Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Coaster brake

Has anyone here ever built up a roadie single with a coaster brake? I have an old Reynolds 531 frame I built up as a singlespeed commuter with front brake, but I'm having reservations about trusting all my braking to one thin cable. The clean look with only one cable really appeals to me, so I'm exploring coaster brakes as a backup stopping method. Any tales of performance, weight, friction, mechanical woes etc. are appreciated.

Cheers!

coaster brake? on a road bike? eeeeewwwwww....

Just go fixed gear no need for coaster brake then :)

I first built up the bike as a fixie, but it blew my knees out in a very bad way. I've had knee pain caused by cycling before, but nothing like what happened after two vigorous months of riding only the fixie. Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is a painful condition but rarely serious in the long term. The intense, constant spinning and backpedaling contributed to the injury. I liked the fixie experience but I don't want to put up with another 6 weeks of physical therapy and no biking for three months. Another problem with the fixed gear drivetrain was that the frame was old-school road, so it had a relatively low bottom bracket. Even with 165mm cranks and careful form I had several pedal strikes, one so bad that it potato-chipped the rear wheel. The freewheel that's on it now is a good compromise and I love the way the bike looks and handles, so I want to keep it on the road. A coaster brake would allow a clean framed singlespeed coastie with two brakes. I have no experience with coaster brakes, so I wanted to throw out the question in case anybody in this forum had tried it out on a road bike.

cheers

Why do you need 2 brakes if you have a coaster brake?

It will work.....Ive run a SS mtn that way,and had plenty of fixies w/o brakes,one good sticky back tire gives plenty of traction to stop.Get a KT coaster brake hub with trim kit from bikepartsusa.com,it comes spaced at 111mm.....it will fit almost anything w/spacers added.My only bad experience with coaster brake was it was a little tough to modulate the brake...they are a little touchy when new,and a dead stop meant lifting rear of bike and flipping pedal back around.....no different than a fixed gear.They also dont engage instantly like a freewheel,there's about 1/4 to 1/2 turn of cranks till your pedaling again.Run about an 75-80" gear on a roadie and would prob be a decent combo.

why not just put a rear brake on? or is it not a road frame now?

It's a roadie frame, old-school lugged steel w/Campy dropouts circa the 1960's. A rear caliper brake would definitely work, but I like the clean look with no cables running to the rear wheel. I'd like to keep it that way if possible.

Horndude-thanks for the tip. Did you find the 1/4 to 1/2 turn before engagement to be a nuisance during normal use?

Not so much of a nuissance but aggravating....takes some getting used to,although Im sure after a few hundred miles it would be no big deal.Im just used to everything reacting instantly......being around peds and dodging cars all day(Im a messenger) makes it kinda of important to me for the bike to do exactly what I want w/o any delays.OTOH,ditching the v-brakes or calipers would be nice....brake pads dont last very long in my job LOL.

Has anyone out there ever had a brake cable fail? I certainly haven't. However if this is what's running through your head as your reaching mach 1 in city traffic then of course consider a rear brake but isn't a quality hub with a coaster an oxymoron? I have a city cruiser built up with a classic old steel frame and a shimano nexus 7sp hub with a coaster. I've had the hub apart trying to see if I could defeat the coaster but even with Sheldon Brown on the case it seems hopeless. Bottom line is I don't want the coaster because: (a) don't need it (b) much better to be able to backpedal freely when using clips in traffic, at stop lights etc.

Bikerchase55,

Check out this link for disengaging the brake of a coaster brake:

http://www.standardbyke.com/acontentfolder/accessories/accssoages/unbrake1.html

Its made for BMX bikes. Flatlanders use them so their pedals don't go backwards when the bike goes backwards. I don't know if it will work in your hub or not, but its cheap.

cory

Dear Bikesalot,

Were you still thinking about doing this? I've just completed my Schwinn Super LeTour this way and it's my favorite bike now! (although I've never done any other single (besides a cruiser)or fixed). Let me know!

Coaster brake on a road bike isn't a bad idea, really. Kinda combines the worst aspects of single speed and fixed gear all in one! ;) Over the years, I've known of a couple people to do this, mostly out of simplicity and need for practical trouble free operation. There are millions of practical transportation bikes out there that are single speed coaster brake bikes. And of course, way back in the day, MTBs commonly used them.

