Pneumatic brakes?
06-16-07, 01:09 PM
#1
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Pneumatic brakes?
Has anyone ever seen a pneumatic brake on a bike before?
Someone brought it into the shop because it wasn't working, both brakes seemed to be operated by one lever (with safety lever).
Are there things rare?
Also, they are rim brakes.
Someone brought it into the shop because it wasn't working, both brakes seemed to be operated by one lever (with safety lever).
Are there things rare?
Also, they are rim brakes.
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06-16-07, 01:15 PM
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I've seen them once, on an old NIB Murray or something of the like. Huge actuator cylinder on the lever and little servo canisters betweeh the arms of the calipers... And a spagetti pile of tubing.
Never worked on them. If they aren't sealed units, servicing should be pretty straight forward.
Never worked on them. If they aren't sealed units, servicing should be pretty straight forward.
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06-16-07, 03:28 PM
#3
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Originally Posted by Stacey
I've seen them once, on an old NIB Murray or something of the like. Huge actuator cylinder on the lever and little servo canisters betweeh the arms of the calipers... And a spagetti pile of tubing.
Never worked on them. If they aren't sealed units, servicing should be pretty straight forward.
Never worked on them. If they aren't sealed units, servicing should be pretty straight forward.
We just tool them off and put a cable actuated one on it.
05-30-19, 10:28 AM
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Pneumatic Brakes
I know this thread is ancient so maybe nobody will see it but I once had a bike sounds like the one you described, probably late 70's. Lime green and black with the huge pneumatic cylinders pressed by the levers etc... Except mine had disc brakes! I would give anything to lay my hands on that thing again.
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05-30-19, 10:18 PM
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I know this thread is ancient so maybe nobody will see it but I once had a bike sounds like the one you described, probably late 70's. Lime green and black with the huge pneumatic cylinders pressed by the levers etc... Except mine had disc brakes! I would give anything to lay my hands on that thing again.
There's a tiny bit of info on Velobase:
VeloBase.com - Component: Sears Hydraulic
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05-30-19, 11:00 PM
#6
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Shimano hydraulic brakes. Pneumatics for bikes? never existed AFAIK.
06-03-19, 10:12 AM
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Pneumatic Brakes
I promise you these were Pneumatic. They were not the ones in the picture linked above. They had this ridiculously cheap plastic bellows that was squeezed when you pulled the levers. It had drop levers as well as the ones on the upper part of the bars. the disks were huge as were the calipers.
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06-03-19, 10:26 AM
#8
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hydraulics are using a non compressible fluid air is obviously compressible..
so in a truck the engine power compresses it.. see : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_brake_(road_vehicle)
so in a truck the engine power compresses it.. see : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_brake_(road_vehicle)
06-03-19, 11:25 AM
#9
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I promise you these were Pneumatic. They were not the ones in the picture linked above. They had this ridiculously cheap plastic bellows that was squeezed when you pulled the levers. It had drop levers as well as the ones on the upper part of the bars. the disks were huge as were the calipers.
Wait, not sure I understand. Are you saying it was different from these? These already look about 10x bigger in cylinder volume vs the Shimano hydraulic brakes I remember.
Last edited by Salamandrine; 06-03-19 at 11:31 AM.
06-03-19, 12:21 PM
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Yes. It was different. The bellows actually looked like the plastic bellows on the toy blood pressure cuffs.
Like these but only about 3" in diameter.
Google "plastic toy bellows"
Like these but only about 3" in diameter.
Google "plastic toy bellows"
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06-03-19, 02:23 PM
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OMG you are right. I found the pictures and that's crazy! Somehow I never ran into those BITD. They must have been pretty rare. And I thought the Shimano hydraulic brakes were rare.
Wait, not sure I understand. Are you saying it was different from these? These already look about 10x bigger in cylinder volume vs the Shimano hydraulic brakes I remember.
Wait, not sure I understand. Are you saying it was different from these? These already look about 10x bigger in cylinder volume vs the Shimano hydraulic brakes I remember.
Those lever air pump chambers and caliper doohickies are gigantorically huuuugemungous!!
06-03-19, 05:43 PM
#12
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Whoever thought of that Schlammazle and brought it to market... I want some of what they were smoking!
06-04-19, 08:15 AM
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Darn, now I'll have to stop calling the Campagnolo Delta the world's most bulky bicycle brake! 
I remember when I first started researching 1890s bicycles and came across "pneumatic brakes". There were never any diagrams and it took a while for me to realize that they talking about brakes designed for bicycles with pneumatic tyres, as opposed to pneumatically activated brakes. In the early 1890s, the invention of the pneumatic tyre was taking over from the solid rubber tyre and revolutionizing the bicycle industry, along with the chain driven safety frame. "Pneumatic" became a marketing buzz word and was being applied to any product designed to be used on a bicycle equipped with pneumatic tyres.
I remember when I first started researching 1890s bicycles and came across "pneumatic brakes". There were never any diagrams and it took a while for me to realize that they talking about brakes designed for bicycles with pneumatic tyres, as opposed to pneumatically activated brakes. In the early 1890s, the invention of the pneumatic tyre was taking over from the solid rubber tyre and revolutionizing the bicycle industry, along with the chain driven safety frame. "Pneumatic" became a marketing buzz word and was being applied to any product designed to be used on a bicycle equipped with pneumatic tyres.
06-04-19, 10:23 AM
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So what pressurizes it? Do you have to stop and repressurize it now and then?
06-04-19, 05:17 PM
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According to VeloBase, this is a Hydraulic system on the green Sears bike above. They do not list who made it.
Check the VeloBase link and there are 3 more pictures. One of them has graphics that say "Hydraulic" on the seat tube.
VeloBase.com - Component: Sears Hydraulic
It is interesting in that the right brake will apply pressure to both the from and back calipers. There is no left brake lever, so it is not possible to ride on the hoods.
Check the VeloBase link and there are 3 more pictures. One of them has graphics that say "Hydraulic" on the seat tube.
VeloBase.com - Component: Sears Hydraulic
It is interesting in that the right brake will apply pressure to both the from and back calipers. There is no left brake lever, so it is not possible to ride on the hoods.
06-04-19, 06:17 PM
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One would expect a dummy base/bracket on that side of the handlebar, just to provide the desired riding position.
06-04-19, 06:34 PM
#17
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The cylinders look a lot smaller without all the plastic housing. Yeah, hydraulic. It looks like a cheaper version of the Shimano brakes I was thinking of, which look like this:
Props to whoever can find a picture of the pneumatic brakes with plastic bellows, the ones the OP asked about.
Props to whoever can find a picture of the pneumatic brakes with plastic bellows, the ones the OP asked about.
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11-09-19, 10:53 PM
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I had this bike
I got it for Christmas in the late 70s/early 80s. My dad was always trying to convince me how cool it was, and I was not buying it! I HATED it then (everyone I knew had a Schwinn, and I felt like my parents cheaped out), but wish I had it now!
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03-07-22, 08:25 PM
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OMG you are right. I found the pictures and that's crazy! Somehow I never ran into those BITD. They must have been pretty rare. And I thought the Shimano hydraulic brakes were rare.
Wait, not sure I understand. Are you saying it was different from these? These already look about 10x bigger in cylinder volume vs the Shimano hydraulic brakes I remember.
Wait, not sure I understand. Are you saying it was different from these? These already look about 10x bigger in cylinder volume vs the Shimano hydraulic brakes I remember.
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