Can you use gear cables as brake cables ?

[Bryncrug72]

I don't get it. Is the idea so the you (have to) apply the front and rear brakes simultaneously?

Yes, I only have one arm, you can adjust the bias front and back it's not ideal but I don't have much choice !

 

[Bryncrug72]

Ok off the wall suggestion. A two finger and a four finger right next to each other, two finger outside and under so you could pull four finger or both?

Ok stupid but?

No not stupid, I've tried it before and it was a tad cumbersome and there was a fair amount of alteration to the clamps, I've seen others with similar set ups as well, the Paul is probably the way to go, I was just thinking if I could come up with something with parts I already have ?

The smaller gear nipple did catch my eye in the garage whilst in there earlier !

 

[Jussa]

Trying to come up with a way of converting a lever to pull two cables, the nipple on a gear cable is smaller than the pear shaped (road) brake cable, would the nipple on the gear cable take the stress of braking ?

Ok here is your simple DIY conversion for one handed braking, also used in the sport of Bike Polo, with some basic DIY skills you should be able to construct this.



http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/ ... polo-bike/

Look forward to hearing the results.

 

[danson67]

You could also look at some of the BMX Gyro adaptations that fit in-line in the cable:

They vary a lot from the elegant to the homemade bodge, but they are effective.

The two lever thing is often used in adaptive/disability cycling and polo, but they are mostly to operate either brake with one hand, not both at the same time.

Bear in mind that any of these systems which operate two cables from one lever, or split a single cable to two callipers at some point, will all halve the actual force exerted at the wheel.
Some force might be gained by using a short pull canti brake lever with the longer pull of v-brakes. Adjusting the pad clearance will be a pain, but the higher leverage should restore some of the force lost by being split over two brakes, I think.
The only systems like this that actually work really well are the dual disc hydraulic ones designed for trikes (Tektro, Magura Big etc) where either the master cylinder is scaled up, or the calliper pistons are scaled down to keep the force up.

All the best,

 

[pete_mcc]

Have you looked at the Problem Solver or Jtek opions? Really nice cable splitters that mean you can use your existing lever and they don't look like an explosion at a mecano factory. Yes they are expensive but I am guessing the one arm thing isn't a short term problem so you'll get your moneys worth buy the end:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/cables-spare ... e=1&page=1


A number of Trialthalon bikes use minilevers on the aero bars which need a splitter so maybe check out tri shops (they also use splitters on the STI):

http://www.triuk.com/products/profile-d ... ti-adapter
(this one is for STI but a quick bit of drilling should make it work for brakes)

Finally for a cheaper option how about a motorbike 1:2 cable set up:

http://www.venhill.co.uk/Cables_-_Compo ... ITTER.html

Personally your best bet is to drop Venhill a line and have them sort you out. They are cable specialist and are usually really good at special kit at low cost.

 

[pete_mcc]

Cheap:

http://www.power-barn.com/servlet/the-1 ... nto/Detail

Cheaper:

http://www.carrotcycles.co.uk/index.php ... ct_id=1010
(although you might need to botch it to reverse the action from a 2:1 to a 1:2

 

[jimwise68]

http://www.alansbmx.com/5140/products/o ... n_mod.aspx

I used one of these on my nu school BMX

 

[mattr]

Some of the weight weenie guys use gear cables in lieu of brake cables. Generally only for show bikes tho.

They don't work very well.

 

[Bryncrug72]

Trying to come up with a way of converting a lever to pull two cables, the nipple on a gear cable is smaller than the pear shaped (road) brake cable, would the nipple on the gear cable take the stress of braking ?

Ok here is your simple DIY conversion for one handed braking, also used in the sport of Bike Polo, with some basic DIY skills you should be able to construct this.



http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/ ... polo-bike/

Look forward to hearing the results.

This was the style that made me think, how can this be made to look more stock without bodging a hole all the way through it !
I'll have to draw something up and see if it's feasible, don't really want to drill holes through the lever unless I can help it

 

[Bryncrug72]

You could also look at some of the BMX Gyro adaptations that fit in-line in the cable:

They vary a lot from the elegant to the homemade bodge, but they are effective.

The two lever thing is often used in adaptive/disability cycling and polo, but they are mostly to operate either brake with one hand, not both at the same time.

Bear in mind that any of these systems which operate two cables from one lever, or split a single cable to two callipers at some point, will all halve the actual force exerted at the wheel.

Some force might be gained by using a short pull canti brake lever with the longer pull of v-brakes. Adjusting the pad clearance will be a pain, but the higher leverage should restore some of the force lost by being split over two brakes, I think.
The only systems like this that actually work really well are the dual disc hydraulic ones designed for trikes (Tektro, Magura Big etc) where either the master cylinder is scaled up, or the calliper pistons are scaled down to keep the force up.

All the best,

I used to use the same bmx inline part as that on some cable discs before I could get a hydraulic set up, it worked well but wasn't very pleasing on the eye !
I run a magura big with a t-splitter and a larger disk on the front on my modern bike it works quite well.
Thanks for the advice