I'm going to convert my old beater MTB (which sadly no longer sees any mountains) into a "urban assault machine" (I have no idea what that means, but I heard it recently and I like the image it conjures) by bolting on a coaster brake wheel and 1.25" slicks. I think I'm gonna have to leave in the front canti brakes, though.

I was a bit inspired by this web site to do it:
http://weirscyclery.com/bobsingle.htm

Interestingly, the web page describes using a old Bendix hub, which brings up a few questions for me. I wonder if there is such a thing as a "high performance" coaster brake hub? the one I have is a recent no name model. I haven't seen a Bendix hub in years, but thn again, I don't really keep an eye out for them. If my coaster MTB ends up working out well, I might go on the lookout for a old Bendix or Sachs two speed automatic hub.

Lastly, years ago, I did convert a old Bendix hub into a freewheel. I think I recall a article in a old BMX mag how to do it. IIRC, it involved removing the brake shoes and adding a couple washers to keep the clutch from unscrewing. Anyone ever do this? I wonder how practica it would be to turn a coaster brake hub into a fixed gear? Hmm...

I really, REALLY wish my digital camera wasn't out for repair right now, or I'd post a pic. The hub I used is a Schwinn anniversary (which would be 1995) chrome steel coaster hub that was used on the cruisers. The spacing is different (what is the spacing on an 80's road bike? I know nothing about spacing), but works with axle spacers, and a spacer on the bolt that holds the brake arm to the frame. It's ugly as heck, but works super so far. I only payed $10 for the hub, too, so I couldn't go wrong. It's actually become my favorite bike by far. Short of getting tubeless tires for it, I can't imagine how it could become any less trouble free.

Shecky- I'm probably going to put a front brake on mine, too. It makes more sense to wear out brake pads instead of a hub sometimes.

Good luck with the mountain bike!

FWIW, Here's another interesting link I found of a one speed coaster brake road bike:
http://www.mindspring.com/~d.g1/peugeot.htm

Yet another link:
http://vandesselsports.com/b_straightUp.shtml
This one looks pretty.

And another one. Sexy and weird all in one.
http://www.bikecult.com/works/collections/daveTL.html

schwinnbikelove-

I decided not to go with the coaster hub for several reasons--one being the fact that I couldn't dig up a high-quality coaster anywhere. The second was that I had a well-maintained used freewheel hub from a previous bike, so it made sense to just have a wheel built up around it. Citybikes here in PDX did the wheelbuilding and it turned out great. I installed dual-pivot brakes front and rear, and while it did spoil the clean lines a little, the stop-on-a-dime braking is worth it. Wet rims increase stopping distances only a few feet. With a set of fenders, it's very practical for day-to-day riding, and it's by far my favorite bike. If I ever get a digital camera, I'll post a pic here.

Bikesalot,

By dual-pivot, do you mean centerpull road calipers? Well, good to hear that you enjoy your new bike. Can never see too many pictures, either. My camera is at Argus getting repaired as I type... :(

If you have the means, I would say don't hesitate to try it if you find a quality coaster hub. The one I have may be all steel (not good for weight conscious, lol) but seems indestructible and very reliable. I would say my braking is around 1/4 backpedal. This bike is seriously making me want to make another. Also, it is nice not worrying about cables or adjustments. Have fun riding!!!

Familyman,

Is it just me or what? If I were the builder for that last bike, I wouldn't have taken close up shots. The craftsmanship isn't the greatest. But who am I to judge?

By dual-pivot, I mean the modern style of side-pull brakes. The brake arm pivots are arranged in such a way that vastly increases the clamping force at the rim compared to older-style single pivot brakes. Most newer road bikes use them. The braking force is comparable to mountain bike style V-brakes, but the dual-pivots are much lighter and easier to install. IMHO, they are the best choice for road bikes if you want a rim brake setup.

Cheers!

Coaster brake question...

The LBS I used to work at was overhauling a 50yr old Huffy and it had a very unusual coaster brake. The brake didn't work well so when I took it apart it had "clutch pack" in it instead of the usual steel pads, similar to an automatic transmission in a car or a wet clutch in a motorcycle transmission. This hub seemed to be very high quality compared to today's cheap hubs but it was just worn out and, of course no parts were available for it so I cleaned, relubed and put it back together.

Anybody know about these? This one might be a good choice if you can find an old one that's NOS or just lightly worn.

