Bicycle Mechanics - Removing/replacing coaster and roller(drum) brakes...?

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JLTinsley
09-25-11, 07:33 PM
Hello,

I will first admit I am a total biking newbie, so I'm sorry if these are silly questions!

Question 1: If one has a bike with a rear coaster brake, is it possible to just remove the coaster brake without having to disassemble the entire rear wheel? Or would removing the coaster brake meaning having to disassemble it-- ie, take apart the rims, spokes, hubs, etc, then rebuild it again without the coaster brake?

Question 2: If one has a rear wheel already built with a Nexus 8 hub that is roller-brake compatible, but *does not have the roller brake on it*, same question as above: would you have to dismantle the entire wheel to add the rollerbrake, or can it be added without taking the wheel apart?

Please note- I don't have these bikes/wheels so I'm not looking for advice of what makes the best brake/rear wheel/blah blah blah. I'm just trying to figure out how this stuff works and what is the easiest way to go about it, if I DID purchase these items. Thanks!

krome
09-25-11, 09:04 PM
I can't answer question #1. Regarding #2, the roller brake is optional on the non-coaster brake Nexus 8. The roller brake cannot be installed before lacing the hub. Once the hub is laced to a rim, the roller brake is added on. There is a dust cover to use if the roller brake is not installed.
fietsbob
09-25-11, 10:38 PM
the coaster brake can be overhauled. or a replacement re laced in a wheel

roller brake ready means it has the appropriate fittings attached to the outside .

fuzz2050
09-26-11, 07:57 AM
In case it isn't explicitly clear, for #1 you are stuck with the coaster brake. The braking unit is built into the hub, and the only way to remove it would be to replace the hub entirely.
JohnDThompson
09-26-11, 08:26 AM
In case it isn't explicitly clear, for #1 you are stuck with the coaster brake. The braking unit is built into the hub, and the only way to remove it would be to replace the hub entirely.

You could remove the reaction arm from the hub, that would leave the brake mechanism inside the hub in place, just not activated.

Not sure why you'd want to do this, though...
Monster Pete
09-26-11, 09:13 AM
You may be able to disable the brake by removing the brake pads from the internal mechanism. This would retain the drive/coast functions, but leave you without the brake. My question is why would you want to? There's nothing stopping you having a coaster brake and rim brake at the same time.
JLTinsley
09-30-11, 06:39 PM
Thank you for your responses! For those wondering "why would you want to?!", I hate coaster brakes. I want to be able to pedal backwards without the bike braking. It is purely a matter of preference as I find coaster brakes annoying and inconvenient.
JohnDThompson
09-30-11, 07:28 PM
Thank you for your responses! For those wondering "why would you want to?!", I hate coaster brakes. I want to be able to pedal backwards without the bike braking. It is purely a matter of preference as I find coaster brakes annoying and inconvenient.

In that case, I'd just get a standard wheel with a freewheel type hub and put a single-cog freewheel on it. "Flip/flop" type wheels with threading for a freewheel on one side and a fixed cog on the other are readily available and not expensive.