Originally Posted by TheDL
I know there are those of you ss riders out ther using a coaster brake hub. I think I'm going to have to modify "The Princess" (my gf's ss that I built for her) so that she's more...shall we say...accomodating for my gf. I see there are some coaster brake hubs for cheap on ebay, is there a certain one you all recommed, or a model I should definitly not use?
Thanks for your input.
1. If you must put together a wheel asap, then the easy choice is to use a Shimano (KT) hub. If you are able to wait and search a bit then I would hold out for a Sachs, or Fichtel & Sachs (F&S). Other reasonable choices include Bendix redline, New departure.
2. If you buy a used hub then you'll want to disassemble, clean and regrease (everything including the brake shoes/disks) before installing it.
3. If your girlfriend will be riding in hilly areas you should think about supplementing the coaster brake with a front brake. The coaster will get very hot if applied during long-ish descents.
4. Coaster brakes place a lot of strain/tension on spokes and rim. For a larger person and/or aggressive rider this can be a significant concern. I would recommend a profiled mavic, velocity, etc rim for strength and would suggest 3x lacing on both sides.
5. Don't use a kid's coasterbrake hub for an adult bike. Kid's brakes are smaller and usually have 18-24 spokes. The brake pads can be rediculously small in some of these. Stick with a 36 hole hub.
6. Finally I would stay away from Mexican-made Bendix hubs they are just too poor quality.
Good luck. I hope you give it a try. Coaster brakes rock.
Jim