Brake types Bicycle brake

1 brake types

1.1 spoon brakes
1.2 duck brake
1.3 rim brakes

1.3.1 advantages , disadvantages
1.3.2 brake pads
1.3.3 self-assisting characteristics


1.4 types of rim brakes

1.4.1 rod-actuated brakes
1.4.2 caliper brakes

1.4.2.1 side-pull caliper brakes
1.4.2.2 centre-pull caliper brakes
1.4.2.3 u-brakes


1.4.3 cantilever brakes

1.4.3.1 traditional cantilever brakes
1.4.3.2 v-brakes
1.4.3.3 roller cam brakes


1.4.4 delta brakes
1.4.5 hydraulic rim brakes


1.5 disc brakes

1.5.1 advantages
1.5.2 disadvantages
1.5.3 hydraulic vs. mechanical
1.5.4 single vs. dual actuation
1.5.5 multiple pistons
1.5.6 caliper mounting standards
1.5.7 advantages , disadvantages of various types of mounts
1.5.8 disc mounting standards
1.5.9 disc sizes


1.6 drum brakes
1.7 coaster brakes
1.8 drag brakes
1.9 band brake

brake types
spoon brakes

spoon brake on antique peugeot open diamond frame le lion model b @ batavus museum in heerenveen, netherlands

the spoon brake, or plunger brake first type of bicycle brake , precedes pneumatic tyre. spoon brakes used on penny farthings solid rubber tyres in 1800s , continued used after introduction of pneumatic-tyred safety bicycle. spoon brake consists of pad (often leather) or metal shoe (possibly rubber faced), pressed onto top of front tyre. these rod-operated right-hand lever. in developing countries, foot-operated form of spoon brake retrofitted old rod brake roadsters. consists of spring-loaded flap attached of fork crown. depressed against front tyre rider s foot.

perhaps more other form of bicycle brake, spoon brake sensitive road conditions , increases tyre wear dramatically.

though made obsolete introduction of duck brake, coaster brake, , rod brake, spoon brakes continued used in west supplementally on adult bicycles until 1930s, , on children s bicycles until 1950s. in developing world, manufactured until more recently.

duck brake

invented in 1897, duck brake or duck roller brake used rod operated lever on handlebar pull twin friction rollers (usually made of wood or rubber) against front tyre. mounted on axles secured friction washers , set @ angle conform shape of tyre, rollers forced against friction washers upon contacting tyre, braking front wheel. tension spring held rollers away tyre except when braking. braking power enhanced extra-long brake lever mounted in parallel , behind handlebar, provided additional leverage when braking (two hands used pull lever if necessary). used in combination rear coaster brake, cyclist of day stop more , better modulation of braking effort possible using spoon brake or rear coaster brake. known colloquially duck brake, design used many notable riders of day, , exported england, australia, , other countries. in 1902, louis h. bill granted patent improved version of duck roller brake (patent 708,114) use on motorized bicycles (motorcycles).

rim brakes

rim brakes called because braking force applied friction pads rim of rotating wheel, slowing , bicycle. brake pads can made of leather, rubber or cork , mounted in metal shoes . rim brakes typically actuated lever mounted on handlebar.

advantages , disadvantages

aluminium rim worn-out v-brakes. outer wall worn through , wheel dangerously weakened. disadvantage of rim brakes.

rim brakes inexpensive, light, mechanically simple, easy maintain, , powerful. however, perform relatively poorly when rims wet, , brake unevenly if rims warped. because rims can carry debris ground brake pads, rim brakes more prone clogging mud or snow disc brakes (where braking surfaces higher ground), particularly when riding on unpaved surfaces. low price , ease of maintenance of rim brakes makes them popular in low- mid-price commuter bikes, disadvantages alleviated unchallenging conditions. light weight of rim brakes makes them desirable in road racing bicycles.

