Sturmey Archer

On 20 jul, 07:47, Tom Sherman
wrote:
Drum brakes may overheat if applied continuously. The correct way to
ride down steeper and longer hills is to brake for a second or so, let
off the brake for a few seconds, reapply the brake, etc.

Thank you, Tom, for this explanation.
LvS

On 20 jul, 15:39, Chip C wrote:
So one hypothesis is that the main cause of the failure was excessive
heat build-up resulting from a long continuous braking action.

Another hypothesis is that the cause was a failure of some component
owing to age and many years of real-world (to avoid saying "normal" or
"abnormal") wear and tear, including corrosion.

Hi Chip, thanks for this answer. Your second hypothesis is probably
the right one. I'm sure I hardly used the break at all going down
hill. But this was before the accident. Now, out of fear, I tend to
use it more continuously. I'm glad people warned me for this, so I do
not do it anymore. It is strange to use a bike and think about how to
use it all the time. It used to be "a second nature" before the
accident.

About the photos I couldn't find time to make photo's anyway. And
since my busy life is probably not going to change, I'll live this
life with the knowledge and the lesson that I should have bought a new
bike more early.

OT: How's Toronto? I don't remember seeing any bike there... But that
was 32 years ago. And I remember my cousin from Toronto telling me in
Holland he thought it was stupid to use a bike for such short
distances as I did. He thought jogging/running was much more
efficient.

Grtz,
LvS

On Aug 10, 9:22 am, wrote:
On 20 jul, 15:39, Chip C wrote:

So one hypothesis is that the main cause of the failure was excessive
heat build-up resulting from a long continuous braking action.

Another hypothesis is that the cause was a failure of some component
owing to age and many years of real-world (to avoid saying "normal" or
"abnormal") wear and tear, including corrosion.

Hi Chip, thanks for this answer. Your second hypothesis is probably
the right one. I'm sure I hardly used the break at all going down
hill. But this was before the accident. Now, out of fear, I tend to
use it more continuously. I'm glad people warned me for this, so I do
not do it anymore. It is strange to use a bike and think about how to
use it all the time. It used to be "a second nature" before the
accident.

About the photos I couldn't find time to make photo's anyway. And
since my busy life is probably not going to change, I'll live this
life with the knowledge and the lesson that I should have bought a new
bike more early.

OT: How's Toronto? I don't remember seeing any bike there... But that
was 32 years ago. And I remember my cousin from Toronto telling me in
Holland he thought it was stupid to use a bike for such short
distances as I did. He thought jogging/running was much more
efficient.

Grtz,
LvS

32 years ago a bike commuter would have been a novelty here. Toronto
has now become as bike-friendly as almost any North American city; my
biggest complaint is the overcrowding of the bike lanes. It was nicer
in mid-March, I had them to myself. I'm thinking about a more
weatherproof bike for the coming winter, and drum brakes are high on
my list. My old Raleigh's steel wheels brake pretty poorly when they
get a coat of snow on them. Plus, it's getting a little too vintage to
subject to a twice-daily salt spray. I think it's earned winters off.

I know what you mean about short runs, though; when I was living
closer to work (about 2 kms, I suppose) I found that I was barely
warmed up by the time I got home.

Chip C
Toronto