Brakes Social Obligation? brakes

Muso

New Member
Local time
7:43 AM
Joined
Oct 4, 2011
Messages
10
I was considering trading my OCC schwinn stingray motor bike with someone who had a Skyhawk/cruiser build I had found on Craigslist. After looking around on the forums and closely looking at the photos of his bike I came to the conclusion that his cruiser was only equipped with a coaster brake. It might have been removed, and at the very least compromised, by the bicycle mechanics who he paid (a lot) to assemble it. I emailed him to let him know about the safety issue of his bike and advised him to either invest more and have rim or disc brakes installed or at the very least disclose the facts to any potential buyers. His original ad is still posted on Craigslist and doesn't say anything about this issue. I feel obligated to flag his post or at least post an RE: letting people know what they might be purchasing.

Any advice?
 
I have noted something lately

It seems to me there are a substantial group of younger bicycle riders that ride without brakes on their bikes. Perhaps this is a reaction to this "newer" trend.

the whole concept is downright stupid. Bicycles Need Brakes! I ride a fixed gear at times on the road and I even have a brake on that(front brake). If you can't stop your headed for some hurt.

I have at least a good pair of V-brakes on my motor-bike and I try to make them strong enough to kill the engine if need be.

I am used to "setting up " the corners by braking into them and hitting the power on the way out. Its hard to do that if you don't have any stoppers on your bike.

Mike Frye
 
dont be a rat let the guy do his deal its up to the consumer to research a product they are about to buy all it takes is questioning him so relax its a bike.
 
btw i have a coaster brake a can see a stop sign and a light and stupid drivers and always can stop without a problem jus watch where ur going!
 
coaster brake?

if you have a coaster brake on your bike and it's a motorized bike you probably won't be able to stop as well if you had a pair of V-brakes. it's been proven that you get the majority of your braking power from the front brake. Now granted it's not always the best solution rear brakes are very useful but if all you can do is lock up the rear brake and slide into whatever you're going to hit that's not always the best solution.


Mike-Got hit on a bike path going the right way and had the light and still have been out for six months-Frye
 
P.S. its more than just a bicycle, its now a small displacement motorcycle
 
"small displacement motorcycle"... That's the best description of these builds that I have heard yet. And yes, the brakes should be be better than what the build requires to stop in an emergency.
 
Every time you double the speed, there's 4 times the kinetic energy that has to be disposed with, in order to stop.

That means that, with a cruiser that's only designed to run at about 10 mph, if you'e at 20 mph, you've got 4 times the energy that needs to go away, and at 30mph, there's 9 times the energy as you had at 10 MPH.
 
Fixie bicycles are for riding on an oval track with banked sides. An experienced rider can lock up the rear wheel but this relates to only 30 percent stopping ability compared to having both front and rear brakes working. They assume they can lock up that wheel on demand, but they can't in an emergency situation. I was riding my Tandem home from an appointment at the VA and stopped at a light. As I was stopping I was shoved forward and heard some foul language as I saw the blur of some nut as he passed me doing a falling face plant to the pavement. He was riding a fixie and had planned on me not stopping for a traffic light. I was riding with my brother to korea town in the LA area a couple of years ago and some clown didn't make the stop and used his face to smash the side window as we entering the intersection from a stop. Brakes are very important. You never know when somebody will intentionally cut you off or slam on the brakes in front of you. Disk brakes were not common when I purchased my Tandem in 1990 so when I replaced the self energizing ones that came on it. I put hydraulic rim brakes on it. They have saved my bacon on many occasions. In the 12 years they have been on my Tandem I have never had to change the mineral oil in the lines. The pads are changed with no tools. Your hands are the only thing you need for pad replacement. They mount on the canti/V-brake studs.
 
Back
Top