rim brakes require regular maintenance. brake pads wear down , have replaced. , before wear out completely, position may need adjusted wear. because motion of brakes not horizontal, pads may lose centering wear, causing pads wear unevenly. on longer time , use, rims become worn. rims should checked wear periodically can fail catastrophically if braking surface becomes worn. wear accelerated wet , muddy conditions. rim brakes require rims straight (not out-of-round or warped). if rim has pronounced wobble, braking force may intermittent or uneven, , pads may rub rims when brake not applied.

during braking, friction surfaces (brake pads , rims) experience thermal heating. in normal use not problem, brakes applied limited force , short time, heat dissipates surrounding air. however, on heavily laden bike on long descent, heat energy may added more can dissipate causing heat build-up, may damage components , cause brake failure.

a ceramic coating rims available may reduce wear , can improve both wet , dry braking. may reduce heat transfer inside of rims because thermal insulator.

brake pads

brake pads available numerous shapes , materials. many consist of replaceable rubber pad held on mounting, or brake shoe, post or bolt on attach brake. made 1 piece attachment directly molded in pad lower production costs; brake pads of cartridge type held in place metal split pin or threaded grub screw , can replaced without moving brake shoe alignment rim. rubber can softer more braking force less lever effort, or harder longer life. many pad designs have rectangular shape; others longer , curved match radius of rim. larger pads not provide more braking force, wear more (in relation thickness), can thinner. in general, brake can fitted variety of pads, long mounting compatible. carbon fiber rims may more sensitive damage incorrectly-matched brake pads, , must use non-abrasive cork pads.

ceramic-coated rims should used special pads because of heat build-up @ pad-rim interface; standard pads can leave glaze on ceramic braking surface, reducing inherent roughness , leading severe drop in wet-weather braking performance.

self-assisting characteristics

if front brake mounted behind fork so-called self-assisting effect occurs. friction force between brake shoe , rim creates bending moment presses shoe stronger on rim leading amplified brake force. self-assist reduces input force needed apply brake. disadvantage might brake fade - non-linear relation between actuation force , brake force.

types of rim brakes

the following among many sub-types of rim brakes:

rod-actuated brakes

rod brake system. lateral play in pivot rear brake rod allows rotation of handlebar

the rod-actuated brake , or rod brake , (roller lever brake in raleigh terminology) uses series of rods , pivots, rather bowden cables, transmit force applied hand lever pull friction pads upwards against inner surface, faces hub, of wheel rim. called stirrup brakes due shape. rod brakes used rim profile known westwood rim, has concave area on braking surface , lacks flat outer surface required brakes apply pads on opposite sides of rim.

the rear linkage mechanism complicated need allow rotation fork , handlebars attach frame. common setup combine front rod brake rear coaster brake. although heavy , complex, linkages reliable , durable , can repaired or adjusted simple hand tools. design still in use, typically on african , asian roadsters such sohrab , flying pigeon.

caliper brakes

the caliper brake class of cable-actuated brake in brake mounts single point above wheel, theoretically allowing arms auto-centre on rim. arms extend around tyre , end in brake shoes press against rim. while designs incorporate dual pivot points — arms pivot on sub-frame — entire assembly still mounts single point.

caliper brakes tend become less effective tyres wider, , deeper, reducing brakes mechanical advantage. caliper brakes found on modern mountain bikes. ubiquitous on road bikes, particularly dual-pivot side-pull caliper brake.

side-pull caliper brakes

single pivot side-pull caliper brake.

single-pivot side-pull caliper brakes consist of 2 curved arms cross @ pivot above wheel , hold brake pads on opposite sides of rim. these arms have extensions on 1 side, 1 attached cable, other cable housing. when brake lever squeezed, arms move , brake pads squeeze rim.

these brakes simple , effective relatively narrow tyres have significant flex , resulting poor performance if arms made long enough fit wide tyres. if not adjusted properly, low-quality varieties tend rotate 1 side during actuation , tend stay there, making difficult evenly space brake shoes away rim. these brakes used on inexpensive bikes; before introduction of dual-pivot caliper brakes used on types of road bikes.

dual-pivot caliper brake.

dual-pivot side-pull caliper brakes used on modern racing bicycles. 1 arm pivots @ centre, side-pull; , other pivots @ side, centre-pull. cable housing attaches of side-pull brake.

