Cable connectors ok w/brakes?

[Scott]

I'm shopping around for a new tandem for me and my wife, and it will likely be a Screamer TR. I've
gotten some useful feedback on hydraulic lines, but what about cable connectors for regular brakes?
Any safety issues? Or are the connectors even needed? Seems like one could just carefully unhook and
fold the bike. Comments?

Scott

 

[Guess Who I Am]

Scott: you do NOT want to use split connectors for brakes. on a tandem for sure.brake cables require
too much pressure to take a chance with them DON'T use them.if you need extra long cables for your
Screamer thay are available.with high pressure applied cables can slip through anchor bolts and then
you have no brake.you can use the connectors however for your gears since they donot require much
pressure. don't fotget when you take apart your bike you can always disconnect the cables at the
stops. Thank you Earl GRR,RANS V2 Ti Rush,Ti Pursuit

 

[Scott]

[email protected] (Guess Who I Am) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Scott: you do NOT want to use split connectors for brakes. on a tandem for sure.brake cables
> require too much pressure to take a chance with them DON'T use them.if you need extra long cables
> for your Screamer thay are available.with high pressure applied cables can slip through anchor
> bolts and then you have no brake.you can use the connectors however for your gears since they
> donot require much pressure. don't fotget when you take apart your bike you can always disconnect
> the cables at the stops. Thank you Earl GRR,RANS V2 Ti Rush,Ti Pursuit

Hi, Earl: These were my thoughts. W/such a crucial piece of equipment, simplicity seems the key: few
parts, less chance of failure. Our GTT has connectors for the gears. The load is light on these
cables, as you say. One fellow said he had conncectors on his regular tandem, but maybe he was
thinking of the gears.

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Jeff Wills]

[email protected] (Scott) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> Hi, Earl: These were my thoughts. W/such a crucial piece of equipment, simplicity seems the key:
> few parts, less chance of failure. Our GTT has connectors for the gears. The load is light on
> these cables, as you say. One fellow said he had conncectors on his regular tandem, but maybe he
> was thinking of the gears.
>

The S&S coupling people show four different kinds of cable splitters:
http://www.sandsmachine.com/ac_cable.htm

Interestingly, Bruce Gordon doesn't make splitters for brake cables. He's made bikes with swappable
handlebars- mountain bike vs. drop bars.

I think if the bike/trike in question has split cable stops on the frame you're better off unhooking
the cable at the brake (assuming center-pull or cantilever brakes) and rolling up the cable with the
forward portion of the frame.

Jeff

 

[Chris Champion]

[email protected] (Guess Who I Am) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Scott: you do NOT want to use split connectors for brakes. on a tandem for sure. brake cables
> require too much pressure to take a chance with them DON'T use them.

I disagree. The people at RANS spec out DaVinci cable splitters for the brake connections (both the
rim and drum) with the S&S bikes as a stock item because they trust this component.

I wouldn't be all that worried about it. Your front brake (which is where most of the stopping power
is) is not split, so it is not subject to pulling out. As far as slippage in the cable splitters,
you probably have the same chance of slippage with the cable stops on the calipers. The two set
screws are very efficient in keeping the cables secured.

Chris Champion