Cantilever brake adapter? (24" wheels in 26" frame)

[ParkRNDL]

Trying to figure out how to get brakes on a 26" cruiser bike with 24x3 tires, short of using a coaster brake. All the weight of those big ol' tires has me thinking I'll need at least a 5-speed setup. Disc brakes look way cool but way complicated and expensive to set up. Has anyone ever tried to use something called a cantilever brake mount? It looks like a horseshoe with a hole in the middle and cantilever brake mounting studs at the ends. I've found it under 2 different manufacturers--one is Dimension and the other is Big Cheese:

http://www.bikemannetwork.com/biking/p/BR9121

http://www.ultrarob.com/shop/product/Di ... Mount.html

Looks like the same piece to me. Anyone have any experience with them? Or maybe you have another solution for getting brakes on a setup like that cheap?

thanks in advance--

--rick

 

[stephen]

I want one myself. All ones I have see are in the US, not the UK where I am (does anyone know a UK shop?) There is another one that is more solidly built, I can only remember the name 'gaerleon', I'll try to track it down.

 

[stephen]

Found it:

http://www.gaerlan.com/bikeparts/parts/ ... rakes.html

 

[ponytailmike]

hey how you doing ParkRNDL
you know if you are just looking at making a five speed
out of her... a three speed coaster brake will have about
the same gear ratio from low to high

three speed/five speed
low/5
4
neutral/3
2
high/1

you can also play with your gearing both front and back to
get it where you need it

one other thought i have considered(but have not tried yet)
would be to cut the piviots off a donar bike and then carefully
brass braise them to your frame
brass braising is stronger than most people think
(it's a little like soldering but at a higher temp)
look at a lot of the old bikes form the 30's 40's and 50's
alot of them were braised together
you can even use a map gas set up to braise
rember to measure twice(mabye three or four times)
and braise once

just some thoughts

good luck and keep us posted on what you do

can't wait to see your 26 inch crusier

ponytailmike
mike

p.s. if i think of any thing else i'll let you know

 

[stephen]

Yes, brazing is another way, your LBS should be able to do it or send it to be done - you tell them what you want and they put the frame onto a jig and braze new v brake bosses straight on, they don't even need to measure. Remember though the paintwork will have two big burned patches where the work has been done.

 

[Hugo]

Brazing brake bosses? Sheldon's got it: http://sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-fixture.html

Hugo

 

[ParkRNDL]

Brazing. Agggh. And yeah, Hugo, I actually saw that Sheldon Brown article... Only thing is, I'm a parts changer/mix-match/bolt-on kind of backyard hack mechanic. I don't know anything about welding. I was trying to do this as a strictly bolt-together deal...

And Mike, after seeing BenG's similar thread about brakes for a 26" bike with 24x3s, I was kinda coming to the 3-speed coaster solution myself, even though I LOVE the front freewheel setup on your bike and I have access to a FF setup here. Problem is that 3-speed coaster hubs are rare to start with, and I'll never find one laced into a wide 24" rim. Still, if my choices are: having my LBS build a 3-speed coaster wheel for me from a hub and rim that I find, or trying to get brake mounts welded on, I think I'll go with the 3-speed coaster like you said. If that didn't get me geared low enough, I could always put a little Lucky Seven on the front. (In general, I'd rather spin in a low gear than try to push a high one.) Then my high gear would be like a single-speed coaster, and I'd have low and SUPER low, I guess...

So far, all I got is a few parts--soon as I find a bike that's a suitable starting point, I'll post it...

--rick

 

[garylee]

Kruisr King Phatso wheel from Wilson's Bicycle Distributing. Any LBS should be able to order you one- 1-3-or7 speeds. I just got a set of 24s with Nirve ...... tires for my stretch. College Cyclery sold them for less than $150 a pair/with 1 speed and they rock.