Using thumb throttle for front braking ?

[Frankenstein]

While u guys are here, what do you think of having both v brakes and mechanical disk brakes, mainly at the front?

I'd say be careful, that's an easy way to lock up the front wheel, not that you'll go flying over the bars, but your steering is defined by the front wheel, that locks up and your not going to steer away from the object your braking for in the first place.

When I adjust my brakes, I make the rear brake first with my double lever, this way it's likely to lock up first (physics basically does it, but I still like to think it's my doing, being that the front wheel does most of the stopping, the forces behind the wheel will make it be the last to lock up since less force is being applied to the rear wheel)

On a motorcycle you have the advantage of having separate levers, one on the bar and the other on the foot, so lockups are easily fixed without losing braking power.

Anyone figure out how to make a foot brake for a rear wheel? (not coaster)

More I think about it I like the idea of a thumb brake, but it's the leverage I worry about, and the lack of room on my handlebars

 

[libranskeptic]

Anyone figure out why half the guys here bother with pedals? Theres your problem with a footbrake. No pedals, no problem.

OK, well u r not dead against it.

It just seems that redundancy and different characteristic brakes and pads, would give service in a broader range of conditions - mud/wet..., and braking surfaces (rim & disk), and cooling benefits, and different at wheel stress points - at opposite ends of the spokes - center and periphery. If one wont grip, the other might well.

I think i like brakes that lock up. I just have to get used to correct force application.

I have considered lack of handle bar space also, in an ebike context - extra instruments etc.

It seems oddly neglected, along with frames that pay no heed to space for a decent battery.

Seems to me bars need a parallel extension in front for lights/meters/cameras. Those touring bars u rest your elbows on may help.

 

[Frankenstein]

Anyone figure out why half the guys here bother with pedals? Theres your problem with a footbrake. No pedals, no problem.

OK, well u r not dead against it.

It just seems that redundancy and different characteristic brakes and pads, would give service in a broader range of conditions - mud/wet..., and braking surfaces (rim & disk), and cooling benefits, and different at wheel stress points - at opposite ends of the spokes - center and periphery. If one wont grip, the other might well.

I think i like brakes that lock up. I just have to get used to correct force application.

I have considered lack of handle bar space also, in an ebike context - extra instruments etc.

It seems oddly neglected, along with frames that pay no heed to space for a decent battery.

Seems to me bars need a parallel extension in front for lights/meters/cameras. Those touring bars u rest your elbows on may help.

I know I know, foot brakes are a silly pipe dream, luckily I have a welder and plenty of pipe laying around, on another note I've seen a few pretty nice double levers, like it's a clutch and a brake, or 2 brakes, or 2 clutches if you're into that kind of thing. Here's a link, generally speaking it should work on a bike, opens some options too for a variety of riders, and you can probably find the cheap eBay version of this as well.

http://www.disabledmotorcyclerider.com/klever.html

Pic for link fearers included.

As far as brakes that lock up, OK I get it yes brakes that can lock up are ideal, I mean how good at stopping if they can't be stopped anyways? I prefer avid bb5 or 7, use sintered pads and had reliable stopping power in litteraly every form of weather, had a bigger issue with the tire traction than brake friction. But that's just me... living in a temperate zone... you know, with rain and snow in the same week and there's plenty of potholes and mud in Pennsylvania to go around.

I had to extend my handle bars 3 inches on each side to accommodate the extras, I've since run out of room and may end up using fence pole connectors to do just what you said, and add some extra handle bar room, I would like to be able to have a second mirror, maybe even hand shields (it gets so cold in the winter my carb frosts over along with my hands and the 2 pairs of gloves, wind protection would be nice)

Frame space? Don't get me started on the jigsaw puzzle that is the (dis)assembly routine for my motor...

Touring bars could fit a nice number of doodads, I don't know how or where a throttle assembly would fit, but I could see myself bolting a set of bars to my current bars to get the extra room, the scooter speedometer would sit nicely in one of the round bends too, like it was made for a vintage speedometer and not for hands or arms or something.

 

[FurryOnTheInside]

While u guys are here, what do you think of having both v brakes and mechanical disk brakes, mainly at the front?

Standard practice on touring tandem bicycles, only on the front. They use separate levers, though. The disc brake avoids heating the rim and blowing the tyre off on long descents. The rim brake can be used occasionally for exta power (or) when the disc brake is fading from heat buildup.
Dual pull (tricycle rear brake) levers divide the effort between the two wheels. No complete bicycles ever come with the dual pull lever. It is probably against the law, since it is clearly cheaper than equipping them with two levers.
For computer/speedo/lights there are bars that attach to your star fangled nut in place of the original stem cap. Very inexpensive on eBay etc.
Triathlon/tri/aero bars are pretty useless for attaching any controls to because you have to let go of the grips/ move away from the other controls. Butterfly/trekking bars are impossible to get the controls around the bend (okay if they are two-piece clamps but nearly all levers are single piece pinch bolt clamps) and you would still have to move your hands off the normal position.