I've got a New Departure hub like that. Haven't had the chance to try it out though to see if the brakeing is better or not though I would assume so. It does appear high quality. Impressively so.
Perry, Styra,Komet, Morrow also made fine hubs.

Bikerchase55,

Check out this link for disengaging the brake of a coaster brake:

http://www.standardbyke.com/acontentfolder/accessories/accssoages/unbrake1.html

Its made for BMX bikes. Flatlanders use them so their pedals don't go backwards when the bike goes backwards. I don't know if it will work in your hub or not, but its cheap.

cory

That probably won't work, unless you have a Suntour coaster brake, and besides, it's not neccassary. All you have to do is remove the brake shoes. Standard Unbrakes are just basically washers (and you can use normal washers too), that take up some of the slack in the clutch. This reduces the amount of slack in the cranks (without, you have to pedal 1/2 a turn before you move, with it can be less than 1/4).

The best freecoaster available (coaster without the brake) is the Nankai Technolite, but I don't know if there is a braked version available.

Yeah, like someone else said, it may be hard (or impossible) to find a coaster hub that's high quality in terms of weight, but as far as trustworthiness, a lot of 'em are built like a tank. And easy to find (or at least in new orleans they are). Look for bikes in thrift stores and garage sales. Or just try and find a taco'd wheel on a coaster hub. lots of 'em work perfectly after an overhaul, even without replacing any parts.

I saw a few people riding coaster-brake road bikes in Minneapolis and Portland this summer and wondered why I hadn't thought of it when all my friends were making their ss freewheel bikes. A roommate and I both made coaster road wheels recently and are loving them. Totally my favorite thing to ride right now, even though the frame I'm using is way too big for me.

All the simplicity of a track bike sans cables and levers, plus I can coast (but I'm not such a sporty guy, so I like coasting).

Anyway, I'm rambling. But I highly recommend it. Glad to see others are enthusiastic.

cheers,
y.

I wholeheartedly agree. I've been riding a one speed coaster brake bike exclusively for a few weeks now, and it's a blast.

I haven't been able to give up the front brakes, though.

Seems coaster brake hubs are a very mature technology. The tend to be quite robust and simple to service. Around here, they turn up in the dumpsters all the time.

how come nobody mentioned bendix coaster hubs? they produced a cool 2spd kick-back coaster hub. 2spds, no shifter cable.

sachs also produced the torpedo boy 2spd auto hub. completely automatic, it shifts into a taller gear at approx 10 mph.....i want one but theyre dam near impossible to find. i saw one on ebay once but it went for a lot of money...

I have a 2sp Sachs kickback hub. One of these days, I'll lace it up. The automatic would be really cool, but I've never seen one. If you could find one, these seem to go for less than Bendix models.

If you can read German, here's a page of Sachs hubs including the 2 sp kickback and automatic.

http://www.3gang.de/3-gang/index.htm

riding a coaster on a road frame is damn fun! I love fixed gear but for messenger work I really enjoyed the road frame coaster combo.

riding a coaster on a road frame is damn fun! I love fixed gear but for messenger work I really enjoyed the road frame coaster combo.

Wow... very cool. What kind of coaster brake did you use? How did it stand up to messenger work? I've been riding a Surly Steamroller with an old F&S (Sachs) coaster brake exclusively for the past 3 months and love it.

Do you have any pictures?

Thanks...

Jim

How 'bout more pix of the Steamroller?

I'd contribute pix of my old coaster-ized MTB, but it's really not much to look at. It's been through hell and is now a well ridden upright urban machine.

How's that F&S coaster work? I'm interested to hear. The coaster on my mtb is a nameless cheapo. When I got it, it made a few occasional strange noises. Plus, the axle was too short for standard mtb frame spacing. So I rebuilt it, replacing the axle, the 6 ball caged bearings from a donor, shot lots of good grease in there, and it's pretty smooth now. Braking modulation is better, too. And of course, skidding is a breeze.

I've ridden a few old Bendix hubs that were decent, too.

Wow... very cool. What kind of coaster brake did you use? How did it stand up to messenger work? I've been riding a Surly Steamroller with an old F&S (Sachs) coaster brake exclusively for the past 3 months and love it.

Do you have any pictures?

Thanks...

Jim
Nope but i'll take a few shots tomorow. My only regret is it no longer has the giant paperboy basket I so loved to make the big money with.

