CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help

Parking brake lever

(15 posts)
  • Started 6 years ago by HankChief
  • Latest reply from splitshift
  • This topic is resolved

  1. HankChief
    Member

    Anyone know where I can get a parking brake lever?

    With the rear rim worn out on the tandem and the bike trailer about to be attached, I'm taking the opportunity to get the rear wheel changed to have disc brakes for extra stopping power.

    Made me think that I could convert the rear rim brakes into Parking brake that I could put on when faffing with the trailer, so the tandem stays put (albeit with a risk of toppling over).

    I've had a centre stand before but that wrapped leaving me a large lump if metal I can't get off.

    I'm sure I've heard of parking brakes before for tandems, but can't find a suitable lever for it. It needs to keep the pressure on without the need for my hands to be on the lever.

    Any idea where I can find such a lever?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  2. Roibeard
    Member

    I thought you would have wanted a non-indexed gear lever, which I think folk have used in the past, however it does appear that there are brake levers with locking capabilities:

    http://www.bikecare.co.uk/product_info.php?acc=Brake_Levers&id=11

    No doubt this will be better, although it won't be possible to use it as a drag brake, which is an alternative use for a non-indexed gear lever (usually on a hub gear - probably not recommended for rim brakes!).

    Robert

    Posted 6 years ago #
  3. Frenchy
    Member

    Some tricycles are likely to have something similar, since a kickstand doesn't work on a tricycle.

    A strong elastic band could be used to hold your brake lever closed. Or are you looking to add a third brake lever somewhere?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  4. HankChief
    Member

    @frenchy - Was thinking of a 3rd brake lever...

    @roibeard - That's the kind of thing I was after :-)

    Posted 6 years ago #
  5. Frenchy
    Member

    And I thought my cockpit was crowded...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  6. HankChief
    Member

    Is there any advantage with having a 3rd braking arrangement for this rather than just having the locking lever on my rear disc?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  7. biketrain
    Member

    Whose Idea?

    I have seen some touring cyclist use a clothes peg.

    It is attached to the inner wire of a brake cable once the brake lever is pulled. The peg stops the lever returning to the 'not braking' position.

    You could try a more professional set up.

    Locking brake lever.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  8. biketrain
    Member

    I am confident that I could remove the remains of your warped stand. It would just take some time and patience. Replacement stands use an Allen headed bolt so this could be retro fitted.

    P.S. Trailer is now ready for handover.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  9. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I am confident that I could remove the remains of your warped stand.

    I think the warped stand just dropped off of its own volition.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  10. Roibeard
    Member

    @HankChief - Is there any advantage with having a 3rd braking arrangement for this rather than just having the locking lever on my rear disc?

    Your disc brake might be hydraulic, so might not suit the locking levers which are cable only. The industrial rubber band approach might still work with hydraulics.

    The obvious advantage is redundancy and indeed some touring tandem setups routinely included redundant braking in case the primary brakes faded on a descent and for use as drag brakes (i.e. not for stopping, but for continual use to control speed), often with some sort of hub brake.

    Rim and disc brakes can overheat if used continually - resulting in explosive loss of a tyre (rim) or brake fade (disc). I think rim brakes overheated less (larger surface area), but the consequences were more catastrophic.

    Conventional wisdom would be that rear brakes can be locked with rim brakes alone, so disc brakes aren't going to be that much of an upgrade however that doesn't take into account bad weather (discs being more consistent) or a tandem's weight distribution! I suspect that (unless ridden solo), locking the rear wheel might not be possible with rim brakes and once the trailer is added in, the upgrade would be worth it.

    I'd be happy with the additional redundancy of running a rim brake, having it mounted on the stoker bar (assuming your stokers can be trusted not to brake mischievously or in panic) with a locking lever - gives the option of a drag or parking brake, with the primary braking from the pilot's bars.

    Robert

    Posted 6 years ago #
  11. biketrain
    Member

    @Iwrats. Yes the standlegs have gone but the block they hinge from is still present. The bolt that holds this in place cannot be accessed with a conventional socket set.

    Posted 6 years ago #
  12. biketrain
    Member

    This may be a better solution.

    locking brake lever

    Sorry what was the budget for this trailer and associated tandem upgrade?

    Posted 6 years ago #
  13. crowriver
    Member

    Yes they exist- I know because I own one. It's in the garage somewhere, it's a straight bar lever for V-brakes I think. Never got round to fitting it on the hybrid it was destined for when I was trying to make it more Dutch / Portland.

    Bought it from Practicle Cycles of Lytham St Annes - they may still sell them, I dunno.

    If interested Pm me and I'll try and find it... :)

    Posted 6 years ago #
  14. HankChief
    Member

    We've solved the problem another way.

    @hart's got out his angle grinder and removed the bug lump of metal left over from my last stand* and replaced it with a new huge stand that is very stable but if I'm honest does ruin the aesthetics of the bike ;-)

    *The last stand didn't take kindly to supporting children in the childseat and succumbed under the weight. Thankfully that stage has passed so I have hope for the new stand surviving...

    Posted 6 years ago #
  15. splitshift
    Member

    People's, although you may have solved your own problem , locking brake levers are fitted to wheel chairs ! , cheap and simple snap lock system , am not where you get such stuff but they must be available from wheelchair suppliers ?
    Scott

    Posted 6 years ago #

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