Innovative brake in old magazine.
03-10-22, 04:44 AM
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Innovative brake in old magazine.
Anyone remember reading an article about a new kind of break? This was back in the 90's I think. Might have been in popular science or popular mechanics. Someone came up with basically a groove like a pulley that went around the circumference of a rim. In this groove there was a Kevlar cord that went clear around and when you pulled the break lever it tightened the cord in the groove causing friction to stop the bike. It never did catch on but it was supposed to stop a bike very quickly.
03-10-22, 05:37 AM
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Give me a break. I can't see how a brake like that would be a breakthrough in brake design over the brakes of that era. But it would be interesting to see the article to break it down. But that brake discussion would be a welcome break from the rim brake vs. disc brake debates.
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03-10-22, 05:59 AM
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Sounds like a failure and more trouble than it's worth, just like an AWD bicycle.
03-10-22, 06:31 AM
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I remember seeing an article about it. It was a kevlar band brake. The big problem was, it required a special rim, one with an extra track for the band. It's not hard to figure why it never caught on.
03-10-22, 06:35 AM
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Hmm, I’m surprised it didn’t catch. I wonder why the innovations slowed down.
03-10-22, 06:37 AM
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Someone should start an "innovations that flopped" thread. Then we can link it whenever someone posts the "they laughed at the Wright Brothers" cliche.
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03-10-22, 06:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Ghazmh
Hmm, I’m surprised it didn’t catch. I wonder why the innovations slowed down.
A Kevlar brake sounds like such a bulletproof idea.
03-10-22, 07:08 AM
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Originally Posted by livedarklions
IKR
A Kevlar brake sounds like such a bulletproof idea.
A Kevlar brake sounds like such a bulletproof idea.
03-10-22, 07:54 AM
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Thread title fixed.
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Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
Fenders protect you from tire splatter. Mudguards protect you from tyre splatter.
03-10-22, 07:59 AM
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Band brakes (and clutches) are hardly innovative. They've been used for various applications since the start of the industrial revolution.
03-10-22, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by livedarklions
IKR
A Kevlar brake sounds like such a bulletproof idea.
A Kevlar brake sounds like such a bulletproof idea.
03-10-22, 09:06 AM
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Here's the article:
https://books.google.com/books?id=l3...icycle&f=false
https://books.google.com/books?id=l3...icycle&f=false
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03-10-22, 09:49 AM
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Maybe the publication should have been called Unpopular Science.
John
John
03-10-22, 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted by EZgears
Anyone remember reading an article about a new kind of break? This was back in the 90's I think. Might have been in popular science or popular mechanics. Someone came up with basically a groove like a pulley that went around the circumference of a rim. In this groove there was a Kevlar cord that went clear around and when you pulled the break lever it tightened the cord in the groove causing friction to stop the bike. It never did catch on but it was supposed to stop a bike very quickly.
03-10-22, 07:48 PM
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Tesla needs to start making self-braking and self-shifting bicycles. All you need to do is just hold the handlebars and pedal ....and the software will decide when to apply the brakes and when to shift your gears.
03-10-22, 08:19 PM
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It’s just a larger version of the strap brake found on most shopping bikes in the Asian market. It works like a drum brake, but compresses the drum from the outside instead of expanding brake shoes on the inside. It’s simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
03-10-22, 08:27 PM
#19
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I agree with other posts that the special rim was probably a deterrent. That and I imagine that the Kevlar cord caused a lot of friction, which causes heat, which causes tire pressure fluctuations. The same can be said for rim brakes but they only touch a 2 inch section of the rim. They don't go around the whole rim.
03-11-22, 09:46 AM
#20
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Originally Posted by 50PlusCycling
It’s just a larger version of the strap brake found on most shopping bikes in the Asian market. It works like a drum brake, but compresses the drum from the outside instead of expanding brake shoes on the inside. It’s simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
03-11-22, 11:18 AM
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"Innovative brake in old magazine."
Maybe if compared with dragging your feet on the ground or having a wood block rub on the tire.
Maybe if compared with dragging your feet on the ground or having a wood block rub on the tire.
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03-11-22, 11:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Velogoth
Yup. Came here to say this. I can't post links yet but Saint Sheldon has a page about this design: sheldonbrown.com/band-brakes.html
03-11-22, 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by surveyor6
Probably wouldn't work very well in wet conditions.
03-11-22, 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by chaadster
Article posted upthread says it works better in the wet.
Must say, I don't have enough experience with wet straps of kevlar to know if that's credible.
03-11-22, 02:52 PM
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Originally Posted by drlogik
I agree with other posts that the special rim was probably a deterrent. That and I imagine that the Kevlar cord caused a lot of friction, which causes heat, which causes tire pressure fluctuations. The same can be said for rim brakes but they only touch a 2 inch section of the rim. They don't go around the whole rim.