[QUOTE=shecky]How 'bout more pix of the Steamroller?

Here's a shot of the whole thing....at least as it is now. I'm always tweaking things.

jim

wow jim, you're huge...what size frame is that!?

wow jim, you're huge...what size frame is that!?

Well actually, the frame is 59 cm which is the largest Steamroller Surly makes and it is a bit small for me .... I'm alittle over 6' 4". But I love it soooooo much. With the seat kicked back as it is, the effective seat tube angle is 72 degrees which is perfect for me. I was pleased to be able to make the bike comfortable without resorting to a long, slack, slow steering touring frame.....I already have a bike like that. It's a great climber for these Seattle hills too.

Jim

Anyone out there riding clipless on their coaster-brake road bike? I was thinking of putting some SPD pedals I have around on mine and when I mentioned it to an LBS owner, he said it was a bad idea, so I haven't done it.

But the more I think about it, it seems like it'd make the bike safer if anything, because it'd be easier to brake from any crank position..

So anyone try this already? successfully or no?

Thanks,
Y.

Anyone out there riding clipless on their coaster-brake road bike? I was thinking of putting some SPD pedals I have around on mine and when I mentioned it to an LBS owner, he said it was a bad idea, so I haven't done it.

But the more I think about it, it seems like it'd make the bike safer if anything, because it'd be easier to brake from any crank position..

So anyone try this already? successfully or no?

Thanks,
Y.

Hi Yoni...

I love the coaster brake but ride with clips and straps. I don't see why clipless should be a problem though. What coaster brake are you using? Not that it matters I'm just curious.

Jim

Hi Yoni...

I love the coaster brake but ride with clips and straps. I don't see why clipless should be a problem though. What coaster brake are you using? Not that it matters I'm just curious.

Jim

It's a Bendix. I forget if there's a model name on the brake arm and I'm too lazy to run down and look. It's got that ridge in the middle that's painted red or yellow on some models, but mine is unpainted.

I love that bike. Even with a way-too-big standover and that heavy ol' rear wheel, it's tied for my favorite bike (tied with my brand new Campy-equipped Bianchi, no less (not that my other bikes are really anything to write home about).

Y.

That probably won't work, unless you have a Suntour coaster brake, and besides, it's not neccassary. All you have to do is remove the brake shoes. Standard Unbrakes are just basically washers (and you can use normal washers too), that take up some of the slack in the clutch. This reduces the amount of slack in the cranks (without, you have to pedal 1/2 a turn before you move, with it can be less than 1/4).

The best freecoaster available (coaster without the brake) is the Nankai Technolite, but I don't know if there is a braked version available.


i just got an old nankai coaster brake from a friend. it was on a 26x1-3/8 rim. when i took it apart i was surprised to see a clutch system that looks like a motorcycle clutch....no brake shoes on the inside, im a little confused on how it works. i cant wait to lace it up and try it out...i may need to install a longer axle though. its a really nice looking hub.

i just got an old nankai coaster brake from a friend. it was on a 26x1-3/8 rim. when i took it apart i was surprised to see a clutch system that looks like a motorcycle clutch....no brake shoes on the inside, im a little confused on how it works. i cant wait to lace it up and try it out...i may need to install a longer axle though. its a really nice looking hub.

The clutch system was created by New Departure. Nankai later bought New Departure.

The brake works very much like a standard coaster but instead of having brake shoes that expand outward to contact the inside of the hub shell, the disks are simply squeezed together.

There are two types of clutch disks in the stack. One has a round outside edge and a 'keyed' inside cutout while the other has three 'keys' along the outside edge and a round inside cutout. These disks alternate between inside key and outside key throughout the stack.

The inside keyed disks are mechanically connected to the drive side while the outside keyed diskes are mechanically connected to the hub shell via three long grooves. The driver mechanism (lead-screw on drive side) works exactly the same as bendix/sachs/shimano type coaster brake.

I have a few New Departures and two Nankais. I haven't had a chance to try them yet. I believe they are the first type of coaster brake made (patented in the late 1890's by the New Departure Bell Company.

Hope this helps...

Jim

i pretty much figured out what you just verifed on my own by inspection. but what i didnt really notice that you pointed out was the alternating keyed/non-keyed plates. now a plated motorcycle clutch makes more sense to me also! im curious to see how this system works compared to the brake shoe system.

