New article about drum brakes — how they work, their advantages and disadvantages, installation, maintenance, safety considerations.
Drum brakes
Tag: Sheldon Brown
Sachs and SRAM internal-gear hubs update
We have updated all of our pages about Sachs and SRAM internal-gear hubs, fixing broken links and, regretfully, indicating that SRAM is now no longer making internal-gear hubs. But many of you are using these hubs, and we are maintaining information on them. Main page with links to others.
Fixed gear, singlespeed
All of our pages about fixed-gear and singlespeed bicycles have been updated. Information about derailerless drivetrains including workarounds for frames with vertical dropouts has been consolidated in a single article and expanded. Table of contents for these articles.
Tandem Updates
Pages about tandems and tandeming Sheldon Brown and family on home-built tandems[/caption] have been updated. We have more about disc brakes, brake levers, Gates synchronizing belts, and details about upgrading a cheap beach-resort tandem to ride with a child.
Steel frame repair
Aluminum, titanium and carbon-fiber frames are fashionable, and generally lighter than steel frames. But if you are on a bicycle tour to a remote area, the ability of any small-town welder to perform an ugly but functional repair on a steel frame could allow you to continue. You may be able to straighten a bent frame yourself. Read about it here.
Check your bicycle for safety
Bike check — a quick safety check you can do on your bicycle– and more extensive testing too.
More about bicycling video
A table of contents page for our articles about bicycling video, and some new articles too — camera reviews, articles about technique and video-editing software.
Band brakes
A band brake, common in Japan and occasionally seen in the USA, is an inside-out drum brake. Instead of brake shoes which press outward against the inside of a brake drum, a band brake has a flexible band which wraps around the outside of the drum. A band brake is easy to install and adjust, and we show how. While a band brake can be very effective for flatland cycling, it is not good for downhills and should never be used on a front wheel. Read why in our new article.
Tricycles for Grown-ups
New article describes the various kinds of tricycles, their features, advantages and disadvantages. Tricycles are especially useful for carrying heavy loads and for people who for one reason or another cannot balance a bicycle. Tricycles can also be sporty and fast.
Update to saddle-repair page
Major upgrade to our page on repair of leather saddles – Complete do-it-yourself information.
