot more then a hand on a lever

2. A coaster is only braking the rear wheel.

These are the exact same reasons why riding brakeless is less safe then braked.

if you do decide on a coaster brake, i would suggest getting a bmx freestyle or flatland coaster brake as the are usually higher quality and stand up to more abuse......only problem would be getting a rim to match a 48h hub.

if you do decide on a coaster brake, i would suggest getting a bmx freestyle or flatland coaster brake as the are usually higher quality and stand up to more abuse......only problem would be getting a rim to match a 48h hub.

Um, what? Freecoaster <> coaster brake

old school flatland coaster brake

oh, ok

Also, SA and others make new coaster brakes that don't entirely suck.

Hey tedi k wardhana, if what you really want is to ride fixed, it seriously isn't that big of a deal. Just pick a good gear ratio and roll with a front brake at first. All of us on this forum who ride fixed love it.

thanks to all, for the varied opinions.
now I have a headache...(just kidding)

if I may rephrase, the original problem was that the 27 year old stock caliper brakes seem to not having that stopping power.(compared to my other hybrid bike with cantis)
while being at it, I also envy that clean look of fixies, beach cruisers, with clean handlebars, no cables, no shifters.
yes I understand, as the name implies, cruisers are for cruising, not for high speed, so coasters are just fine for them, right?
and yes, unless I can fit an ABS (anti lock braking) (like a formula one??)system on a coaster, I might tend to lock my brakes and skid and have an accident, rather than braking with fingers.
right?

but anyhow, since I don't go to fast on my bike, I think I might opt for a coaster.
just for the CLEAN LOOK :))

Regardless of our arguments against coasters and their safety, I've ridden them since childhood and have never crashed due to bad braking or seen it happen to others. You'll be fine even if you do ride fast. I agree about the clean look.