the centering of side-pull brakes improved mass-market adoption of dual-pivot side-pulls (an old design re-discovered shimano in 1990s). these brakes offer higher mechanical advantage, , result in better braking. dual-pivot brakes heavier conventional side-pull calipers , cannot accurately track out-of-true rim, or wheel flexes side side in frame during hard climbing. common see professional racers climbing mountains quick-release undone on rear brake, eliminate drag source.

centre-pull caliper brakes

centre-pull caliper brake.

this type of brake has symmetrical arms , therefore centre more effectively. cable housing attaches fixed cable stop attached frame, , inner cable bolts sliding piece (called braking delta , braking triangle , or yoke ) or small pulley, on runs straddle cable connecting 2 brake arms. tension on cable evenly distributed 2 arms, preventing brake taking set 1 side or other.

these brakes reasonably priced, , in past filled price niche between cheaper , more expensive models of side-pull brakes.

u-brakes

u-brake on freestyle bmx bike

u-brakes (also known trademarked term 990-style ) same design centre-pull caliper brake. difference 2 arm pivots attach directly frame or fork while of centre-pull caliper brake attach integral bridge frame mounts frame or fork single bolt. roller cam brakes, caliper design pivots located above rim. u-brakes interchangeable with, , have same maintenance issues as, roller cam brakes.

u-brakes used on mountain bikes through 1990s, particularly under chainstays, rear brake mounting location popular. location benefits higher frame stiffness, important consideration powerful brake since flex in stays increase lever travel , reduce effective braking force. unfortunately prone clogging mud, meant u-brakes fell out of favour on cross-country bikes.

u-brakes current standard on freestyle bmx frames , forks. u-brake s main advantage on cantilever , linear-pull brakes in application sideways protrusion of brake , cable system minimal, , exposed parts smooth. valuable on freestyle bmx bikes protruding parts susceptible damage , may interfere rider s body or clothing.

cantilever brakes

the cantilever brake class of brake in each arm attached separate pivot point on 1 side of seat stay or fork. cantilever brakes dual-pivot. both first- , second-class lever designs exist; second-class far common. in second-class lever design, arm pivots below rim. brake shoe mounted above pivot , pressed against rim 2 arms drawn together. in first-class lever design, arm pivots above rim. brake shoe mounted below pivot , pressed against rim 2 arms forced apart.

low profile traditional cantilever brake.

due wider possible distance between mounts , pads, cantilever brakes preferred bicycles use wide tyres, such on mountain bikes. because arms move in designed arcs, brake shoe must adjustable in several planes. cantilever brake shoes notoriously difficult adjust. brake shoes of second-class cantilever brake wears, ride lower on rim. eventually, 1 may go underneath rim, brake not function.

there several brake types based on cantilever brake design: cantilever brakes , direct-pull brakes - both second class lever designs - , roller cam brakes , u-brakes - both first class lever designs.

traditional cantilever brakes

this type of brake pre-dates direct-pull brake. centre-pull cantilever design outwardly angled arm protruding on each side, cable stop on frame or fork terminate cable housing, , straddle cable between arms similar centre-pull caliper brakes. cable brake lever pulls upwards on straddle cable, causing brake arms rotate , inward squeezing rim between brake pads.

traditional cantilever brakes difficult adapt bicycle suspensions , protrude frame. accordingly, found on bicycles without suspension.

v-brakes

linear-pull brakes or direct-pull brakes , commonly referred shimano s trademark v-brakes , side-pull version of cantilever brakes , mount on same frame bosses. however, arms longer, cable housing attached 1 arm , cable other. cable pulls against housing arms drawn together. because housing enters vertically above 1 arm yet force must transmitted laterally between arms, flexible housing extended rigid tube 90° bend known noodle . noodle seats in stirrup attached arm. flexible bellows covers exposed cable.

since there no intervening mechanism between cable , arms, design called direct-pull . , since arms move same distance cable moves regard housing, design called linear-pull . term v-brake trademarked shimano , represents popular implementation of design.

