Just picked up a frame that isn't drilled for rear brakes. I want to run the bike ss for commuting and then have a separate fg rear for weekend rides. I was thinking about buying a coaster brake rear. Anyone have any experience with them?

I would rather have a brakeless fixed gear over just a rear coaster brake. I guess it really depends on the coaster brake but the few cheap ones that I've used would not be very effective on a high pressure tire.

I would just ride the bike fixed all the time. If you want to have a coaster brake AND a fixed wheel, you will have to deal with the coaster brake's reaction arm: (picture borrowed from Sheldon Brown's https://www.sheldonbrown.com/ website.) Also, a coaster brake will most likely be heavier and less efficient.

Coaster brakes are fine. Run what you want.

Acquire hub, regrease, looseball it and have fun. It will spin just fine. We used to have gravity races in the local parkade and I won all the time over my freewheel buddies. My looseball coaster was silky smooth.

You have been able to buy coaster deepV on ebay for some time now. It's my next dumpster build for rain riding.

Search on:
Quality Coaster Brake Hub
Coaster Brake (jimv!!)

Coaster brakes are fun. I approve.

One thing I've done on most of mine to make things easier is to replace the nut and bolt that holds the reaction arm in place with a wingnut/thumbscrew/lockwasher combo. That way you don't have to carry extra tools to change a flat.

Except for overheating on long downhills, a properly set up coaster brake will stop you exactly as well as any other kind of rear brake...which is to say also having a front brake would be safer.

If you want to be super cool, and spend more money on this modification than the frame is worth, you can get a pac-man braze-on.



it allows you to easily remove the reaction arm without any tools. Of course, it does require torch time, and a repaint. Not useful, but cool.

I was thinking about getting a pair of Weinmann Dp18's off of velomine with the coaster brake. I've read in a few threads that they can overheat and fail if you are going too fast. How fast is too fast?

%20 grade for more than 1km.

Think bombing down the biggest hill in San Fran with the crappy stock grease. Repack with excellent grease and enjoy.

I live in NYC and occasionally head to my parents house up state. I think I should be good then.

Shimano's Nexus hubs....

That does look cool, but it doesn't look like it'd give you enough adjustment room for dealing with chain stretch.

It doesn't matter how fast you go, they only heat up when you try to slow down.

the pac-man braze-on was used for tandems running a rear drum brake but with a derailleur, so adjusting the rear wheel wasn't necessary. i find this still the most elegant and am modding a frame to be used with a coaster brake. i have another idea which i am eager to try. i'll post pics when done.