Coaster brake removal?

Jens Arnfast

Hi,

I've got a rear hub with 7 integral gears and a coaster brake - and I
_hate_ coaster brakes - I want to free-wheel! :-)

Being naïve I thought I only needed to cut of the brake arm but that
wasn't enough.. *sigh* now I can ride backwards (like those fancy little
trickbikes)

So.. can I open up the hub and remove the brake cone - or maybe cut it a
bit so I obtain free-wheel action instead of braking or backwards motion?

--
Cheers,
-jens

Benjamin Lewis

Jens Arnfast wrote:

> I've got a rear hub with 7 integral gears and a coaster brake - and I
> _hate_ coaster brakes - I want to free-wheel! :-)

I've been able to freewheel on all the coaster brakes I've used. Do you
mean you want to be able to pedal backwards while coasting? If so, why?

--
Benjamin Lewis

Now is the time for all good men to come to.
-- Walt Kelly

Jens Arnfast

Benjamin Lewis wrote:
>>I've got a rear hub with 7 integral gears and a coaster brake - and I
>>_hate_ coaster brakes - I want to free-wheel! :-)
> I've been able to freewheel on all the coaster brakes I've used. Do you
> mean you want to be able to pedal backwards while coasting? If so, why?

That is what I ment, sorry for being unclear.

Why? .. uhm.. yeaah.. I just want to - ok? ;-)

The coaster brakes just annoy me - kinda takes the fun out of riding for me.

--
-jens

Benjamin Lewis

Jens Arnfast wrote:

> Benjamin Lewis wrote:
>>> I've got a rear hub with 7 integral gears and a coaster brake - and I
>>> _hate_ coaster brakes - I want to free-wheel! :-)
>> I've been able to freewheel on all the coaster brakes I've used. Do you
>> mean you want to be able to pedal backwards while coasting? If so, why?
>
> That is what I ment, sorry for being unclear.
>
> Why? .. uhm.. yeaah.. I just want to - ok? ;-)

Hey, that's a good enough reason for me. I was just curious.

> The coaster brakes just annoy me - kinda takes the fun out of riding for
> me.

And that's the biggest concern. <--- (not sarcasm, btw)

--
Benjamin Lewis

Now is the time for all good men to come to.
-- Walt Kelly

Jens Arnfast

Benjamin Lewis wrote:
>>The coaster brakes just annoy me - kinda takes the fun out of riding for
>>me.
>
>
> And that's the biggest concern. <--- (not sarcasm, btw)

It sure is.

My bike has been locked down for over a year now.. then I decided to
spend a little time getting it running again - spent a few bucks on new
tires, tubes and what-not.

And during the first "test-drive" I figured out why I hadn't used it for
so long - that *bleeping* coaster brake!

So, I'm betting if I don't remove it now the bike will stand unused for
another year :-/

... and the fact I'm too much of a cheap-ass to throw out a otherwise
good bike :-)

--
-jens

Benjamin Lewis

Jens Arnfast wrote:

> Benjamin Lewis wrote:
>>> The coaster brakes just annoy me - kinda takes the fun out of riding
>>> for me.
>> And that's the biggest concern. <--- (not sarcasm, btw)
>
> It sure is.
>
> My bike has been locked down for over a year now.. then I decided to
> spend a little time getting it running again - spent a few bucks on new
> tires, tubes and what-not.
>
> And during the first "test-drive" I figured out why I hadn't used it for
> so long - that *bleeping* coaster brake!
>
> So, I'm betting if I don't remove it now the bike will stand unused for
> another year :-/
>
> .. and the fact I'm too much of a cheap-ass to throw out a otherwise good
> bike :-)

Fixing a bike the way you like it yourself is way more mentally rewarding
than buying a new one, even if you have all the money in the world to spend
on getting it custom made to your more exact specifications.

--
Benjamin Lewis

Now is the time for all good men to come to.
-- Walt Kelly

jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

Jens Arnfast writes:

> I've got a rear hub with 7 integral gears and a coaster brake - and
> I _hate_ coaster brakes - I want to free-wheel! :-)

> Being na?ve I thought I only needed to cut of the brake arm but that
> wasn't enough.. *sigh* now I can ride backwards (like those fancy
> little trickbikes)

> So.. can I open up the hub and remove the brake cone - or maybe cut
> it a bit so I obtain free-wheel action instead of braking or
> backwards motion?

That won't work because the driver element is on a steep helix that in
one direction activates the plate or internal shoe brake and the other
wedges into the drive side. Without it there is neither brake nor
drive. I'm not sure what motivates your dislike for coaster brakes.
I find them an admirable invention, the multiple plate type being the
best. I recall both New Departure and Bendix had clutch type disks
while some older type that had expanding shoes could take more heat
but had poorer response.

Jobst Brandt
jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

Chris Zacho The Wheelman

I doubt it. A new hub would be easier.

- -

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

Rick Onanian

On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 20:11:50 GMT, jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org
wrote:
>I'm not sure what motivates your dislike for coaster brakes.
>I find them an admirable invention, the multiple plate type being the

It's nice to have admirable parts, but it's more important (in this
context) to have fun.

It's also nice to unwind tired/painful legs by pedalling
resistance-free backwards (even while stopped), and helpful to
prepare the pedal position while stopped (if you forgot to before
stopping).
--
Rick Onanian

Bubba@FL

Before you cut up any more internal geared hubs, let me know and I'll buy it
from you. They cost a fortune new.
BUBBA

Jens Arnfast <jens@fabel.dk> wrote in message
news:407EBC6C.3030504@fabel.dk...
> Hi,
>
> I've got a rear hub with 7 integral gears and a coaster brake - and I
> _hate_ coaster brakes - I want to free-wheel! :-)
>
> Being naïve I thought I only needed to cut of the brake arm but that
> wasn't enough.. *sigh* now I can ride backwards (like those fancy little
> trickbikes)
>
> So.. can I open up the hub and remove the brake cone - or maybe cut it a
> bit so I obtain free-wheel action instead of braking or backwards motion?
>
> --
> Cheers,
> -jens
>