Help on Forks...

[Hive]

Springer Fork and Trail

Aye, good observation, Sianelle. Forgot that one. I recall from my Schwinn days, wish I still had that bike, that the "knee action" did make the bike ride "squishy" but fine.

I don't understand why typical caliper brakes could not be hung from inside top of fork? Schwinn used to market bike with that exact set-up just before they quit.

There was some sort of gizmo that attached to fork to hang caliper from or something like that. Will cruise around the WWW and see if I can locate pics.

Springer Fork and Trail? Seems somewhat indecent!

Off topic: It is 0 F in MN and Bush is lying again!

 

[Sianelle]

With brakes while I do agree that a drum brake is a really excellent choice I've been looking at band brakes myself for use with my 'flat tracker'. Basically I can't afford a drum brake and getting it laced into a rim either, but I can afford to buy a band brake.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/5580/bandbrake6ei7.gif

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6551/bandbrake5kl7.gif

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/204/bandbrake3po9.jpg

Mind you I do agree that I'm lucky enough to have the means to make the necessary adaptors & etc to get a band brake to fit my chosen hubs and springer fork. Though I do wonder if any other forum member has tried using band brakes at all and what their experiences with them might be.

 

[MotorbikeMike]

Brakes on Schwinn-type springers

Hi Sianelle, I've done quite a few Motor Bicycles with the repop springers ( maynbe 30?) and I've always used the rim-clamp, single stud mount "Caliper" type brake, with fresh pads they work well enuf, are cheap, reliable, and pads can easily be changed "on the road" at any time (I've done it, 10mm combo wrench, 9mm combo, and a pair of hemostats). I have used many drums, but cannot remember using one on the old "knee action" if you would do it, strap your "pork chop" to the rear leg, not the front.

I hope this helps,

Mike

 

[Sianelle]

Hey thanks for the advice Mike; - sorry Jemma for hi-jacking your thread.

I had an opportunity to purchase a new band brake at less than the usual list price so I thought I would give it a go as I've never used one before on any bicycle of mine. I thought too that the band brake might be more in keeping with the kind of 'look' I wanted my wee bike to have; - and besides I didn't want to have a Caliper brake rubbing the gold anodising off the sides of my nice gold alloy rims. This little bike is intended to be more of a pampered 'pet' than any of my other bicycles or my trike and it will most probably end up getting polished a lot as well as being a mobile advert for my planned homebased bicycle repair business.

 

[MotorbikeMike]

Band Brake???

Hi Sianelle, the band brakes I'm familiar with (and not altogether too fond of) needed to have a left hand "freewheel" type thread to screw the little internal drum onto, is this not your case? I've serviced them on "skate-board" scooters, and more recently Whizzer was using them. How then will you attach the little drum to the hub?

Mike

 

[Sianelle]

Well Mike, it's about time I got myself back into practice with cutting threads with a lathe so I thought I'd have a go at turning up an adaptor from steel bar. I own a lovely old English Myford toolroom lathe and it's about time I started using its potential.
I've been recovering from illness for a while now, but back when I first had my relapse I took a punt at having a positive outlook on the future by spending my savings on workshop equipment, - including the Myford because I'd always wanted one. Perhaps it was stupid of me to spend that money when I could've done with it later, but it gave me a goal to aim towards and something to pin my hopes on.
Being ill for a long period of time tends to knock your confidence and it's been a little nerve-racking over this past week or so to experience using my new MIG welder for the first time, or my new drill press and of course my wonderful lathe. I'm sure I'll get back into the way of things Ok though. Years ago when my kids were small and I had little money I had an aged washing machine that used to spit broken parts from time to time. I forget now how many new parts I made for it on the big old rattly 1940s English lathe I owned at the time