SRAM Spectro S7 hub/drum brake question.

Has anyone out there ever removed the drum brake from a SRAM Spectro S7 hub?

I have a wheel built around a Shimano Nexus hub with the roller brake left off to save weight. I was
wondering if a similar weight saving procedure is possible for the SRAM S7?

I know that the SRAM hub comes in a no-brake version, but that one is housed in steel and it weighs
as much as the aluminum shell/drum brake version.

-Phil

psurkis@pacbell.net (Phil) wrote:

> Has anyone out there ever removed the drum brake from a SRAM Spectro S7 hub?
>
> I have a wheel built around a Shimano Nexus hub with the roller brake left off to save weight. I
> was wondering if a similar weight saving procedure is possible for the SRAM S7?

You _could_ remove the plate containing the brake assembly, leaving a gaping cavity on that side
of the hub. The steel brake drum liner would be subject to corrosion, though, unless it were
painted. You would need to add a suitable axle washer (to fit the oddball 10.5mm axle) in place of
the brake plate.

I am sure you can get a rim brake that is lighter than the brake assembly on the Spectro 7 hub, but
is the small amount of weight saving worth it? The drum brake has the benefits of clean, consistent
all-weather braking and no rubbing the rim, ever. Usually it allows the use of fatter tires than
would otherwise be possible. It tidies up the appearance of the bike to boot.

Let's face it, if trading off those virtues in return for that amount of weight saving is acceptable
to you, then you're probably not a gearhub kind of rider.

--not that there's necessarily anything *wrong* with that! ;^)

Chalo Colina epicyclic epicure

> I am sure you can get a rim brake that is lighter than the brake assembly on the Spectro 7 hub,
> but is the small amount of weight saving worth it?

No, it's probably not worth it. It was just exciting leave the roller brake off of the Nexus hub and
save all that weight. Actually, I'll be happy to get rid the rear U-brake that came stock on my
Schwinn Panther. Man, that thing is finicky!

psurkis@pacbell.net (Phil) wrote:

> No, it's probably not worth it. It was just exciting leave the roller brake off of the Nexus hub
> and save all that weight.

I believe you'll be much happier with the Sachs hub overall.

> Actually, I'll be happy to get rid the rear U-brake that came stock on my Schwinn Panther. Man,
> that thing is finicky!

In the process, you may buy enough tire clearance to run the Schwalbe Big Apple 26x2.35 slick-- a
fun tire if there ever was one. All black except for a roughly 1/4" wide reflective sidewall stripe.

http://www.schwalbetires.com/on_tour...big_apple.gif#

Chalo Colina

> In the process, you may buy enough tire clearance to run the Schwalbe Big Apple 26x2.35
> slick-- a fun tire if there ever was one. All black except for a roughly 1/4" wide reflective
> sidewall stripe.

Very intriguing... Right now I'm using Ritchey Mobybite slicks. They're really fast and fun, except
on the morning commute. If the road is wet, forget it.

> http://www.schwalbetires.com/on_tour...big_apple.gif#
>
> Chalo Colina

"Phil" <psurkis@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:485267f9.0305010636.62253369@posting.google.com...
> > In the process, you may buy enough tire clearance to run the Schwalbe Big Apple 26x2.35 slick--
> > a fun tire if there ever was one. All black except for a roughly 1/4" wide reflective sidewall
> > stripe.
>
> Very intriguing... Right now I'm using Ritchey Mobybite slicks. They're really fast and fun,
> except on the morning commute. If the road is wet, forget it.
>
> >
http://www.schwalbetires.com/on_tour...Image=TireImag es/big_apple.gif#
> >

Are you suggesting that slick tires don't perform well on wet roads?

--
Robin Hubert <cv2572@earthlink.net