Bike polo mechanics & fixing

(IIRC) James has a (relatively) weak fork so that in the event of a head-on impact, the (cheaper to replace) fork will deform rather than the forces being passed through the fork and head tube to the (expensive to replace) top and down tubes.

This is based on the strength of the fork, not its stiffness.

Crumple zones are incredible. I don't know how anyone plays polo without one.

Is anyone running a front brake actuated by a thumb shifter?

I'm going to put this together because I only want to use a front brake now and again so don't want a dual brake lever.

It will have to be a friction shifter, but do all non-indexed shifters have the same pull? Is there any particular brand or model proven to work in this application?
Anything else I need to watch for? (Will the brake return properly with just the spring of the brake arms/caliper? probably going with v brake, but could run cantis.

Can't find anything online along these lines.

the thumb shifter won't return on its own will it, there's no spring. so you'd have to shift it on, thne shift off as well.

Right. Don't think that'd be too much of an issue, butI guess I could try bodging a spring of some kind around it. Cheers.

I think this has been done in America before, no idea who though. The springs in the brakes should pull the shifter back though, if you remove some of the gubbins from inside the shifter it'll just end up as a kind of lever I reckon.

The springs in the brakes will pull them back from the rim but you need something to pull the cable back at the lever

Indeed, I am hungover, shove a spring inside it somewhere, instead of all the clicky bits.

We were talking, last at polo, about people adapting mtb sti levers for independent braking front and back. Anyone seen anything about this? Links?

That's the exact conversation we had at polo on wednesday too, tigeruppercut.

I've googled everywhere, but can't find any details or examples, I want to give it a go though.

That's what I was thinking of, and I think it's what has been done, can't remember where I heard of it though.

http://leagueofbikepolo.com/forum/gear/brakes/2009/09/21/post-your-dual-brake-setup-for-me

#13
#262 with how to

and I think another shifter solution somewhere in the thread.

That's the one.

why would you want to only engage the front sometimes? front brake gives you the best stopping power. skidding is so 2011

Skidding is fun and makes you more attractive to schwalbe employees.

I've done work experience at Schwalbe, twice. I don't think they'd find you very attractive.

:'(

I want to be a bad ass, like her.

http://youtu.be/buFRknN1ckM

Never gets old.

^like. love. forever/

Cheers for all the pointers. Getting hold of some shifters this week, so can post what I come up with.

Instead off shifting on then off, what if you broke/filed down the rachet mechanism so it doesnt retain the gear cable?

If I get an indexed shifter, I'll be taking out the ratchet mechanism as per metroid's link. I think this is the way others have done it before.

A friction shifter is being donated though; don't know what type yet but I'll be reducing/removing the friction, and attempting to install a spring in it somewhere so it returns.

Finished the shifter-brake (after having put the spring on in a fashion that had it permanently locking the brake then doing it right. I is dumb).

It works great; looking forward to getting a game with it.

http://imgur.com/a/eGpUN

what size bottom bracket would I need with 135mm rear spacing?

edit: did a bit of googling. Not that much wiser, but does 113 mm spindle length sound about right?