My current plan (still pretty unformed) is to rebuild a front wheel for her with a generator hub/hub brake to get some better braking. Although, after carefully adjusting these brakes, they're working WAY better than the Dawn Tourists' are. Need to do more on her, but that's another post.
I am curious if you have a trick up your sleeve to attach the rod mechanism to the drum brake? I did once see a drum hub with stirrup attachment for sale on ebay, but I did not buy it. I think I have found a source for aluminum westwood rims in the UK willing to ship here-- while expensive, I am hoping it would mostly solve the stopping in the rain problem. In any case, I have become intimately familiar with my DL-1s rod brakes, an they actually work pretty well now when dry. Though, I still can't figure out how to make my front brake work as well as my rear one. I seem to be able to position the pads much closer to the rim on the rear than I am able to on the front, which is a little frustrating.
ReplyDeleteWhen you report on the generator hub build, please do not leave out the monetary aspects, at least in relative terms. I know the ballpark numbers, but there are a lot of different ways people do these.
ReplyDeleteI've been hoping to see more pics and plans for the two new-old bikes, but it's good to see Minerva out and about too. Do you ever feel guilty when you favor one bike over another, or ride one more? I have to admit I do, ridiculous as it is...
ReplyDeleteAmanda, I haven't got through all the details on that, but I have two ideas- one to bolt a rod (either to the existing brake attachment point, or to a new hole drilled through the stirrup) the other is to take it to a machine shop and have them weld it. I think that I'll have to have a flexible linkage as well for part of it. As I said, still a bit fuzzy on the details. Interestingly I can get my front brakes to work much better than my rear..
ReplyDeleteI would be interested to hear more about the aluminum Westwood rims. I wonder if there's enough interest for some shop to import a batch of them?
Steve, the hub is here. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/lighting/sturmey-archer-x-fdd.html
Cycler,
ReplyDeletewhy do you think that the brakes are working differently on the Dawn Tourist vs the DL--just old brake pads or have you already replaced them and found the two bikes to be different?