View Full Version : Scared the &^$% out of me...
Dekonick
12-15-2004, 11:02 AM
WOW! Check those brakes! I was riding my fixxie and while decsending a hill I was using brakes (I cant slow enough w/o em on hills... perhaps you can but I can't) when all of a sudden PING! and I see two metal bits fly off into the distance - and NO front brake! The right caliper just came right off of the brake mount! (V-brake)
Fortunately, I was able to clip out and just pray....made it to 'nother up hill and slowed enough to jump off.
WOW - all I can say is SH*TMANO brakes blow! Never again will I willingly ride ShimaNO.
anyone else ever have this experience?
Oh; been having ALOT of ISP issues thus yall have been enjoying the forum dekonick free....Think I am back so watch out!
coylifut
12-15-2004, 11:25 AM
just be glad that you didn't throw your chain at the same time.
No. Never had a problem w/shimaNO canti's or v brakes in 10+ years.
Had a friend get his chain stuck on his wanabe track bike while going downhill at around 40 mph. He skidded for 100 yds till the tire blew, then ground the rim down until he came to a stop.
Skid marks were visible for close to a year.
Track bikes on the road :no: :no:
coylifut
12-15-2004, 12:09 PM
No. Never had a problem w/shimaNO canti's or v brakes in 10+ years.
Had a friend get his chain stuck on his wanabe track bike while going downhill at around 40 mph. He skidded for 100 yds till the tire blew, then ground the rim down until he came to a stop.
Skid marks were visible for close to a year.
Track bikes on the road :no: :no:
Did your friend have a brake mounted?
dgauthier
12-15-2004, 12:50 PM
(. . . ) all of a sudden PING! (. . .) The right caliper just came right off of the brake mount! (V-brake).
(. . .) anyone else ever have this experience?
Jesus H . . .
That is just unbelievable! No, I've never heard of this happening at any time, anywhere. I thought it was just about impossible to snap brake calipers off using only braking forces.
How old were the brakes?
coylifut-No brakes. I have several friends that don't have brakes on track bikes that see road duty.
Many stories that really need to be discussed over :beer:
What model v brake were you using and how old was it? Have you checked the brake mount to make sure that it isn't threaded or damaged in some way?
Kevan
12-15-2004, 02:34 PM
and your troubles are over:
http://www.habus.org/revealed/pics/chute.jpg
... beats the self-administered pump in the wheel! :D
Marron
12-15-2004, 03:34 PM
I think it's a little too dicey to ride fixed without some rudimentary brakeless stopping skills if you're just using a front brake. I may be paranoid, but I always think about the lack of redundancy.
Yours is the second story I've heard about a front brake failure on a fixed. The other was even more interesting; the friend was using a flip flop hub and had it on the freewheel side. He was basically reduced to a Fred Flinnstone manuever to get it under control. It's a funny tale in the telling, but considering the event took place in downtown Seattle on a very steep hill it was probably not funny at the time.
I commute daily on a fixed in the dark and I descend very defensively. If I don't feel like I can keep it under control without the brakes I slow down. The only reason I use the brake is to save my knees. The skill of skipping or sliding is easy to master and provides that extra bit of security. Now if the chain goes....
I'd suggest the ugly but far safer course of drilling the rear bridge and mounting a rear caliper. Yes, I know that this involves extra cable mounting concerns, and negates the minimalist aesthetic around a fixie, but it's way safer. In a panic, no matter how skilled you are, a front brake is a liability while a rear brake is far less likely to induce a crash sequence.
And, a word to the wise. No brake system is ever free from vibration, which loosens even the best fasteners torqued to spec...check 'em regularly and live.
Dekonick
12-15-2004, 03:41 PM
The brakes are new (month old perhaps?)
Looks like (after taking a closer look) the bolt that holds the washer (washer is missing...) has been deformed a little; my guess is the force of braking was enough to essentially 'strip' the washer right over the retaining bolt. I dunno; this does not instill confidence in shimaNO parts...
Good thing the remaining canti didnt get caught in the spokes... or yours truly would have gone over the bars...
I will say this: using new time alum atax (spelling?) pedals - I like em so much I might even equip one of my Serotta's with em and ditch one set 'o looks. They are NICE! (flota, easy to get into/out of - and can walk w/o the look shuffle... would be nice for weekend group/ long dist rides)
Ill see if I can find my digital camera ant take a pic of the bolt and broken lever.
:) It was a good excuse to stop riding as it was under 40 degrees outside...
shaq-d
12-15-2004, 07:42 PM
my bike is equipped with shimano 600 AX brakes. about 20 yrs old... no probs.. sounds like either a bad batch or user error...
sd
Dekonick
12-15-2004, 10:34 PM
Dunno about bad batch; a shop mechanic installed em. It's possible that it was installed incorrectly (doubtful - shop mechanic is also a shop owner and personal friend) but my bet is Sandy was trying to get his hands on my Hors Cat. and thus was try'n to off me.... :p
J/K!
vaxn8r
12-15-2004, 11:07 PM
Everything brakes, er breaks. Anything which could be broken on a bike has been broken. Even Campy. :cool: Honest.
shaq-d
12-16-2004, 09:50 AM
Dunno about bad batch; a shop mechanic installed em. It's possible that it was installed incorrectly (doubtful - shop mechanic is also a shop owner and personal friend) but my bet is Sandy was trying to get his hands on my Hors Cat. and thus was try'n to off me.... :p
J/K!
lol..maybe things ARE getting more brittle as they become lighter... carbony parts..breaking brakes...ouch.
sd
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