katsrevenge

I just picked this little guy up for twenty bucks off craigslist. It was twenty bucks and my nephew needs a bike. Hopefully it isn't too big/heavy.

It will need the hubs repacked and a seat/grips and some spray paint.. but what in heck is going on with the back brake? It looks like it's some sort of cantilever brake and that I will need a new cable and pads and one of those metal things for it, yes? And that thing at the front... am I supposed to run the brake cables through that? It has what look to be brake cable sized holes in it.

I do plan on taking off the cruiser brake on the front. It just doesn't fit.

Also what exactly is it? Google says it is a Hoffman bike?

cs1

It is U-brake.

alecw35

Its a U brake. The thing on the top of the forks is a Gyro cable detangler. They go by various names. You need an upper cable and lower cable that are for the Gyro, and suitable for your U brake, and the height of the bars. That can be expensive and complicated to get set up properly.

You can just run a simple brake cable from the handlebar lever, down along the top tube to the cable stop. then the inner wire has a cable hanger thing on it. A triangular bit of metal, with a cable clamp bolt and a groove for the straddle cable. A straddle cable fits into the top of the brake arms. It might need a cable that's specific to the make of the brake. Or it might be able to fit a bit of brake inner wire.

katsrevenge

Thanks. As you can tell, I know nothing about these bikes. It's for an 8 year old, so I think I'll just set it up with a single cable for the brake. I was able to stick a bit of brake cable in it to get it to work for the pulley part.