Selecting & Installing A Front Brake On A Dahon Speed Uno
 

I picked up a used Dahon Speed Uno from Craigslist I'm planning to use on a future trip(Japan + Hawaii).
I'm aware there have been past discussions along the same lines; Mu Uno, others. But the other threads
seem to be lacking exact brand/models/part numbers. And/or are incomplete. While some talk about the
caliper; there is no mention of the lever or rim/wheel.

I created this thread to help me and others in the future. Please respond with exact model/part numbers;
when making suggestions/corrections. I'm going to do the work myself and will be ordering some stuff online.
Please tell me if I have the correct parts and if they will work with each other. Please feel free to suggest
substitutions for better parts.

1. Tektro R559 Road Front Brake Caliper - 55-73mm, Hex Nut, Silver
Wanted to get black; but I can't seem to find it anywhere. I only see the recessed nut in black.

2. Shimano R550 Brake Levers Silver
Will Shimano Ultegra R780 Brake Levers work?

3. Mu P8 front wheel
Local shop has this in stock; forgot to ask the color. Wanted black to match rear and want quick release skewer.
Otherwise might order COMP front wheel from Thor.

4. Jagwire Road Elite Link Brake Housing + Cable
Had this sitting around for a while now. Is this okay with getting bent back and forth on a folder?

Thanks for any input/guidance you folks can add.

Was about to order the parts from Amazon. But I stopped by the local shop specializing in folders
(BFold of New York city)and they had all the parts I needed. I wanted to make sure that all parts worked
with each other; I let them handle the installation. Tektro R365 caliper has a recessed nut; requiring the
hole at the back of the fork to be increased/drilled. Labor plus all parts came out to US$260.

Tektro MT 4.0 brake lever, Tektro R365 brake caliper with recessed nut, Kinetix Comp front wheel
with quick release, Schwalbe AV6 inner tube, Schwalbe Durano Mango 28-406:

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1626/...250340d2_z.jpgBrake Install on a Dahon Speed Uno by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

looks quite long reach, but fork was made with clearance to take a fatter tire.. Que Sera.


you do have room for mudguards :thumb:

looks pretty good, bro. and you have plenty of clearance for fenders if you choose to install them down the line. BFold is a great little shop. i bought my brompton there and many other little odds and ends.

The original tire was 47-406. My new 28-406 tire makes the caliper look so huge. :)

I bought my 2nd(current) Brompton from them. They're a good shop to deal with.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5586/...d97532be_z.jpgBROOKS C17 LOANER FROM BFOLD by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

Do you have to get new tires?
 

Is it ok to just buy the brake kit with stick tire?

The original rims don't have a braking surface; machined sidewall.
You could use the original tire; but I recommend to get another wheel/rim
with sides that brake pads can grab on.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1714/2...ace005de6a.jpgDahon Speed Uno Weight by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

I don't agree that a new rim is necessary. I used a long-reach Tektro on my UNO: It didn't have the greatest braking power, but it was enough in combination with the rear coaster brake. Honestly​, by the time I installed the front, I had already gotten used to coaster braking and still relied on that most of the time. The front was more of a "just in case" brake.

Thanks for the answer. I guess if I don't plan to ride a lot of hills than I could just keep the stock tire. I will see how it works out. I have heard stories of broken chains and I'm installing the front bike as backup.

What size Caliper do I need if I keep the stock tire? Do you have to drill the fork to fit the Recessed Nut? Thanks

For years we used rims without machined sidewalls for braking. In about 200 miles the brake pad will rub the annodized coating off.

That frame is designed to have enough clearance to work with the larger 20" (451) wheels also.

Any caliper you get will fit the stock tire. The critical measurement on the brake is from the brake surface to the hole in the fork. Yes the hole in the back of the fork will have to be enlarged if you want to install a brake with a recessed nut.

Any long drop caliper brake will not work very well. They do not have good leverage because of the very long arms reaching down to the rims. Mountain bikes went to Cantilevers and then to V-brakes because calipers would not work.

If you put 451 rims on this with short calipers they would work ok but normally not as well as V-brakes.

It's actually the wheel the tire mounts to that the brake needs to reach. This one will work..Velo-Orange sells the nutted version.

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/tektro-r559-extra-long-reach-brakes.html

Thank you everyone for the info. Would I be able to fit fenders on the Speed Uno with the front brake installed?

Yes you can fit fenders on the Speed Uno with brake---It is much easier if you do not have the recessed brake nut however.