v-brakes function suspension systems found on many mountain bikes because not require separate cable stop on frame or fork. because of higher mechanical advantage of v-brakes, require brake levers longer cable travel levers intended older types of brakes. mechanical (i.e. cable-actuated) disc brakes use same amount of cable travel v-brakes, except described being road specific. general rule, mechanical disc brakes so-called flat bar bicycles (chiefly mountain , hybrid bicycles) compatible v-brake levers, whereas mechanical disc brakes intended drop-bar bicycles compatible cable pull of older brake designs (cantilever, caliper, , u-brake).

poorly designed v-brakes can suffer sudden failure when noodle end pulls through metal stirrup, leaving wheel no braking power. although noodle can regarded service item , changed regularly, hole in stirrup may enlarge through wear. stirrup cannot replaced, quality v-brakes use durable metal stirrup.

mini v-brakes (or mini v s ) v-brakes shorter arms, typically between 8 , 9 centimeters. reduces required cable pull, making them compatible brake levers intended cantilever brakes. mini v-brakes retain advantages specific v-brakes such not requiring cable stops. on downside, shorter arms provide small tyre , wheel clearance , make less forgiving setup: can accommodate smaller tyre sizes compared cantilever brakes, may pose problems mounting fenders, can clogged more mud, , can make harder change wheels.

roller cam brakes

roller cam front brake.

roller cam brakes centre-pull cantilever brakes actuated cable pulling single two-sided sliding cam. (first , second-class lever designs exist; first-class common , described here.) each arm has cam follower. cam presses against follower forces arms apart. top of each arm moves outward, brake shoe below pivot forced inward against rim. there in favor of roller cam brake design. since cam controls rate of closure, clamping force can made non-linear pull. , since design can provide positive mechanical advantage, maximum clamping force can higher of other types of brakes. known being strong , controllable. on downside, require skill set , can complicate wheel changes. , require maintenance: u-brakes, pad wears strikes rim higher; unless re-adjusted can contact tyre s sidewall.

the roller cam design first developed charlie cunningham of wtb around 1982 , licensed suntour. roller cam brakes used on mountain bikes in 1980s , 1990s, mounted head tube , seat stays in standard locations, , below chain stays improved stiffness not protrude interfere crank. not unusual bicycle have single roller cam brake (or u-brake) combined type. still used on bmx , recumbent bicycles.

there 2 rare variants use roller cam principle. locations centre-pull inappropriate, side-pull toggle cam brake developed. first-class cantilever, uses single-sided sliding cam (the toggle) against 1 arm attached link other arm. cam presses against follower, force transmitted other arm via link. , suspension forks housing must terminate @ brake frame, side-pull sabre cam brake developed. in sabre cam design, cable end fixed , housing moves single-sided cam.

delta brakes

a pair of campagnolo delta brakes

the delta brake road bicycle brake named due triangular shape. cable enters @ centre, pulls corner of parallelogram linkage housed inside brake across 2 opposite corners, pushing out @ other 2 corners on brake arms above pivots, arms below pivots push pads in against rim. feature of design mechanical advantage varies tangent function across range, of other designs remains fixed.

many consider brake attractive, , has lower wind profile other common brakes. however, bicycle quarterly criticized delta brake being heavy, giving mediocre stopping power, , suffering disadvantageous variable mechanical advantage. in particular, small parallelogram, pad wear causes mechanical advantage rise dramatically. however, high leverage, stroke of lever not enough apply brake, rider can have brakes feel normal in light braking cannot applied harder hard braking.

the basic design dates @ least 1930s. made prominently campagnolo in 1985, brakes based on same mechanism manufactured modolo (kronos), weinmann, , others. no longer made , uncommon.

hydraulic rim brakes

magura hydraulic rim brake

this 1 of least common types of brakes. mounted either on same pivot points used cantilever , linear-pull brakes or can mounted on four-bolt brake mounts found on many trials frames. available on high-end mountain bikes in 1990s, declined in popularity rise of disc brakes. moderate performance advantage (greater power , control) offer on cable actuated rim brakes offset greater weight , complexity.

