JunkyardDog
Active Member
Coaster brakes work fine for a pedal bike being ridden slowly. But they are totally inadequate for any bike going fast, whether motorized or not. Disc brakes don't really seem to work any better than rim brakes, which, as I pointed out, are themselves a type of disc brake, with much larger discs, the rims themselves. Over applying a front caliper brake will quickly put you on the ground. They use caliper brakes in the Tour de France, where they attain the highest speeds attainable on a bicycle. In fact, disc brakes are banned in that race. I don't think I have ever seen a road bike with disc brakes. Even the $5000 ones. No one has ever proven that cable operated disc brakes are superior to quality caliper brakes. If a brake will easily lock the wheel, then you have enough brakes. If you have good caliper brakes, or even just a caliper brake in the front that will lock the wheel, your fine. It's time to start looking at other safety issues, like weak wheels, rag joint sprockets, and POS chain tensioners.