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How to tighten back pedal style breaks?



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 6th 04, 03:53 PM
Julia Goolia
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Default How to tighten back pedal style breaks?

Hi!

I have back pedal style breaks. They are very loose, and so it takes
a while to stop (have almost died many times because i couldn't stop
in time). Does anyone know how to tighten these breaks? I tried to
search the internet for a link on this, but to no avail.

Thanks for any help!
julia
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  #2  
Old May 6th 04, 04:01 PM
S. Anderson
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Default How to tighten back pedal style breaks?

"Julia Goolia" wrote in message
om...
Hi!

I have back pedal style breaks. They are very loose, and so it takes
a while to stop (have almost died many times because i couldn't stop
in time). Does anyone know how to tighten these breaks? I tried to
search the internet for a link on this, but to no avail.

Thanks for any help!
julia


Have to overhaul the hub and replace the brake shoes. Could also be poor
bearing adjustment or improper assembly.

Cheers,

Scott..


  #3  
Old May 6th 04, 04:27 PM
Terry Morse
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Default How to tighten back pedal style breaks?

Julia Goolia wrote:

I have back pedal style breaks. They are very loose, and so it takes
a while to stop (have almost died many times because i couldn't stop
in time). Does anyone know how to tighten these breaks? I tried to
search the internet for a link on this, but to no avail.


You needed the proper search terms, spelled correctly: "coaster
brake".

The hub needs an overhaul. Not rocket science, but you'd best be
handy with things mechanical:

http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/coaster.shtml
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://bike.terrymorse.com/
  #4  
Old May 6th 04, 04:31 PM
Werehatrack
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Default How to tighten back pedal style breaks?

On 6 May 2004 07:53:49 -0700, (Julia
Goolia) may have said:

Hi!

I have back pedal style breaks. They are very loose, and so it takes
a while to stop (have almost died many times because i couldn't stop
in time). Does anyone know how to tighten these breaks? I tried to
search the internet for a link on this, but to no avail.


It's called a "coaster brake". The effectiveness of them is usually
not very high precisely because they work only on the rear wheel. If
you have a disability that prevents you from using a hand brake, I
would suggest taking the bike to a competent local bike shop for
assistance. You might improve the brake's action by dismantling,
cleaning and relubricating the coaster brake components in the hub,
but the chances are that your best bet is to add a front hand brake to
the bike, or, better yet, add both front and rear hand brakes. In the
majority of cases, this is not a difficult conversion, though a few
bikes do not have rims or frames that make the process easy, and the
components needed will have to be selected to fit by someone with some
experience with the issue. It's not rocket science, but some basic
mechanical competency and familiarity with the assemblies is needed.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
  #5  
Old May 6th 04, 04:43 PM
Sheldon Brown
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Default How to tighten back pedal style breaks?

Julia Goolia wrote:


I have back pedal style breaks. They are very loose, and so it takes
a while to stop (have almost died many times because i couldn't stop
in time). Does anyone know how to tighten these breaks? I tried to
search the internet for a link on this, but to no avail.


Terry Morse wrote:

You needed the proper search terms, spelled correctly: "coaster
brake".


Actually, the term "coaster brake" is primarily an Americanism. In the
U.K., for instance, the usual term is "back pedalling brake" though this
type of brake is not common there. It's true that spelling it "break"
in a Google search won't be helpful, though!

The hub needs an overhaul. Not rocket science, but you'd best be
handy with things mechanical:

http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/coaster.shtml


That's a pretty good set of instructions, though it seems to call for
some unnecessary work, for instance it tells you to remove the sprocket,
when there's no reason to do so for most types of service.

This problem is most often the result of the cone adjustment being loose
(often as a result of losing the brake arm clamp bolt) and does not
necessarily mean the hub needs an overhaul. If this is the case,
another symptom will be that the tire will be loose and shaky.

In any case, I highly recommend getting a front hand brake installed.
This is not usually an expensive matter, and even if the coaster brake
is the primary brake, you should have some sort of back up system in
case the coaster brake fails.

When coaster brakes fail, it usually happens suddenly and totally, with
no warning.

Sheldon "Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket" Brown
+------------------------------------------------+
| What was the real cause of the 1861-65 war? |
| http://sheldonbrown.net/slaverywar.html |
+------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

  #7  
Old May 6th 04, 09:15 PM
Jeff Wills
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Default How to tighten back pedal style breaks?

(Julia Goolia) wrote in message . com...
Hi!

I have back pedal style breaks. They are very loose, and so it takes
a while to stop (have almost died many times because i couldn't stop
in time). Does anyone know how to tighten these breaks? I tried to
search the internet for a link on this, but to no avail.

Thanks for any help!
julia


Your "brakes" are commonly called "coaster brakes". Here's some
instructions on how to rebuild the hub:
http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/coaster.shtml

It may be that you simply need to tighten the bearing cones. However,
there may be a spring broken within the hub. Or there may be worn
internal parts. Without seeing the bike in person, it's not possible
to tell.

Jeff
  #8  
Old May 6th 04, 10:54 PM
A Muzi
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Default How to tighten back pedal style breaks?

Julia Goolia wrote:

I have back pedal style breaks. They are very loose, and so it takes
a while to stop (have almost died many times because i couldn't stop
in time). Does anyone know how to tighten these breaks? I tried to
search the internet for a link on this, but to no avail.

There are several different mechanisms used in that style
brake. What brand?

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

  #9  
Old May 7th 04, 02:51 AM
Bruce Frech
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Default How to tighten back pedal style breaks?

Get a front brake. A rear wheel only brake (regardless of it's a rim brake
or a hub brake) takes twice the distance to stop. After you get a front
brake you need to get your rear hub adjusted so it works better, but you
will also need to learn to use the front brake to stop quickly without
fliping over the bars.

Bruce

"Julia Goolia" wrote in message
om...
Hi!

I have back pedal style breaks. They are very loose, and so it takes
a while to stop (have almost died many times because i couldn't stop
in time). Does anyone know how to tighten these breaks? I tried to
search the internet for a link on this, but to no avail.

Thanks for any help!
julia



  #10  
Old May 7th 04, 03:31 AM
Sheldon Brown
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Default How to tighten back pedal style breaks?

Bruce Frech wrote:

Get a front brake.


Yep. I recommended that too.

A rear wheel only brake (regardless of it's a rim brake
or a hub brake) takes twice the distance to stop.


That's basically true, but in practice, you can usually stop shorter
with a coaster brake than with a rear hand brake.

That's why bikes with only a coaster brake are borderline safe for
street use, while bikes with only a rear hand brake are not, no matter
how good a hand brake it is.

This is because of the weight distribution. For maximum braking with a
coaster brake, you can put almost all of your weight on the rear pedal,
which is typically 6-7 inches behind the bottom bracket.

On a freewheeling bike, you can't really apply your body's weight behind
the bottom bracket, so you can't generally get as much weight on the
rear wheel for braking traction without fairly extreme acrobatics.

Sheldon "Hates Coaster Brakes, But Acknowledges Their Good Points" Brown
+-----------------------------------+
| The gains in life come slowly, |
| but the losses come suddenly. |
| -- Garrison Keillor |
+-----------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 




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