Geared Coaster Breaks

Anyone have experience with one of these?  When I consider the cost vs breaks/pads/front and rear derailleurs/cassette in the back/all those cables and housings this thing doesn't seem so bad especially when considering all the maintenance saved.  My reservations are: do I get a gearing that still lets me speed on the LFT? Is the breaking smooth or is it a slam break that will bald my tires? If I need it can I slam the breaks? It's flat here in Chicago so it's not as if I need the 21 gears I have now.

I commute to work every day, bike pretty much everywhere to the point that a pair of sneakers will last me years. Anyone have one of these and how does it work for you here in Chicago? I am just mesmerized by the idea of having 1/2 of the maintenance time I spend going away and my ride getting incredibly simple. Thanks.

Shimano Nexus Inter-8 Coaster Brake Hub

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Permalink Reply by Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles on January 20, 2014 at 11:18am

You can have it done for a phenomenal fee but I don't think you will achieve your goals of reduced maintenance and simplicity with the frame you have. The 135mm spacing and vertical dropouts are the killers. If the frame is steel, you could probably cold set it, but if it is AL, you are kind of screwed.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 20, 2014 at 11:51am

As long as he has a Derailleur Hanger on that frame a chain tensioner  is not really a big deal. It's not going to hurt maintenance (actually it makes chain maintenance easier IMHO, as well as wheel changing with a flat.)  

Simplicity is something else, as everyone has a subjective vision of what 'simplicity" means.   I agree that a chain tensioner sort of looks like a band-aid on a SS or IGH bike using vertical DO's.  But that is all a mater of convention and personal preference.  I'll admit I'm somewhat of a snob myself.  

Spacing out the OLD to 130mm is the reason why these hubs come with such long axles in the first place.  I don't think it is a big deal either.  I've got a box of old 160mm Sturmey-Archer AW extra-wide axles in my shop just for this purpose.  if someone wants me to build them an IGH bike out of a modern lightweight alloy frame with 130 or 135mm OLD it's not a big deal.  Toss a chain tensioner on there and it'll be golden.   Come back in a decade or so for a tune up...

Remember that an all-weather bike in Chicago's climate might run into some issues at the very cold spells we have had lately using some of the modern grease-filled IGH's.  The old Sturmey-Archer oil hub, properly lubed with fresh oil, will be pretty much impervious to cold temperatures found anywhere in the lower 48 and probably way up into the arctic circle if the right lube was used.

My SRAM S7 hub would start having problems shifting this time of year.  I finally put it up in the garage and went back to a 60's vintage SW 3-speed.  

Permalink Reply by Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles on January 20, 2014 at 1:31pm

The big problem I see is that the chain tensioner and the coaster brake won't play well together. If it was drum, disc, roller, or caliper brake then it would be rainbows and unicorns and you could shove any IGH hub in there. Even my 2 speed Shitmano.

I run a drum brake S7 and Surly Singlator on my Riv, as you say, no issues. BTW, drill a 13/64 hole in the S7 shell, tap M6, screw in an SA oiler. Boom, year round hub.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 20, 2014 at 2:21pm

Oh, hell.  I totally forgot about the coaster brakes.  It's only in the title of the thread...

Mike is totally right that they wouldn't work with a chain tensioner for crap.  You'd need two chain tensioners, one on both the top and the bottom.  And even then you'd have a LOT of take-up on the tensioner to deal with before the brakes kicked in when pedaling backwards.  It'd be a total kludge.   Or go with a solid adjustable bogey wheel system which would suck power from the system all the time and be unreliable and need constant supervision/attention. 

Coaster brake + vertical dropouts are just not going to work well at all.  I'm sure it could be done but I'd suggest finding a frame with horizontal dropouts or forgoing the coaster brake for something else.  For a freewheeling SS or an IGH a chain tensioner would be just fine. 

Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles said:

The big problem I see is that the chain tensioner and the coaster brake won't play well together. If it was drum, disc, roller, or caliper brake then it would be rainbows and unicorns and you could shove any IGH hub in there. Even my 2 speed Shitmano.

