I'm building up a 1988 Schwinn High Sierra as a commuter for my 17-yr-old son. The frame is pretty scratched up but there's not a speck of rust, inside or out, and he actually likes that it looks beaten up. The bike was $40, and I'm able to use almost everything on it. Everything, that is, but the rear brake.

This year High Sierra, 1988, had canti front and U rear, so I'm looking for a replacement for the rear brake (and, no, the stud won't work with canti). I'm not at all familiar with BMXs, but I understand they use U brakes. Any reason I couldn't purchase a cheap (not too cheap, but I don't want to break the bank for a $40 bike) BMX brake as a replacement? Any other ideas?

Yes, the BMX world still uses U brakes. And these will fit the High Sierra too. I think you can get a Tektro model for under $18.

I'm pretty sure you can put Suntour Roller Cam brakes on there. That would be really cool.

I don't know if the reach with modern bmx brakes will work with your vintage mountain bike. This is really more of a question than an assertion. I have a 1989 stumpjumper comp with a u brake. I thought about replacing it but the reach on the u brakes I found online was insufficient. That could easily be due to the fact that I was looking at the wrong bmx brakes but it is something worth measuring out before you buy esp. if buying online.

Yes- they came with the roller cams- they're not too expensive, they work well and they look outrageously cool.

I can probably scrounge up working U brake at the local bike coop for basically the cost of shipping PM if your interested.

Really? I feel like BMX brake reach is pretty substantial, but I've never tried putting one on a mountain bike. Tire widths on BMXs are pretty similar to older mountain bikes, so I'd think you'd be dealing with similar reach.

Thanks, all. I ordered the Tektros. $14 shipped. Worth a shot at that price. I have roller cams on the '86 I built up for my other son. Great, great brakes, but certainly pricier on eBay than the tektros. Thanks much for your offer zukahn1. If the Tetris don't work out I'll be in touch.

I turn a wrench from time to time at my LBS when the owner is short a mechanic plus I help out the neighborhood kids after they've "wrecked" their BMX bikes and all that is on top of racing BMX for almost 20 years... I feel like I've seen and installed just about every u-brake ever made! That said, a u-brake is a u-brake, sure there a better quality ones like the PAUL Components RACER but it'll cost you 3x what your paid for the High Sierra.

As far as Suntour Roller Cams, yes they do look great, however you won't be seeing much of it as you're installing on the underside of the chainstay and if that wasn't enough a used one will set you back about what you paid for the bike. Roller cam brakes go all day on Ebay from $25.00 to $99.00 for a single used brake depending on condition. If you're interested, a NOS one is up for action with $19.99 bid with $5.00 shipping and 4 days to go, you just might get lucky!!!

When you get a chance, I'd like to see some photos of your 1988 High Sierra. I picked up a 1988 High Sierra for my wife to use as a Farmer's Market bike and a grocery getter. Her bike had roller cam brakes front and rear, unfortunately it was the yellow model not the much cooler black chrome, but it did have a fillet brazed head tube. I robbed the roller cam brakes for my 1982 Diamond Back California Klunker. I had to do a fork swap and a cantilever brake up front with an old Odyssey u-brake from the spare bin.

Here are a couple photos of High Sierra grocery getter and my '82 D.B. Cali-Klunker:



(please forgive the progress photos of the High Sierra, for whatever reason the finished ones won't load)