Best Brakes?

Best brakes?

  • Disk brakes

    Votes: 11 35.5%
  • Drum brakes

    Votes: 8 25.8%
  • Cantilever\caliper

    Votes: 12 38.7%
  • rod, coaster or other

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    31
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BSA

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I'm betting on drum brakes, I'm still a disk brake skeptic.

Perhaps people could post bad brake types and possible pitfalls to avoid when purchasing/fitting new brakes.

I'm still deciding what brakes to use ultimately on mine.

BSA
 
v-brakes....their simple,cheap,and work great.
I've gone over the handlebars on my bike during a "crash stop" and that's about the best(or worst) i can do.
Since then i've improved them with even better brake pads so i'm more carefull.......bugger the crash stops.
 
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Disks are most powerful; is that what you mean?

Some forks now warn not to use big disks or (any) hydraulics, because it's too much stress on the fork blade. If you have big or hydraulic brakes,,, on most bikes, you will see the fork and frame flex surprising amounts when you stop hard.
,,,,,,
Some fork companies now are putting the fork mounts on the front side of the fork blade, to prevent the axle from pulling out of the dropouts under hard braking. They all used to just assume that the "lawyer lips" on the fork dropouts would prevent this from happening, but it is turning out to not be true. :eek:

I wanted the best-possible brakes on my non-motor bikes because I have to ride them everywhere, even mixing with city traffic. ..... My motor-bike is only for casual suburban or rural cruising though; it has a drum front and coaster rear and that's enough for what I use it for.
~
 
v-brake

DougC...direct quote from a bicycle magazine:
V-Brakes are 'Rim Brakes' and the most common brake found on mountain bikes. They are cable operated and a simple cost effective solution to good braking.
v-brake.jpg
 
I've got V's and I can lift the rear wheel on level ground. I don't think I can use any more braking.
 
If conditions are dry, the rim is true w/a good braking surface and the brake pads are set-up properly(toe-in and such)...nothing beats a V-brake.

For muddy/wet conditions disc seems the way to go. They will also work well with wobbly rims. ;)

Drum brakes are heavier than the two above and must have properly arced shoes to work well from the get-go. A Worksman bicycle w/front and rear drum would be a nice platform to work with.
 
Discs don't get bent when you hit that unseen rock in the road.
 
Does anyone have any experience of direct pull cantilever brakes. They are the ones that are installed at the moment. On a test I was very unimpressed but perhaps it's just down to adjustment, as they are a pain to adjust.

BSA
 
I'm betting on drum brakes, I'm still a disk brake skeptic.

Perhaps people could post bad brake types and possible pitfalls to avoid when purchasing/fitting new brakes.

I'm still deciding what brakes to use ultimately on mine.

BSA
I have a Sun motorized recumbent and I converted to V brakes on the back wheel and kept the disk up front. I really like that combo. I can stop quicker than the two disk and even quicker than my brothers bike which has V brakes all around.

I found that a good set of brake pads on the V brakes will allow me to stop well even in the rain.

I am planning on Pantour hubs up front and will keep the disk brake.
 
V Brakes

I have built 2 custom bikes so far one my son rides and it has v brakes, Very good stopping power.
My own bike i went for cable discs, a lot softer braking, but for the dollar and efficency I would go with the v brake. The other thing to keep in mind is the rim. A groved ally rim with v brakes are great. Ask my boys about v brakes and the wet? It can be fun going into a gas station and pulling on the front brake, you tend to all sorts wonderful moves.

Clive
 
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