UPDATED SATURDAY MORNING REAL EARLY - MOSTLY CAPTIONS -
WE'VE EVEN GOT CYCLISTS FROM ILLINOIS IN OUR CLASS! Right Now I think I ought to go make sure I've got a bike I can ride in front of critics...
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Stem-Mounted Barrel Adjusters/Quick Releases are Ubiquitous on Older, Center Pull Braked Bikes
This One Has Less Corrosion Than Many |
Time to get a couple of lectures ready for LCI training this weekend. One of the topics is mostly something I've learned about through many years and dollars of hard experience. That's bicycle braking. I've had most sorts of bicycle rim brakes and learned about leverage and the different ways the brakes get set up. I've even had a LITTLE experience with drum/roller/coaster brakes. When it comes to disc brakes, I know what I've read - and then there are more unusual brakes...
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Canti Brakes are Common on Touring and Cyclocross Bikes.
This One Has NO Barrel Adjustment at All
to be Able to Pop the Straddle Wire Out,, I Adjust This Brake With As Much Clearance as I Dare |
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Caliper Brakes on Road Bikes are a Dime a Dozen
This Bike Has TWO Brake Quick Releases. The Other is in the Lever |
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It's TOUGH to Use a Linear Pull Brake With Road Levers.
The LEVERAGE is All Wrong. This Brake Added a "Travel Agent" to Address the Problem - Sort Of
On This Combo, the Quick Release is Where the "TA" Pops out of the Carrier |
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Once They Understood About Adjusters, My Daughters Adjust THESE Brakes Easily
It Might Save Their Lives Some Day |
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| You Don't Need to Know How a Roller Brake Works to Adjust One |
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Disc Brakes Have Various Kinds of Adjustment Rules and Methods
(from Wikipedia) |
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And Then There are Rod Brakes that at Least Look Cool
(from Wikipedia) |
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Some Brakes are Derivatives of Spoon Brakes
(from Wikipedia, Believe it or Not) |
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I'll Avoid any Endorsements of Specific Products;
Even the Very Best |
The second topic may be a little more challenging. It's "cycling gear for Spandex Mafia types." I'm sure I've seen enough to hum a few minutes worth!
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The "Spandex Godfather" - IN PERSON! With High Vis! Gail, Pay No Attention to those Black Things
That Look Like Earphone Wires! |
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| Hopefully, My "Students" Can Resist THIS Reaction |
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| And I WILL Explain How Cycling-Specific Gear Allows More than a Simple Summer Ride... |
I sure wouldn't mind learning more about all the different types of brakes, good idea. I meant to ask before, but what does LCI stand for?
ReplyDelete"League Cycling Instructor." Like a US version of Mary.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to your class!
ReplyDeletePeace :)
Spoon brakes huh?
ReplyDeleteActually the rod brakes work pretty darn well once they're properly adjusted. As long of course as there is no precipitation :)
One of the biggest bike-related lies I was ever told was "Oh, yeah, the V-brakes will work fine with road levers as long as you use a Travel Agent."
ReplyDeleteWhen I rode it, my brake shoe was literally that--a shoe. Specifically, the one that was on my right foot that day. The bike and I survived that day because my shoe didn't.
Needless to say, I put the old cantis back on that bike!
Justine, there is a good reason that there is a canti brake in the rear in one of those photos. Before too awfully long, that same bike will also have a front canti and the travel agent will be relegated to what I originally bought it for (so I could use a bar end shifter with my Nexus internal gear hub) or put into a drawer.
ReplyDeleteIn my case, the travel agent DOES work with the road lever, but I would not call it ideal. It DOES work better with road levers than nothing which is the way Specialized equipped the bike.