Circumstance has forced me to turn into something of a self-taught expert in one type of rod pull brakes (those found on classic Flying Pigeon bicycles).

Flying Pigeon's use a side-mounted rear rod pull mechanism - and the more I work on them, the more I wish I knew the right terminology to use! It is hard to explain to a customer or a fellow mechanic how to adjust the thing on the down tube that holds both the tensioning thing and the rear rod that runs under the bike to the rear stirrup.

Does anyone have a guide to rod brakes? Or do you know about one?

I know, from looking at a British web-site (Cycles of Yesteryear), that there are "Raleigh type", "Phillips-type", and "Balloon-type" brakes. Unfortunately, those names don't do too much to explain what is going on with each brake type.

Anything? An old book I might be able to find?

I'd like to get my hands on a set of each "type" (I have the Flying Pigeon set as well as a "Raleigh-type" from a low-end Indian roadster), measure parts diameters, thread counts and pitch, etc. to produce a sort of guide to things as reference.

Any help will be sincerely appreciated.

Circumstances forced me to be a self taught "expert" as well. I know that the Raleigh Type and Phillips Type are both essentially the same - that is both are lever activated rods that pull the stirrups onto the rim. The difference is minor. The Phillips type is side mounted and the Raliegh is center. Ballon type I am unsure of. All the terminology I know is the connecting rods, stirrups, brake blocks. I have included an exploded diagram of the Raleigh DL-1 with Raliegh type brakes. Hope this helps...

Thanks for posting that image above!

Any idea what the things that hold the brake blocks against the frame are called? Brake brackets? Block holders? Frame clips?

I'll get a few Flying Pigeon pix up to show the type of braking system they have.

Are you at all associated with the Flying Pigeon LA shop in Highland Heights? PG.

I do not know their proper name, but I often call them, in context: you @$%!#@! little pieces of @(*$#@#@ why won't you just stay in adjusted when I tighten you down!

PolishGuy: Yup. I am one of the owners of the Flying Pigeon LA shop in L.A. And we're located in "Highland Park" - a neighborhood in North East Los Angeles.

SouthernGothic: That is about where I am with those "brake brackets" too sometimes

My kingdom for an antique parts glossary with pictures.

It's called a "brake shoe clip".

Neat image!

Thanks mackerel!

I've got some photos posted online now of the basics of assembling a Flying Pigeon - maybe some of these shots will help id the "type" of brakes these things come with (I guess I'm cool with "side-mounted rod pull brakes" as a name).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ubrayj0...7608693287303/

That is the Phillips Type.

Man, I wish I'd had your flickr set to work from when putting together my flying pigeon. Really helpful.

(I've since put a 3spd coaster brake on the back, a drum brake on the front, and rerouted the rear rod brake system to trigger the front drum.)

Thank you SO much for that picture, the terminology and for the flickr photos. Took me ages to hunt down a forum thread like this

I've recently got hold of a 1960's Pashley with rod brakes (I think the Phillips type referenced above). Other than what I can see in those photos, are there any standard tools I should get hold of? (I also am considering taking the entire thing including the handlebars and bottom bracket apart at some point to have the frame powder coated so I'm assuming I'll need to shell out for some decent tools in general).

Also, anybody end up finding a reference book or manual for this stuff? I've singularly failed in that search also.

Hello Robbb,

The old Raleighs used whitworth tool sizing, different from metric and standard. I do not know if the Pashleys did the same. If they are standard, then you have less of a headache to tool aquisition.
Some metric and standard can be used with varying degrees of success on whitworth, but you would need to get a raleigh multitool(i got mine off ebay for $5) to get a good start.
Generally, I have done everything I needed to do on my bike with that multitool, robogrip pliers, some assorted sockets, adjustable crescent wrenches, screwdrivers, a hammer and plastic drift(for the crank cotters) and a steering wheel puller for the cranks. With the exception of the multitool, I already had everything.
I do not know the proper tools to get, but then I am constantly making or modifying(like grinding an open end wrench to fit whitworth) what I need so I am not a good one to answer that.
Perhaps some of the more experienced can come up with a list for you.

Here is the parts listing to go along with the exploded diagram.

I assume you are referring to part #25 - Rear brake shoe clip?

Check out this introductory video on rod brakes.

https://www.expertvillage.com/video/1...rod-brakes.htm

I know this post is very, very, old now but it has been a few years and a couple of hundred rod brake systems I've worked on at this point. I would like to offer a hearty thanks to everyone that lent a hand here on bikeforums.net.

I just published a little video I did about working on an old Raleigh - after having found a source for rod brake block inserts from Kool Stop.

https://flyingpigeon-la.com/2012/01/r...-la-bike-shop/

Thanks again everyone.