Brakes Brakes for my awesome cruiser! Please reply.

Donavan321

Member
Local time
6:59 AM
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Messages
105
Location
A, A
I currently have side pull V brakes on front and back of my motorized 7-speed Schwinn Cruiser. NOW.....ultimately.....I'd like to get a drum brake in the front( I can buy a rim that has the drum brake built in from a friend for less than $150) BUT I was wondering if there are any V-pads that are more heavy duty that won't wear out as fast, since I'm motorized. They're adequate brakes but they wear out pretty quick(ish) let me know what I can get. PS...this is NOT a coaster brake cruiser. If you hadn't already guessed.
 
Last edited:
Links to eBay may include affiliate code. If you click on an eBay link and make a purchase, this forum may earn a small commission.
For less than $150, I'd buy a used fork with a disc brake and put that on.
does the fork just twist right out? I'm assuming it's just and in-out thing and is easy to replace, I could be wrong. I have thought about a disc brake before.
 
Biggest question is what size the fork you have now. You're in luck if it's 1.125" threadless.

If so, everything unbolts, then you reuse your bearings. Measure your steerer tube, ESPECIALLY if shopping for a used fork.

If fork is shorter than yours, you can't use it. Slip it into your bike. If it's too long, get more spacers or cut the pipe to length.

The star nut should be in there. If not, install one, grease your bearings and reassemble.

Everything else easily bolts on.

Now you have front suspension ANNND excellent braking.

Check your craiglist. You can prolly find everything used for $50, maybe less.

Ohhh, if your fork's 1" size, it's MUCH harder to find a suspension fork w/disc brake for it.
 
v brakes! just go to a bike shop and get 6 pairs and clean your bike :) otherwise the only reason to upgrade your current bike is for sentimental value.

Upgrading brakes is not a sentimental gesture. I use cantilevers on my bike but would love to upgrade to disc, or at least drum. Brakes are by far the most important component on your bike. You can have the best engine money can buy but if you can't stop you will die. And better stopping power may just save your life. So, Upgrading brakes is not just for sentimental value. I'm kinda suprised someone would tell that to a person that's trying to improve such an important thing.
Big Red.
 
Last edited:
tomr

new here and can't figure it out too well yet, but i have a question that i need answered.
i just bought a used recumbent that i want to have A honda motor put on.
It has 7 speeds and a derailer, but they are in need of repair.
My question is, do i need all that when i put the motor on, or can i just purchase a standard thing from the bike shop?
 
Recumbent

new here and can't figure it out too well yet, but i have a question that i need answered.
i just bought a used recumbent that i want to have A honda motor put on.
It has 7 speeds and a derailer, but they are in need of repair.
My question is, do i need all that when i put the motor on, or can i just purchase a standard thing from the bike shop?

This is how I did it on a customer build. It came out very solid. I think there are kits you can just buy though. I'll check around to see if I can find one.
If you're not gonna pedal it a lot, just set it in a gear thats easy to pedal just in case you have to. When yer under power the derailleur is useless.
Big Red.
 

Attachments

  • Davids Bike. 006.jpg
    Davids Bike. 006.jpg
    67.4 KB · Views: 391
tomr, start a thread and give us a picture, I have not rode a recumbent in a few years, I can barely remember how the typical frame goes concerning the rear wheels etc.

-------------
for the above, it costs money to add disc brakes, the cheap entry level brakes will stop no better if not worse than 5 dollar vbrakes. 6 inch brake rotors are good till about 30-40 km/h. 8 inch rotors are good for 30 percent more speed. After those speeds are passed the brake rotors simply overheat , and then no brakes. Ask any downhill mtber. please im not interested in reports like" I stopped from 60mph with a such and such disc brake and I felt nothing." they overheat FAST. THATS MY OPINION. I have riden a thousand bikes w the cheap disc brakes and shimanos are good, so are avids. but give either of those brakes some speed and face them downhill and the rotors will brakefade in seconds. A decent pair of disc brakes is an upgrade YES! Otherwise its just 6 and one half dozen of the other.

I'm in the midst of trying to install Suzuki motorcycle front suspension and 240mm hydraulic disc brake on a cruiser bike frame.

The benefits are promising and quite obvious.

The price to pay is an EXTREME amount of searching for information and the expense and frustration of hit-and-miss trial-and-error mismatching of parts.

So far there are no outsourcing labor expenses for machining and custom fabrication. The hit-and-miss matching of parts seems to be working, but it takes $$ and a LOT of time.
 
new here and can't figure it out too well yet, but i have a question that i need answered.
i just bought a used recumbent that i want to have A honda motor put on.
It has 7 speeds and a derailer, but they are in need of repair.
My question is, do i need all that when i put the motor on, or can i just purchase a standard thing from the bike shop?

Not a lot of venders have motorized stuff for recumbents. The only one I've found so far is Staton inc.
http://www.staton-inc.com/store/pro...60_HP_Four_Cycle_Engine_Motor_kit-916-28.html
Also check out this on the forum.
https://motoredbikes.com/forums/motorized-trikes-quads.112/

Hope this helps some,
Big Red.
 
Back
Top