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coaster brake disengagement

Old 07-09-05, 08:14 PM
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coaster brake disengagement

My special needs daughter requires unbelievable quantities of time praticing bike riding. She has her first bike, 10", w/training wheels. I have a push bar attached so that I can keep her moving when she stops pedalling (which is often) and that way she can concentrate on just steering. She usually engages the brake while not pedalling and this makes pushing the bike difficult. Can the coaster brake be disengaged so that the pedals just turn backward when coasting???
keleeee is offline  
Old 07-10-05, 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by keleeee
My special needs daughter requires unbelievable quantities of time praticing bike riding. She has her first bike, 10", w/training wheels. I have a push bar attached so that I can keep her moving when she stops pedalling (which is often) and that way she can concentrate on just steering. She usually engages the brake while not pedalling and this makes pushing the bike difficult. Can the coaster brake be disengaged so that the pedals just turn backward when coasting???
Back in the good ol' days of BMX (like the late 80's) there was a product called Un-Brake. It essentially allowed kids to remove the brake shoes from the inside of the CB hub, and acted as a spacer to keep everything in place and adjusted properly. It allowed a coaster brake hub to become a freewheel one with minimal cost. It was discontinued after a time due to liability concerns. (Dumb kids would adapt the bikes to freewheel, but forget to install a handbrake so they could stop.) The piece was made for either Shimano or Suntour hubs, and could sometimes be adapted to some no name Taiwan CB's also.

What type of brake is it? Just read the name off of the arm on the non drive side of the bike. I might have one of these kits laying around in my "old cool stuff" bin. I could think of no better use than to help out a child with special needs enjoy her bike more. If I can find it, and it will work, its yours for free. If not, I will try and find some info that could help you in fashioning one yourself.

Otherwise, the option would be to build up a wheel using a freewheel hub and a freewheel on your existing rim. The spokes would most likely need to be custom cut, but that shouldn't be too bad either.
The only concern , which you have adressed with the push bar, is her safety to keep her under control.

If you need some help in this project, check with your LBS to see if they could assist you. Some don't want to be bothered in such a project because of the safety issues (it sucks that we live in such a litigious society) or they may lack the experience. But if you explain your situation, and get a good shop, most will jump at the chance to help out your child. I know we do...
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Old 07-10-05, 09:57 AM
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Most coaster brakes have a cone shaped wedge that rides on a treaded carrier attached to the sprocket. When you pedal forward the wedge moves to the right to engage the hub. When you pedal in reverse the wedge is driven to the left to engage the brake mechanism. If you remove the brake parts and replace them with a spacer to hold the wedge in place, it should work fine. Use a stack of washers or a piece of PVC pipe for a spacer. That's definitely easier than replacing the wheel.
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