Current Projects chat and miscellany

What's a coaster brake like for stopping power ? Can you get by without using a front brake ?

^^ yea ive always wondered that, id only ever seen them on lowriders,
and they don't really get much speed.

Yes, but they're only really suitable for cruising on.
Snap a chain = no brakes.
You are stopping via the back wheel which is not as effective as using the front, so stops will take longer.
They are cool for skidding. :)

My old BMX had one. I loved it.

Equivalent to resisting on a fixed ?

Somewhat, yeah. You back pedal (there's a moment for it to engage) and the "pads" start to brake against the inner hub surface (I think, memory hazy). The back wheel will basically slow/stop and you will slow/skid.

Its a result!!

Ed, you're a genius bloke. Not only is the bike an excellent build, and a beautiful piece of work, but your final photo of your lady on her new present, could easily be a professional advertisement for a bike company. Well done, on every score.

thank mate, that mean a lots, first build (with lots of planning) and it turn out to be rather decent, and it another way to show how the LFGSS community helped people, even when Scott complain about how it's not used to be the same as before (sorry mate!)

Nice work Ed. She seems proper chuffed with it.

more than I thought! turn out when she was growing up in Peru, all the bike she use were all coaster brake bike, so she actually used to them more than hand levers brake, what more I never seen her feel more compelled to ride her bike, even at half 11 in the evening when we're running low on drink and I suggested to go down to the 24 hours newsagent, she's already outside with the bike.

Yes, but they're only really suitable for cruising on.

pretty much, my missus tend to ride slow and steady, just to get from A to B comfortably, otherwise I'd have fitted a front brake on.

On the highlight I like to says a big thank you to the whole of the LFGSS community to actually helped me build this bike, and at a better budget especially if I went to BLB and ask them to build me a similar bike.

its great i love it. im in love with my bike.

I never got a bike as present for christmas when i was little, never ever. Who could have wondered i was getting one now.

What's a coaster brake like for stopping power ? Can you get by without using a front brake ?

I used a Swobo Folsom for a few months and it was fine. Used it off road and on and never had a problem stopping. Comes from many years of BMX in the 80's when all I had was a back brake which was much less effective than a coaster (if anyone remembers how useless 80's BMX brakes were!)
Only problem with coaster is keeping it from going straight into a skid.

Coaster brakes work perfectly fine - the traditional Dutch bikes still use them a lot, mainly because of the lack of cables which can be caught up in other bikes' handlebars at trainstations etc. And skidding with them is a dream - ask any Dutch kid about that. :)

I personally can't stand coaster brakes purely because you can't backpedal. Its so useful backpedalling on a freewheel when you need to get your feet into position to hop up a kerb or something. Just personal preference though.

Does she want the box and mudguards on Ed?

Absolutely stunning! The bike, the big smile and the photo.

Does she want the box and mudguards on Ed?

Oh she does, I'm just going to fit the mudguard on today, but the rack is to be fitted later since it needed to be cutted, bended and drilled to fit.

good work, ed.
nice that you let her out of the basement for the day to do the photos..

What's a coaster brake like for descents? Can you control speed well?

yep... i really like coaster brakes you can tweak and add gradual pressure easily... and you can skid! ooooo!

easiest brake to control speed, especially when you´re braking you can feel how much pressure you´re putting on the brake, almost bit a like fixed wheel braking when you´re resisting the pedal and feeling the amount of grip you have left.

the only downside is that you can´t backpedal to start off, but then, neither can you do that on fixed wheel bicycls (unless you lift the back end in order to backpedal a bit).

next pub bike? defintely going to have a coaster brake, they´re fucking awesome.

Just picked this up, via eBay. A few photos... not sure what it is (Obviously a "Kingston" and Classic Lightweights suggests that it was built by Mike Compton, foreman for Rotrax, but when?) Googling and searching this forum hasn't yet shed any light.

Driveside dropout appears to have closed a bit (enough to prevent an axle fitting in). I guess it's been dropped and landed on the derailleur hanger, so I'll need to take it to a framebuilder/ LBS and have it straightened (maybe heat treated or even completely replaced-- I'm not familiar with how ductile Campy drops are; has anyone done anything similar?)

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nice nice nice, get these wheels on it

i'd love a go on that, Ed.

Just picked this up, via eBay. A few photos... not sure what it is (Obviously a "Kingston" and Classic Lightweights suggests that it was built by Mike Compton, foreman for Rotrax, but when?) Googling and searching this forum hasn't yet shed any light.

Driveside dropout appears to have closed a bit (enough to prevent an axle fitting in). I guess it's been dropped and landed on the derailleur hanger, so I'll need to take it to a framebuilder/ LBS and have it straightened (maybe heat treated or even completely replaced-- I'm not familiar with how ductile Campy drops are; has anyone done anything similar?)]

The rear dropout looks a little cracked on the back edge, but the photo isn't exactly clear, if it is then i guess that'll have to be replaced, i guess its not in your possession yet, then you could check.
Looks nice though

Nah I've got it already- arrived a few days ago, just been slow getting my camera out.

Fortunately the dropout seems to have chipped paint, nothing more.

Must. Stop. Buying. Bikes.

Saw this for a really good price and had to buy it. Not quite sure what I'm going to with it... love the paintjob but it has a fair bit of chips. Not crazy about the decals though.
I guess this means bye bye for my two converted race frames...

nice, what price we talking? ebay abroad?

nope, local here in belgium (i'm in antwerp, bike was in ghent)... i paid 250 euro (=235 pound) for the frameset, campa 165mm pista cranks, 50t campa pista chainring, wheels with campa hubs (tubs though, so relacing them on open pros), dura ace seatpost.
not suuuper cheap but cheap enough.