Dumb Idea?
 

I like the look of the brakeless fixies, but I like to coast, I want a brake and I want more than one gear. I'm thinking about building a bike with a Bendix two speed kickback coaster brake hub. I have no experience with those hubs, I've just read about them. I'd probably use a '70s French or British road frame. Maybe I'll sell off the parts on my PX10 to finance the project and use that frame. What do you think?

Sounds very cool. What type of frame are you thinking of?

Maybe a 1974 Peugeot PX10LE.
http://thumb9.webshots.net/t/30/31/3...0GPeTnK_th.jpg
I just don't know if I'll like the kickback hub. I've read that you have no control of the upshift.

Sure you control it; a light backpressure effects the change, either up or down. I'm pretty sure you won't like it though, because of its inherent sloppy action. They feel like a half-shot S-A 3-speed.

I read that at one time they outsold three speeds. Maybe that's because Schwinn used them.

I don't need sloppy action. The Peugeot already has that with the Campy NR derailer and Suntour barcons. That's why it's gathering dust and cobwebs.

i am considering a project like this too, for simplicity's sake on a folding bike..
they are very nicely made hubs, if a bit heavy.. not sure what is meant by 'sloppy action'..
they shift very positively as there is only one gear change possible at any given time..
perhaps you mean the pawls do not engage instantly ?

like other internal gear hubs they are pretty simple to service and there is little to go wrong..
the one part that does sometimes break (index spring) is not completely unattainable and at times available for around $10-$20.. i think via bikes in philly (senditnow) has these in stock... it is also possible to easily repair this spring and, as they are not a part requiring any precision, probably simple enough to fashion from scratch...

i think the main disadvantage of these hubs is the inability to change sprockets.. you must use the official gear which always seems to be 18T.. not really a problem with large wheels..

the most useful ratios are probably found in the red and yellow band hubs.. 1:1 and 1:0.66 low gear
the blue band has an overdrive and is seen for sale less frequently.. the blue and yellow band hubs are later versions and have the improved shoe-style brake...

o, and message me if you'd like as i have a nice yellow band for sale/trade !

The blue band overdrive hubs were meant for 20" wheels so you could ride with your friends on their big bikes without spinning your legs off.
One thing that takes some getting used to is shifting gears every time you tap the brake. Like if you are already going slowly in low gear and you tap the brake, you really don't want the bike shifting to high gear. You have to get used to double tapping the brake to keep in the same gear.

I will second the comments on the shifting...once you get used to it it becomes second nature. Years ago I had a paper route and had my LBS build up a new rear wheel with a 2 speed on it, great deal and made the route go easier. I had a back up bike with a regular coaster brake on it, it always took about half the route to keep from trying to get the gear to kick in:p I still have the 2 speed hub and wheel...just haven't found anything to mount it too...yet:D Might try and find a cantilever frame and build up a bomber or something.

Aaron:)

I searched the Forum yesterday and found a bunch of information, including pages from shop manuals for all three versions of the hub. I think I'm going to build it, but I'm going to leave the PX10 alone and find another '70s road frame. Maybe something British. Track geometry is not for me. I'll have to build some wheels and that should be fun. It's been about thirty years since I built a wheel from scratch.

I have a similar project in the works - really wanted the look of a cowhorned single speed but with at least 3 gears. With everything I read on the sloppiness of the various internal hubs, I'm choosing to go with a new Shimano Nexus red band 8 speed combined with a Miche Primato crank. Really wide range of gears and you can set it up with or without a coaster or a roller brake. I'll be going with standard calipers though.

Good luck on your project.

55/Rad

After stdying Frank Berto's book, I realized that the reason that the Campy NR shifts so poorly is that there is too much chain gap. It has Simplex dropouts and the hanger has been modified to accept the Campy derailer. The derailer was too vertical, leaving too wide a gap between the pulley and the cogs. I just reshaped the stop with a Dremel and it made a huge difference. I'm going to keep the Peugeot a "10 speed".

coelcanth

I saw your offer and I appreciate it. I may get back to you soon. I'm still in the brainstorming stage.

Everybody ought to have one Fixie in the stable. I do feel better having brakes though, and the freewhel is there on the flip side should I ever want it, though it remains unused:D .