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Coaster brake on a chromoly frame.

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Coaster brake on a chromoly frame.

Old 05-12-12, 01:55 PM
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Coaster brake on a chromoly frame.

Could I put a coaster brake on a chromoly frame without damage to the chain stays? I'm looking to make my bike a 3 speed IGH and was wondering about this. I'll be heading to my LBS next week to look for wheels and wanted some input before I go.
Thanks
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Old 05-12-12, 02:20 PM
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What kind of cromo frame. I think all but the lightest, raciest 3% of cromo road frames could take it. Probably only about 0.125% of cromo MTB frames might have troubles with it.

Just put a snippet of innertube under the strap to keep the frame pretty.

I'd probably just get a non-coaster 3-speed, though. Actually I'd probably get that Sturmey Archer 3-speed Fixed hub, but that's just me. You can roll it fixed or screw a freewheel on it.

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Old 05-12-12, 02:34 PM
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Originally Posted by LesterOfPuppets
What kind of cromo frame. I think all but the lightest, raciest 3% of cromo road frames could take it. Probably only about 0.125% of cromo MTB frames might have troubles with it.

Just put a snippet of innertube under the strap to keep the frame pretty.

I'd probably just get a non-coaster 3-speed, though. Actually I'd probably get that Sturmey Archer 3-speed Fixed hub, but that's just me. You can roll it fixed or screw a freewheel on it.
The S3X Sturmey Fixed hub has some interesting potential. I would use it with a screw on freewheel. What I like about the S3X is that its direct drive gear is 3rd gear, meaning you are in direct drive when going your fastest instead of using an overdrive 3rd gear like the S30 Sturmey 3 speeds and the Shimano Nexus 3.
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Old 05-12-12, 04:16 PM
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It's an older 1988 Mtn bike frame, Giant Sedona, I want to use it on my 11 mile RT commute. The thought behind the coaster brake was just to get some stuff off the handle bar. Maybe duo drive hub would work where you kick back to switch gears but I'm not very familiar with those.
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Old 05-12-12, 07:17 PM
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Originally Posted by fusilierdan
It's an older 1988 Mtn bike frame, Giant Sedona, I want to use it on my 11 mile RT commute. The thought behind the coaster brake was just to get some stuff off the handle bar. Maybe duo drive hub would work where you kick back to switch gears but I'm not very familiar with those.
That frame should be fine with a coaster brake. There have been times I have considered a Shimano Nexus 3 with a coaster brake, thinking it would make for better braking in the wet. I currently use a freewheel Nexus 3, and find it to be a very durable hub. I wish there were other shifting options available other than gripshift for the Nexus 3.

One thing to keep in mind with a coaster brake is that it can make getting your pedals in position at a stoplight a little tricky. Some people are bothered by this, others figure out how to make it work.
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Old 05-12-12, 08:17 PM
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Hands up if you've ever just bent the arm out to hit the bottom of the chainstay cause you don't have a strap
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Old 05-12-12, 08:34 PM
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:hand raised:

Because of recent work I've been doing I've been considering some of the cone wrenches at the bottom of this page:

https://www.greenephantom.com/books_and_catalogs

I figured out a way to "rig" the bearing setting the other day but it would be so much easier with these in the future.
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Old 05-12-12, 08:35 PM
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i've run single speed (SA) coaster brakes on a number of my 80's vintage lugged steel frames without trouble. and there was a time when i ran a seven speed Nexus with coaster brake on a custom bike with Reynolds 753 rear triangle. again, no problem.
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Old 05-14-12, 11:33 AM
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If you really think your frame is so thin that the strap will crush it, why not put a strip of metal under the strap?
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Old 05-14-12, 11:47 AM
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There are straps like I got with my Drum brake hubs with 2 bolt holes.

1 bolt holds on the strap, to the frame, for the 2nd, I substituted a pin with a ball catch ..

I made puncture repairs simpler.. just needed the axle bolt wrench..
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Old 05-14-12, 01:57 PM
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Definitely no problem putting a coaster on a cromoly mtn frame. HOWEVER, the axle length (OLD) on most coaster hubs is narrower than a mtn frame. You'll need to respace the hub's axle (good) or coldset the frame (not so good)
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Old 05-14-12, 02:20 PM
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I wouldn't worry about the stress the strap will put on the frame - it can handle it. However, does the 1988 Giant Sedona have horizontal or vertical dropouts? Later versions definitely had vertical dropouts, which makes them unsuitable for coaster brakes. If your older model has horizontal dropouts then it will work fine.
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