Brakes BRAKING Disc brakes, pedal, rim??

[slaquers]

I am putting a 66cc engine on a old Huffy beach cruiser whitewall etc.


Has only a rear brake on the pedal (drum i think dunno) how do i add/get a front disc brake and possibly rear to put on here.

My top speed is planned to be around 40mph.


Thanks!~

 

[magicalpancake]

You can search for kits that bolt up up to existing frames/fork for a disc brake. Disc brakes will required a hub that is compatible with a rotor and a mount where the caliper can be bolted to. On my bike I had the mounts welded on.

 

[Tanaka40]

Aaah, just wear a DOT full face helmet just in case things don't stop as planned......

 

[Stan4d]

Aaah, just wear a DOT full face helmet just in case things don't stop as planned......

Always wear the helmet. There are many kits available from the vendors here that you can get. If you wish to go the cheap route I would recomend getting a c-clamp rim brake for the front.

 

[G man]

G day mabey i can help whe i was a kid i used to get around on the beach cruisers myself and changed them to padded brakes and free wheel hub on the rear on many occasions .. to convert to padded ect look for a freewheel hub rear rim throw away the old coaster brake . you might have to take off the guards and use the hole wear the reflectors on the frame mount to fit a set of caliper brakes . Same for the front forks you might have to drill a hole at the top of the front forks ?? IM not to sure on what exactly your frame looks like ? cheers

 

[chainmaker]

From the ground up you will need...disc compatible wheels you can go two ways just buy new hubs and lace them in or go with new wheels.My opinion I would go with the new wheels and you can get a rear one with a cassette or freewheel so you can have gears. You can find a set for around $100 . Next You need a way to mount your calipers front and rear. For the rear you can get an adapter that bolts in ChoppersUs.com has them, but they are out of stock til next week though. Front You need a disc compatible fork..depending on the type of fork You have you might be able to find an adapter for the ones You have. I know of types of adapters for schwinn type springer forks, and for Monarch repops both are made by Venice Motorbikes, other than that you got to get yourself a new set of forks. The rest is pretty easy.
Cheers
Chainmaker

Edit: After reading the website again, Choppers US says the adapter will work on front forks with modification. This I am betting would also depend on Your forks. I am ordering one when they come in for the rear of a cruiser.

 

[slaquers]

This bikes nothing but trouble, I have NO brakes ATM. I cannot get the rear brake to work and doubt it will work good enough anyway. Huffy Cranbrook is too hard for my first build. I can't spend $100 on brakes.

I need to know a Wal Mart bike that the motor BOLTS ONTO and that has front and rear pull brakes. I am very poor and using this for transportation, I cannot weld, know no welders, and have very little tools.

Right now I just don't rev high as I have NO MOUNT in the front - just head bolts resting there. Has worked so far, just waiting for a bolt to break even though they are US standard studs/bolts...I need to know what model bike to get for less then $100 that everything works out of the box I have $2.14 cents in my pocket that is all and 1 gallon of break in gas.

Please help me find a usable mode of transport! I can ride this to 711 1mile away and thats it as my feet, are my brakes.

-slaquer, poorboy

 

[Tanaka40]

Change the front brake pads to a better quality (and LONGER) pads. Go to Craigs list for a better bike cheap or look for parts.

 

[wildemere]

Look for an used name brand 80's MTB at garage sales or thrift stores. Get one thats hardtail and has front suspension. Look for one thats Cro-Moly (best) or Hi Tensile (better) at least. Little stickers near the seat advertise this, plain steel bikes don't.

Another good way to seperate the crappy bikes from good ones is to look for a three-piece crank, alloy cranks and chainwheels, linear-pull or v-brakes, name brand fittings, usually shimano, again alloy.

When you get your new ride home, totally strip it down and clean, inspect then repack all bearings with quality bearing grease.

Fit new pads to the brakes and true up the wheels.

Use the existing bike for spares or backup. Put the cruiser bars on it if you like.

Quality MTB's have better brakes than cruisers, and the old ones have better geometry/tube sizes for the engine mounts.

I'm mentioning all this because of you stated need to go 40mph.

40mph with a HT on a bicycle will require full motorcycle grade saftey gear, gloves, boots, helmet ect.
Then 7500rpm (a major over-rev) with a 36t sprocket, a big tail wind or slight down hill, quality road tyres, high-end brakes and a firm grip.
Oh and a slight death wish. For when it locks up at that speed its not ending well.

I can do 40+ mph with my new Apollo Verdict, its a $400, 700c shifter bike.

With the motor, shift kit, and some better parts and tires its an $800 machine.

Everything needs to be perfect and recently serviced.

The rear wheel needs special attention. The bearings don't last long at these loads. I switched to a better hub (Shimano 105 with a Cromoly axle) after only six months. Then a visual inspection before and after each ride, adjusting spokes and bearings as required. Then clean and repack the grease every 6 months.

If its a single speed setup, the stock rag joint and tensioner won't cut it at high speeds. Both will have to be deleted and replaced with more solid mounts. A Grubee HD hub or disc mount hub with adapter and a straight chain run (no tensioner) works well. A chain derail at 40 will hurt big-time. I once locked up at around 30 without gloves and was off work for 3 days.

It was actually the pedal side chain that caused the lockup, not the motor or drive side chain that can also lead to the same situation.

High speed is high dollars when using bicycle parts, and high attention to detail as well.

If you plan to cruise at 25mph ( more realistic ) then a supermarket bike might do.

 

[happycheapskate]

Edit: If you are that poor, seriously, you'd be better off just riding it as a bicycle only, or buying a garage sale 10 speed road bicycle (faster).
If you break what you have or wreck it, you will be far worse off.

I will not discourage you for being poor. I've been there plenty of times. But I will say think slowly and plan ahead. Consider your friends and resources. A lot of people will be glad to pitch in a little bit and it can all add up.

Niagara Cycle Works www.niagaracycle.com has caliper brakes for about $7 each that come with levers and mediocre brake pads.

Get 2, and 2 or 3 sets of cheap V-Brake Pads. Changing the pads to the new style will make them effective. I use one on my 70lb beach cruiser.

If you are running 2 caliper brakes with V-pads, and a coaster brake backup, you should be ok.

The rear brake is called a Coaster Brake.

Be darn sure that the metal strap doesn't brake or the bolt break or come loose. Or the bike may pedal you! ! ! Coaster brakes can work well on these bikes, but you must ensure that the brake arm cannot rotate!

PS See the thread Beware the Fenders!