disc brakes

a hydraulic front disc brake

a disc brake consists of metal disc, or rotor , attached wheel hub rotates wheel. calipers attached frame or fork along pads squeeze rotors braking. pads drag against rotor, wheel - , bicycle - slowed kinetic energy (motion) transformed thermal energy (heat). disc brakes may actuated mechanically cable, or hydraulically.

disc brakes common mountain bikes (including downhill bikes), , seen on hybrid bicycles , touring bicycles. disc brake employed drag brake.

many hydraulic disc brakes have self-adjusting mechanism brake pad wears, pistons keep distance pad disc consistent maintain same brake lever throw. hydraulic brakes, older ones, , mechanical discs have manual controls adjust pad-to-rotor gap. several adjustments required during life of pads.

advantages

disc brakes tend perform equally in conditions including water, mud, , snow due several factors:

the braking surface farther ground , possible contaminants mud can coat or freeze on rim , pads. rim brakes, first point mud builds on mountain bike ridden in thick mud brakes. mountain bicycle disc brakes less susceptible mud buildup provided rear frame , front fork yoke have sufficient clearance wheels.
disc brakes may made of materials dissipate heat better wheel rim, undersized sport sized discs small take advantage of fact
there holes in rotor, providing path water , debris out under pads.
wheel rims tend made of lightweight metal. brake discs , pads harder , can accept higher maximum loads.
it possible ride bicycle buckled wheel if has disk brakes, not possible rim brake because buckled wheel bind on brake pads.

other reasons include:

while types of brakes wear out braking surface, brake disc easier , cheaper replace wheel rim or drum.
the use of wide tyres favors disc brakes, rim brakes require ever-longer arms clear wider tyre. longer arms tend flex more, degrading braking. disc brakes unaffected tyre width.
unlike rarer rim brake designs, disc brakes compatible front , rear suspension.

disadvantages

disc brakes require hub built accept disc, , fork (for front brakes) or frame (for rear brakes) built accept caliper. front hubs designed discs move left hub s flange inward make room disc, causes wheel dished. dished wheel laterally weaker when forced non-disc side. other hubs use conventional flange spacing , provide wheel without dish, require less common wide-spaced fork.
a rim brake works directly on rim , attached tyre; disc brake applies potentially large torque moment @ hub. latter has 2 main disadvantages:



the heavier fork , wheels compound weight disadvantage of brake assembly itself.


heat build-up can lead failure disc brakes. disc brakes heat discs in same way rim brakes heat rims, discs provide inherently smaller surface dissipate heat. excessive heat leads boiling hydraulic fluid, resulting in brake fade or total failure. overheating more common in road cycling assuming brakes undersized reduce weight. recorded cases of disc brake failures involves several kilometers of downhill, combined small underweight discs.
the design , positioning of disc brakes can interfere pannier racks not designed them. reason, many manufacturers produce disc , non-disc versions.
there have been problems using disc brakes frame designs. under hard braking, front wheel can come out dropouts. problem has occurred when brake pads , dropouts aligned brake reaction force tends eject wheel dropout. under repeated hard braking, axle moves in dropout in way unscrews quick release. riders should make sure skewers tightened before riding. forks use different brake/dropout orientations or through-axles not subject problem.

hydraulic vs. mechanical

there 2 main types of disc brake: mechanical (cable-actuated) , hydraulic. advantages of cable-actuated disc brakes in lower cost, lower maintenance, , lighter system weight. hydraulic disc brakes, on other hand, offer more braking power , more control on braking power. cable-actuated traditionally type of disc brake used brake levers found on drop handlebars, no longer case.

single vs. dual actuation

many disc brakes have pads actuated both sides of caliper, while have 1 pad moves. dual actuation can move both pads relative caliper, or can move 1 pad relative caliper, move caliper , other pad relative rotor, called floating caliper design. single-actuation brakes use either multi-part rotor floats axially on hub, or bend rotor sideways needed. bending rotor theoretically inferior, in practice gives service, under high-force braking hot disc, , may yield more progressiveness.