Has anyone here ever built up a roadie single with a coaster brake? I have an old Reynolds 531 frame I built up as a singlespeed commuter with front brake, but I'm having reservations about trusting all my braking to one thin cable. The clean look with only one cable really appeals to me, so I'm exploring coaster brakes as a backup stopping method. Any tales of performance, weight, friction, mechanical woes etc. are appreciated.

Cheers!

hey there!
i am looking into the same idea, and here i thought i was original!
i am converting an old bianchi that i want to run with only a front brake, but dont want a fixed, so looking into a coaster brake. have you found any info? i am just beginning, but i will let you know what i find.

thanks!

hey there!
i am looking into the same idea, and here i thought i was original!
i am converting an old bianchi that i want to run with only a front brake, but dont want a fixed, so looking into a coaster brake. have you found any info? i am just beginning, but i will let you know what i find.

thanks!

I would have suggested the use of the 'Search the Forums' feature, but dragging up this old post shows you've probably discovered it. As some may have figured by now, I am more than happy to dump 16 paragraphs of coaster brake love into the forum. I love riding coaster brake so much that it's all I ride these days.

Do you have a coaster brake now? If not, I would suggest finding and older Sachs or even a Bendix redline. If you can't find anything used, you can certainly get by with a Shimano/KT coaster brake.

A few points about older coaster brakes:

1. The axles are usually not hardened so chain tensioners / tugnuts are a good idea to prevent axle slipping without the need to tighten the nuts to the point of stripping. I've ridden without tugnuts, without problems in the past but I think this is still a good idea.

2. Almost all older coaster brakes are designed for 110mm rear dropout/trackend spacing so frames with significantly wider spacing may require attention. If the frame is 126mm, some respacing of the hub/redishing of the wheel may be all that is required. For wider spacing, you might want to consider cold setting the frame.

3. I would recommend rebfurbishing any used hub before riding it. They are quite easy to work on. Basically, pull it apart, clean it, look for cracks in the components (unlikely unless it was seriously abused), grease everything (including the braking surfaces) with a high temperature grease, and reassemble. Just ask if you need, or want help in this area.

I think you are wise to ride a front brake as well, especially if you live in a hilly area. Coaster brakes can generate alot of heat.


I hope this project goes well, I think you'll have a blast riding it.

Take care....

JIm

My first step in the direction of fixed was with an old Miyata three ten built up with a set of 27" wheels with Shimano coaster hub. It was great, I LOVED riding that bike like a maniac! It may as well have been a 61cm BMX. But thanks to my, uh, over-ambitious mechanical skills, I ruined the hub after a crap rebuild. SO, do it. You'll love it. Just don't try to mess with the hub guts, unless you know what you are doing.

my friend broke his collar bone a week ago, so i converted my old 531 french roadie to a coaster brake cruiser for him. just built a new back wheel w/a cheapo shimano coaster hub and put some nitto dove handlebars on it. he says he loves it. it does weight a bit more, and i wouldn't trust it for anything other than light cruising around town. still, there's nothin like bustin' a skid on a coaster.

1. The axles are usually not hardened so chain tensioners / tugnuts are a good idea to prevent axle slipping without the need to tighten the nuts to the point of stripping. I've ridden without tugnuts, without problems in the past but I think this is still a good idea.


Jim,

I have this exact problem on an old road bike with a coaster brake hub.
The bike has semi-horizontal rear dropouts that open towards the front of the bike.
Can you use tugnuts on this type of frame, or do you need truly horizontal, rear-opening, track-like dropouts?
Any information would be greatly appreciated.

geraghty

Looked this up last night. Search function is awonderful tool

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=108422

Also click on members icon and go to his webpage for cool examples.
member = jimv

I posted on Mechanics forum but I should have come here.
I got the Sturmer Archer Model SC apart and found a cracked Brake Band Insert as shown

Is this still usable or even replaceable.

Also I tried to ID the unknown 3 speed with little luck. The patent # did not match anything. I did find a Patent, 3299745 that looks like it might match assigned to Raleigh

Another veiw of my unknown hub

Looks an awful lot like an older Shimano 3 speed hub. The oiler and the bellcrank are what makes it so to my eye.

Thanks. Shimano Type F it is. did a search and found a diagram at old roads and a post answered by Sheldon on how to to dissassemble.

Any one on the SC Hub?