I run a drum brake S7 and Surly Singlator on my Riv, as you say, no issues. BTW, drill a 13/64 hole in the S7 shell, tap M6, screw in an SA oiler. Boom, year round hub.

Permalink Reply by Thomas Bruzan on January 20, 2014 at 3:59pm


Maybe one of those eccentric bottom brackets to take up the chain? Kinda pricey though.
James BlackHeron said:

Oh, hell.  I totally forgot about the coaster brakes.  It's only in the title of the thread...

Mike is totally right that they wouldn't work with a chain tensioner for crap.  You'd need two chain tensioners, one on both the top and the bottom.  And even then you'd have a LOT of take-up on the tensioner to deal with before the brakes kicked in when pedaling backwards.  It'd be a total kludge.   Or go with a solid adjustable bogey wheel system which would suck power from the system all the time and be unreliable and need constant supervision/attention. 

Coaster brake + vertical dropouts are just not going to work well at all.  I'm sure it could be done but I'd suggest finding a frame with horizontal dropouts or forgoing the coaster brake for something else.  For a freewheeling SS or an IGH a chain tensioner would be just fine. 

Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles said:

The big problem I see is that the chain tensioner and the coaster brake won't play well together. If it was drum, disc, roller, or caliper brake then it would be rainbows and unicorns and you could shove any IGH hub in there. Even my 2 speed Shitmano.

I run a drum brake S7 and Surly Singlator on my Riv, as you say, no issues. BTW, drill a 13/64 hole in the S7 shell, tap M6, screw in an SA oiler. Boom, year round hub.

Permalink Reply by Haddon on January 21, 2014 at 11:05am

Fuck me, the goal was to get rid of all the cables and the like and get to severe simplicity (but i don't want to screw with my knees on a fixie). 

The problem is that I love, LOVE my frame, I'm a taller guy and this oversized Trek MTN bike is monsterous in a way they just don't make frames anymore, toss in some handle bars with a bit of rise and it's both comfortable and speedy.  I was going to paint the frame but I don't want it to look nice - this so no one will ever think of stealing it. It's a real joy to ride on it a way that I have never really found on another bike. 

Given that the Coaster Break is out the door (profound sadness) what is the simplest way to get a couple gears (at least 3) and some breaks on my oversized mountain bike?  The most important constraint is simplicity and ease of use.  These days every couple weeks it's one thing or another that I need to mess with and its fustrating as can be.

What is the set up that limits maintence and just keeps me riding with minimal maintence.  Basically I want to go back in time and ride a bike like I had when I was a kid that took every hill, ramp and wipe out that I could throw at it.

Thanks,

Haddon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on January 21, 2014 at 11:41am

Admitting your problem is the first step toward healing. Congratulations!

Haddon said:

... Basically I want to go back in time and ride a bike like I had when I was a kid that took every hill, ramp and wipe out that I could throw at it.

Thanks,

Haddon

Permalink Reply by Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles on January 21, 2014 at 1:22pm

Does your frame already have caliper/cantis? If it does, just shove any ol' IGH hub that floats yer boat, as long as it's not a coaster brake. Like James said, the SA 3 speed can be built to fit your frame, just need a chain tensioner and that can just be an old derailleur without a cable. 

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on January 22, 2014 at 4:07am

Also, I suspect that people who have knee trouble riding a fixed gear don't give themselves enough time to adapt. I rode fixed for years and never had any knee trouble as a result. 

Haddon said:

Fuck me, the goal was to get rid of all the cables and the like and get to severe simplicity (but i don't want to screw with my knees on a fixie). 

... 

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on January 22, 2014 at 4:10am

For reference, the SRAM 2 Speed Automatix has been working fine this winter - even this morning when it was a chilly 5F.


James BlackHeron said:

...

Remember that an all-weather bike in Chicago's climate might run into some issues at the very cold spells we have had lately using some of the modern grease-filled IGH's.  The old Sturmey-Archer oil hub, properly lubed with fresh oil, will be pretty much impervious to cold temperatures found anywhere in the lower 48 and probably way up into the arctic circle if the right lube was used.

My SRAM S7 hub would start having problems shifting this time of year.  I finally put it up in the garage and went back to a 60's vintage SW 3-speed.  

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