multiple pistons

for disc brakes hydraulic system, high-performance calipers use 2 or 3 pistons per side; lower-cost , lower-performance calipers have 1 per side. using more pistons allows larger piston area , increased leverage given master cylinder. also, pistons may of several sizes pad force can controlled across face of pad, when pad long , narrow. long narrow pad may desired increase pad area , reduce frequency of pad changes. in contrast, single large piston may heavier.

caliper mounting standards

there many standards mounting disc brake calipers. i.s. (international standard) different 160mm , 203mm rotor , differs between forks qr , 20 mm through axle. post-mount standard differs disc size , axle type. many incompatible variants produced on years, fork manufacturers. mount used on rockshox boxxer typical of these specialty mounts, fork manufactures use either or post-mount standard current forks. point of reference, hayes sells no fewer 13 different adapters fit brakes various mounting patterns.

advantages , disadvantages of various types of mounts

a disadvantage of post mounts bolt threaded directly fork lowers. if threads stripped or if bolt stuck, threads need repaired, or seized bolt drilled out. frame manufacturers have standardized mount rear disc brake mount. in recent years post mount has gained ground , becoming more common. due decreased manufacturing , part cost brake calipers when using post mount. limitation of mount location of rotor more constrained: possible encounter incompatible hub/fork combinations, rotor out of range.

disc mounting standards

there many options rotor mounting. is six-bolt mount , industry standard. centerlock patented shimano , uses splined interface along lockring secure disc. advantages of centerlock splined interface theoretically stiffer, , removing disc quicker because requires 1 lockring removed. of disadvantages design patented requiring licensing fee shimano. shimano cassette lockring tool (or external bb tool in case of through-axle hub) needed remove rotor , more expensive , less common torx key. advantages of six-bolt there more choices when comes hubs , rotors.

examples of mounting standards shown here:

centerlock (shimano proprietary)
international standard (is) (in widespread use) 44mm bcd
hope technology s 3-bolt pattern (proprietary)
rohloff s 4-bolt pattern (proprietary)

disc sizes

rotors come in many different sizes, such 160 mm, 185 mm, , 203 mm diameter. other sizes available manufacturers make discs specific calipers — dimensions vary few millimeters. larger rotors provide greater braking force given pad pressure, virtue of longer moment arm caliper act on. smaller rotors provide less stopping power less weight , better protection knocks. larger rotors dissipate heat more , have larger amount of mass absorb heat, reducing brake fade or failure. downhill bikes have larger brakes handle greater braking loads. cross country bicycles use smaller rotors handle smaller loads offer considerable weight savings. common use larger diameter rotor on front wheel , smaller rotor on rear wheel since front wheel braking (up 90% of total).

drum brakes

bicycle drum brakes operate of car, although bicycle variety use cable rather hydraulic actuation. 2 pads pressed outward against braking surface on inside of hub shell. shell inside diameters on bicycle drum brake typically 70–120 mm (2.756–4.724 in). drum brakes have been used on front hubs , hubs both internal , external freewheels. both cable- , rod-operated drum brake systems have been produced.

a roller brake modular cable-operated drum brake manufactured shimano use on specially splined front , rear hubs. unlike traditional drum brake, roller brake can removed hub. models contain torque-limiting device called power modulator designed make difficult skid wheel. in practice can reduce effectiveness on bicycles adult-sized wheels.

drum brakes common on utility bicycles in countries, netherlands, , found on freight bicycles , velomobiles. older tandem bicycles employed rear drum brake drag brake.

drum brakes provide consistent braking in wet or dirty conditions since mechanism enclosed. heavier, more complicated, , weaker rim brakes, require less maintenance. drum brakes not adapt quick release axle fastening, , removing drum brake wheel requires operator disconnect brake cable axle. require torque arm must anchored frame or fork of bicycle, , not bicycles constructed accommodate such fastenings or tolerate applied forces.

