I went to look up something on brakes, and the ES wiki doesn't seem to have anything. I'm no expert, please add what you know and after a while someone will sort through this thread and write a brakes section for the wiki...
Here's the requisite "Sheldon Brown" link: http://sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-adjustment.html
Antique Spoon Brake (only added to make this thread easier to find in the future)
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Side-pull
Used on childrens bikes and also the lowest-end adult bikes. These are the least desirable type to use on a powered bike. Some newer road-bikes have begun using a much higher quality side-pull (shown in pic) simply because of the compact size and their light-weight.
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U-brakes
Rarely used for a long time, recently making a comeback on freestyle BMX rear wheels. The pivots are above the pads, and each arm has its own return-spring. Normally mounted very low, just behind the bottom-bracket.
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Direct-pull / linear-pull cantilever
Shimano has trade-marked the name "V-brakes" for this style, even though the "center-pull" cantilevers (shown farther below) are the style that actually look like an inverted V. Very common and affordable, performance is not bad. I like how it is VERY easy to disconnect/reconnect the cable with no tools so a bike can have its wheel taken off for transport, or fixing a flat. Each arm has its own individual return-spring, with return-tension being adjustable.
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Center-pull (traditional) cantilevers
Pros: The mechanical advantage is adjustable on some styles.
Cons: Arms protrude outwards
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Mechanical (cable-pull) disc drakes
Popular for the front brake of any application that is sometimes more severe than average...if you are in a situation where you are likely to bend or ding a rim, any style of rim brake might make that bad situation even worse. Avid-BB7's are popular (shown in pic), and a frequently mentioned reason is their easy knob-adjustment of the pads with no tools needed.
Many posters seem to feel that a quality rim brake system is as good as any well-made cable-pull disc brake. For ultra-high mileage riders, a disc is cheaper and easier to replace from wear, compared to replacing a worn rim, but this is not a concern for most riders.
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Hydraulic disc brakes
Pros: Very high braking possible with a very adjustable modulation of "feel". Hydraulics are sealed, compared to cables, which can be negatively affected by water and mud.
Cons: Expensive, requires more frequent maintenance and adjustment.
My initial search indicates that Hayes, Formula, and Avid seem to be popular right now. A cheap hydraulic system is not as a good as a great cable-pull disc system....however, high-end hydraulic systems are widely reported to perform very well in extremely demanding applications.
edit: experienced ES member MadRhino recommends Magura Gustv M hydraulics http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=58800#p877883
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Drum Brakes
Fully enclosed against the weather. Although they are lesser known and rarely used, recently improved versions perform very well. Sturmey-Archer versions available in the common 70mm diameter, and also the larger 90mm version. Some testimonials indicate that drums can handle high brake heat on long downhills exceptionally well due to the mass of the aluminum that is integrated into the drum and rim.
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Direct-Drive (DD) hubs, when used as a magnetic brake
Regerative braking (Regen) is when a hub is temporarily no longer powered, and instead it is electrically configured to act as a generator rather than a motor (the electrical re-routing is done by the controller). This will put some watts back into the battery (but usually very little). Even if the amount of watts harvested is very low, regen can be very valuable as a braking tool.
When you use regen as a brake (regardless of any harvesting of watts), the bikes' normal brakes stay cool, which can be very important to a heavy cargobike on a long downhill. Regen/Plug-braking is unaffected by splashed-water/rain/mud.
A device called a "plug brake" can be cheaply and easy made by wrapping resistor wire in a coil and attaching a switch on the brake handle to activate it. The spinning hub motor will cause the plug brake to get hot. It will not harvest watts back into the battery like regen, but it will still act as a magnetic brake. It can also be designed to be adjustable, if desired.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10422#p170905
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Here's the requisite "Sheldon Brown" link: http://sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-adjustment.html
Antique Spoon Brake (only added to make this thread easier to find in the future)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Side-pull
Used on childrens bikes and also the lowest-end adult bikes. These are the least desirable type to use on a powered bike. Some newer road-bikes have begun using a much higher quality side-pull (shown in pic) simply because of the compact size and their light-weight.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
U-brakes
Rarely used for a long time, recently making a comeback on freestyle BMX rear wheels. The pivots are above the pads, and each arm has its own return-spring. Normally mounted very low, just behind the bottom-bracket.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Direct-pull / linear-pull cantilever
Shimano has trade-marked the name "V-brakes" for this style, even though the "center-pull" cantilevers (shown farther below) are the style that actually look like an inverted V. Very common and affordable, performance is not bad. I like how it is VERY easy to disconnect/reconnect the cable with no tools so a bike can have its wheel taken off for transport, or fixing a flat. Each arm has its own individual return-spring, with return-tension being adjustable.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Center-pull (traditional) cantilevers
Pros: The mechanical advantage is adjustable on some styles.
Cons: Arms protrude outwards
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mechanical (cable-pull) disc drakes
Popular for the front brake of any application that is sometimes more severe than average...if you are in a situation where you are likely to bend or ding a rim, any style of rim brake might make that bad situation even worse. Avid-BB7's are popular (shown in pic), and a frequently mentioned reason is their easy knob-adjustment of the pads with no tools needed.
Many posters seem to feel that a quality rim brake system is as good as any well-made cable-pull disc brake. For ultra-high mileage riders, a disc is cheaper and easier to replace from wear, compared to replacing a worn rim, but this is not a concern for most riders.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hydraulic disc brakes
Pros: Very high braking possible with a very adjustable modulation of "feel". Hydraulics are sealed, compared to cables, which can be negatively affected by water and mud.
Cons: Expensive, requires more frequent maintenance and adjustment.
My initial search indicates that Hayes, Formula, and Avid seem to be popular right now. A cheap hydraulic system is not as a good as a great cable-pull disc system....however, high-end hydraulic systems are widely reported to perform very well in extremely demanding applications.
edit: experienced ES member MadRhino recommends Magura Gustv M hydraulics http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=58800#p877883
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Drum Brakes
Fully enclosed against the weather. Although they are lesser known and rarely used, recently improved versions perform very well. Sturmey-Archer versions available in the common 70mm diameter, and also the larger 90mm version. Some testimonials indicate that drums can handle high brake heat on long downhills exceptionally well due to the mass of the aluminum that is integrated into the drum and rim.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Direct-Drive (DD) hubs, when used as a magnetic brake
Regerative braking (Regen) is when a hub is temporarily no longer powered, and instead it is electrically configured to act as a generator rather than a motor (the electrical re-routing is done by the controller). This will put some watts back into the battery (but usually very little). Even if the amount of watts harvested is very low, regen can be very valuable as a braking tool.
When you use regen as a brake (regardless of any harvesting of watts), the bikes' normal brakes stay cool, which can be very important to a heavy cargobike on a long downhill. Regen/Plug-braking is unaffected by splashed-water/rain/mud.
A device called a "plug brake" can be cheaply and easy made by wrapping resistor wire in a coil and attaching a switch on the brake handle to activate it. The spinning hub motor will cause the plug brake to get hot. It will not harvest watts back into the battery like regen, but it will still act as a magnetic brake. It can also be designed to be adjustable, if desired.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10422#p170905
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