A different brake discussion
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,382
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From: Atlanta
Bikes: Mercier Kilo TT Pro, Schwinn Le Tour Conversion, Free Spirit polo beater, Cervelo P2T, aluminum tandem.
Gotcha gotcha.
For your solution, Jpdesjar, I don't think you'd need to reinforce your shoes though ... it'd be rare if you ever needed to use your shoe as a brake anyhow. You might ruin the shoes ... but I doubt you'd need to ever do this anyhow.
I've seen the disc brake fixed gear. I liked it also.
For your solution, Jpdesjar, I don't think you'd need to reinforce your shoes though ... it'd be rare if you ever needed to use your shoe as a brake anyhow. You might ruin the shoes ... but I doubt you'd need to ever do this anyhow.
I've seen the disc brake fixed gear. I liked it also.
#28
thread derailleur
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,095
Likes: 1
From: beyond Thunderdome
Bikes: 82 Bianchi ECO Pista, Pake, Kilo TT, some *** bmx i found underneath an old house
this is Rudetay's Steamroller (my handlebars now though
)


look's really good. been thinking about this myself lately.
) 

look's really good. been thinking about this myself lately.
#30
FNG
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,313
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, ON
Bikes: 2008 IRO Angus, 2008 Jamis Exile 29er
Just a quick note in regards to tightening down straps on a fixed gear, I did it for the better part of a year before I went clipless, which, I will say up front, I find superior to clips and straps in almost every conceivable way. It was just a matter of getting a feel for it. Just to give you an idea of how I had them set up:

So, what I would do is keep my left foot tight all the time, and only adjust the right. It was really easy. When I wanted to loosen them, all I had to do was "slap" the buckles away. After a while, I got pretty good at getting them loose enough to get my foot out but not so loose that they were unrideable for a few blocks, without thinking. To tighten, I would just reach down at the top of my rotation and pull up as hard as I could. The buttons helped a lot, since all I had to do was pinch down and they would stop my hands automatically. Again, with practice, I was eventually able to get the tightness right almost every time on the first pull.
I don't see this as a solution to your problem, but I just wanted to share my experience with clips and straps, since it seems I am a bit of an anomaly for using them in this way.

So, what I would do is keep my left foot tight all the time, and only adjust the right. It was really easy. When I wanted to loosen them, all I had to do was "slap" the buckles away. After a while, I got pretty good at getting them loose enough to get my foot out but not so loose that they were unrideable for a few blocks, without thinking. To tighten, I would just reach down at the top of my rotation and pull up as hard as I could. The buttons helped a lot, since all I had to do was pinch down and they would stop my hands automatically. Again, with practice, I was eventually able to get the tightness right almost every time on the first pull.
I don't see this as a solution to your problem, but I just wanted to share my experience with clips and straps, since it seems I am a bit of an anomaly for using them in this way.
#31
Thread Starter
King of the Hipsters
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,128
Likes: 2
From: Bend, Oregon
Bikes: Realm Cycles Custom
Originally Posted by rudetay
Are you describing a fork like this?
The problem with the brake comes from the "V" formed by the two crown arms: the "V" doesn't leave enought room inside itself to contain a caliper brake.
Originally Posted by adriano
i can pm you a behind the fork brake.
Several folks missed my comment in my second post about a behind-the-fork-brake.
=====
Regarding rear brakes, I can stop faster with back-pedaling than I can with a rear brake, and I have no special skills nor strength.
That said, for my tastes, a rear brake undoes the aesthetics of a fixed gear bike.
=====
Thanks to Jabba for the picture and the discussion.
#33
Again, just get keirin style clamps.
Then you can put a front brake on your fork.
And remove when ever you want, and you only have to spend the little bit of cash the clamps cost.
Problem solved, close thread, everyone move along, nothing to see here any more.
Then you can put a front brake on your fork.
And remove when ever you want, and you only have to spend the little bit of cash the clamps cost.
Problem solved, close thread, everyone move along, nothing to see here any more.
#37
Ken, you're right that the fork looks awesome, and shouldn't be changed, because it looks so awesome.
However, disk brakes on a fixed gear also look awesome. You put the two together, and I may well have to hit you over the head with something heavy, then take your bike.
However, disk brakes on a fixed gear also look awesome. You put the two together, and I may well have to hit you over the head with something heavy, then take your bike.
#38
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,304
Likes: 40
From: Victoria
Well, it seems like you've got to choose between aesthetics and performance.
That's up to you, but for myself, there's no way I'd choose something that forces me to ride a road bike conservatively for the sake of looks. H ell, I'm even switching from fixed to SS on my fixed road bike because I can't stand having to going slow down the hills I like to ride. I like my speed to be limited by my capabilities, not my equipment.
A disk brake can look awesome, and on a segmented fork in particular. I'd go with that to get the fork crown geometry and aesthetics that you're looking for while still having a bike that doesn't force you to compromise performance.
That's up to you, but for myself, there's no way I'd choose something that forces me to ride a road bike conservatively for the sake of looks. H ell, I'm even switching from fixed to SS on my fixed road bike because I can't stand having to going slow down the hills I like to ride. I like my speed to be limited by my capabilities, not my equipment.
A disk brake can look awesome, and on a segmented fork in particular. I'd go with that to get the fork crown geometry and aesthetics that you're looking for while still having a bike that doesn't force you to compromise performance.
#39
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 307
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If you are going to go with such an unconvential looking fork on your fixed gear, go all the way and run a front disc brake. Especially on a frame with beefier tubing like a Steamroller, a front disc brake does seem at home.
And I think the issue of the rear brake being moot was more of from the look the OP wants, not the effectiveness of it.
And I think the issue of the rear brake being moot was more of from the look the OP wants, not the effectiveness of it.
#43
out of shape
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,456
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From: va
If you don't want a front disc, I'd suggest just getting a second fork. Just have the builder make it with a traditional crown, and he'll keep the axle-to-crown distance equal between both forks so the geometry won't change.
Ordinarily a behind-crown brake (oval's A700 comes to mind) would pop up, but it's something you'll want to inform the builder of— most of them require a little more room between the rear of the fork crown and the downtube than most steep & tight track bikes have.
Personally I think having a strange and obviously custom fork is an excellent opportunity to run a beefy mechanical disc up front… if not also tabs in the rear with internal cable routing, in case you ever wanted to use it as SS.
Ordinarily a behind-crown brake (oval's A700 comes to mind) would pop up, but it's something you'll want to inform the builder of— most of them require a little more room between the rear of the fork crown and the downtube than most steep & tight track bikes have.
Personally I think having a strange and obviously custom fork is an excellent opportunity to run a beefy mechanical disc up front… if not also tabs in the rear with internal cable routing, in case you ever wanted to use it as SS.
#44
The Neighbor of the Beast
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Right behind you.
Bikes: Hardtail Mtn, Fixed
#46
Senior Member
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From: Atlanta
Bikes: Mercier Kilo TT Pro, Schwinn Le Tour Conversion, Free Spirit polo beater, Cervelo P2T, aluminum tandem.
#47
A little North of Hell
Joined: Mar 2006
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#48
The Neighbor of the Beast
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Right behind you.
Bikes: Hardtail Mtn, Fixed
#50
Economists do it w/models
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Ottawa/Toronto




