i appologize if this is a stupid or repeat question.

i've got my first fixie coming in the mail-with colored deep v rims. they are not machined. i'd like to try putting a front brake on at some point. is this possible? will it wreck the finish? is there a particular type of pad that will work best?

thanks a ton yo!

Yes, it's possible and will work fine. Understand that the finish may begin to rub off at a certain point.

no using a brake with a non machined rim is absolutely impossible. if you try this, expect your rim to completely taco.

Where is the sarcastic smiley ?

Seriously...

You will be fine using a front brake on a rim without a machined surface and I give you points for planning to do this... brake-less bikes belong on the track.

The brake will machine the rim for you. It will not stay pretty - but that's life.

what bike did you get? any pics?

FWIW in the future, you can find deep v wheelsets with only the front machined..

A non machined front wheel doesn't brake as well as a machined front wheel.. but +1 for you putting on brake on..

Put on disc brakes.

**** your brakes, how is gonna do super predictable barspins?!?!?!

i hear they spontaneously combust, leaving nothing but a pile or ashes in its place

i found a "custom" Pake fixed gear on the ebay. i asked if the option of a machined front wheel was available, but since the total cost maxed out my budget, i was stuck. i still have the option of selling/trading this new wheel i suppose. i'll be sure to put up a couple pics. it's in the mail right now.

I'll take my super predictable stopping ability over the ability to do bar spins.

Of course...my best trick is to be able to ride obscenely fast where the ability to stop on a dime and give change is crucial to my well being and bar spins aren't really something I find I need to be doing.

custom pake...sounds intriguing

can someone pin this thread, then add all subsequent requests to it? it'd be an interesting experiment. plus: seeing as it gets asked roughly twenty times each month, it's probably way more useful than "the official stupid thread".

just carry a broom stick to mash into your wheel if you need to stop. far superior stopping power. FYI get some ear plugs for the loud scraping and squealing that can occur after a bit. Cheers for a brake don't take anyone's crap including mine Oh and the bike gods thank your for spelling brake correctly, as do I.

Anyone know anything about Swiss Stop pads? They're marketed for use with carbon wheels but advertised to work just as well with aluminum wheels…I'm thinking if it's gentle enough for carbon and compatible with aluminum, could this be a happy medium for non-machined wheels???

https://www.wekeepyoucycling.com/en/p...s-shimano.aspx

Note in the caring for article:
"We do not recommend regular filing of Swiss Stop brake pads because Swiss Stop brake pads do not collect aluminum."

Hmmmmmmmm…

If you want decent brake pads I've always used Kool-Stop, they don't eat the rim like the standard Shimano ones do, and seem to last quite a while as well.

As far as bar-spins, adding a brake would be more of an issue if he had a 650 front rather than a 700, in which case he would be using the 650 to "correct toe-overlap" and the easy bar-spin ability would simply be an "added bonus".

ABSOLUTE FINAL WORD ON USING A BRAKE ON A NON-MACHINED COLORED DEEP-V

If the rim is anondized:
-you are fine
-you'll get black rubber streaks on the rim

If the rim is powdercoated:
-your brakes will probably squeal a bit
-braking power will be significantly reduced in the rain
-you will get ugly black rubber streaks where the pads touch the rim
-eventually, the brake will "machine" the rim and it will look and work exactly like a machined rim

Anyone know about the pads that used to be recommended for Skyway Tuff Wheels? I was thinking they might take longer to eat through the powder. The brake on my bike will likely be mainly to keep me from taking out pedestrians and saving my knees on long descents.