coaster brakes

single-speed coaster brake



cutaway view of husqvarna novo coaster brake hub

first invented in 1898 willard m. farrow, coaster brake , known pedal brake or foot brake ( torpedo or contra in countries, in italy contropedale ), type of drum brake integrated hub internal freewheel. freewheeling functions other systems, when pedaled, brake engages after fraction of revolution. coaster brake can found in both single-speed , internally geared hubs.

when such hub pedaled forwards, sprocket drives screw forces clutch move along axle, driving hub shell or gear assembly. when pedaling reversed, screw drives clutch in opposite direction, forcing either between 2 brake shoes , pressing them against brake mantle (which steel liner within hub shell), or split collar , expanding against mantle. braking surface steel, , braking element brass or phosphor-bronze, in birmingham-made perry coaster hub. crude coaster brakes exist, on children s bicycles, serrated steel brake cone grips inside of hub shell directly, no separate brake pads or mantle. these offer less progressive action , more lock rear wheel unintentionally.

unlike drum brakes (but shimano roller brake) coaster brake designed run internal parts coated in grease quiet operation , smooth engagement. grey molybdenum disulphide greases work in coaster brake, metal-to-metal friction surfaces.

coaster-brake bicycles equipped single cog , chain wheel , use ⅛ in (3.2 mm) wide chain. however, there have been several models of coaster brake hubs dérailleurs, such sachs 2x3. these use special extra-short dérailleurs can stand forces of being straightened out , not require excessive amount of reverse pedal rotation before brake engages. coaster brakes have been incorporated hub gear designs - example awc , src3 sturmey-archer, , shimano nexus 3-speed. can have 8 gears, nexus inter-8.

coaster brakes have advantage of being protected elements , perform in rain or snow. though coaster brakes go years without needing maintenance, more complicated rim brakes repair if becomes necessary, more sophisticated type expanding brake shoes. coaster brakes not have sufficient heat dissipation use on long descents, characteristic made legendary through events such repack downhill race, riders need repack coaster brakes after grease melted or smoked due heat lengthy downhill runs. coaster brake can applied when cranks reasonably level, limiting how can applied. coaster brakes made rear wheels, have disadvantage common rear brakes of skidding wheel easily. disadvantage may, however, alleviated if bicycle has hand-lever-operated front brake , cyclist uses it. disadvantage coaster brake dependent on chain being intact , engaged. if chain breaks or disengages chainwheel and/or rear sprocket, coaster brake provides no braking power whatsoever. hub brakes except disc brakes, coaster brake requires reaction arm connected frame. may require unbolting when wheel removed or moved in fork ends adjust chain tension.

drag brakes

a drag brake type of brake defined use rather mechanical design.

a drag brake intended provide constant decelerating force slow bicycle on long downhill rather stop — separate braking system used stop bicycle. drag brake employed on heavy bicycle such tandem in mountainous areas extended use of rim brakes cause rim become hot enough blow out. typical drag brake has long been drum brake. largest manufacturer of type of brake arai, brakes screwed onto hubs conventional freewheel threading on left side of rear hub , operated via bowden cables. of 2011, arai drum brake has been out of production several years, remaining stocks nearing depletion , used units commanding premium prices on internet auction sites.

more recently, large-rotor disc brakes being used drag brakes. dt-swiss make adapter mate disc rotors hubs threaded arai drum brake, still leaves problem of fitting caliper.

band brake

band brake rear wheel of bicycle.

a band brake consists of band, strap, or cable wraps around drum rotates wheel , pulled tight generate braking friction. band brakes appeared 1884 on tricycles. star cycles introduced band brake in 1902 on bicycles freewheels. band brakes still manufactured bicycles today.

a rim band brake, implemented on yankee bicycle royce husted in 1990s, consists of stainless-steel cable, wrapped in kevlar sheath, rides in u-shaped channel on side of wheel rim. squeezing brake lever tightens cable against channel produce braking friction. return spring slackens cable when brake lever released, no adjustment required, , brake becomes more forceful when wet. husted said inspiration band brake used on industrial machinery. yankee bicycle included rear brake, met u.s. consumer product safety commission standards.