drum brakes?

Leverage is leverage, friction is friction, surface area per rotation is, well you get it. Or you don't. It doesn't really matter. I've built a thing or 2, but I can't change physics.
 
Let's agree to disagree on the exact science and leave it at the simple keynotes where a bigger rotor works more efficiently rather than all around better... I've had some 203 rotors that didn't stop well and I've had at least one that was scary touchy but another factor not yet accounted for is brake pad composition as well as caliper styles and pad surface area since area is critical to amassing enough friction to stop in the first place.

So far the best calipers I have used are Shockingly "Zoom DB680" which use Shimano Deore M575 pads. They operate like a 2 piston caliper (both pads are mobile not just the outside one) which reduces the rotor flex that contributes greatly to permanent warping. Each pad has individual depth adjustment screws for fine tuning on top of the standard caliper centering method.

The particular pads mentioned that they use also happen to have have the largest surface area over any other caliper brand/style of pad I've EVER used in my entire time building or riding with disc brakes
Agree to disagree. I use the avid Bb7 with organic pads and 160 rotors front and rear with a dual pull brake lever on my purple daily rider. It seems real easy to control with smooth quick stopping. My backup bike has a roller rear that don't do much with a 203 on the front. My first bike had hydraulic front with a 203 and and V brake rear using a twist shifter for the clutch kept the bars clean.
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Nice bikes there! I see you got a sportster peanut tank on the last bike you posted.
 
Here you go @British Petrol Biker here is the disc brake bracket I built for the rear of my bike, I run a 203mm rotor in the rear & a 180mm rotor in the front. This bike is heavy & it stops amazingly good rain or shine. I'm running bb7 calipers as well. It's fairly easy to make your caliper bracket.
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Here you go @British Petrol Biker here is the disc brake bracket I built for the rear of my bike, I run a 203mm rotor in the rear & a 180mm rotor in the front. This bike is heavy & it stops amazingly good rain or shine. I'm running bb7 calipers as well. It's fairly easy to make your caliper bracket.View attachment 160418
that looks really well made, i think if i put my mind to it and took my time i could possibly make one
 
I try my best to speak only from experience only and never hearsay, I skipped over BB7 because of how tiny they are. I've used Tektro, Shimano (don't remember model) Avid BB3 and BB5, and a few no names.
PERSONALLY, I look for brute stopping power, low fade rate, smooth power modulation and rebound stiffness... I prefer a fair bit of lever resistance through the entire stroke because I'm heavy handed and have a hard time otherwise.

I can now say I'm not a fan of sintered ceramic pads, they seem to me to have a high fade and seem to glaze pretty easy... but it could just be me hitting the brakes like an ogre all the time
bb7 has the extra outboard pad adjuster and uses the juicy pad bb5 has a smaller pad and no outboard adjuster, the bb7 is lighter and dissipates heat better and meant for larger rotors. I run dual 203's and have tried many different calipers and the bb7 works very well!
 
Drum brakes are awesome for cruiser builds and choppers S/A makes really good ones like the X FD or the XL FD up front have great stopping power (more than you need) repetitively, just be prepared for the dive if you have suspension. I use the X FD on the board track stocker build with S/A rear coaster brake and they work very well up to 50mph and back down quickly for a few years now no issues. They are little bit pricey but not compared to high end hydraulics which IMO don't really suit the retro, cruiser and old school chopper builds anyway, building up your own wheels starting with a good hub, brake, hoop and spokes can be expensive but usually it's a one time thing as they will last unless your racing then s**t happens LOL
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