Braking System: Disc plus V-Brake up front

[broloch]

Would this be safe, or just silly...?

Using one of the brake handles to control a disc brake on the front wheel, while the other be used to activate a V-Brake on the front wheel if extra braking is needed?

The rear wheel would then not have any braking system.

 

[broloch]

or how about something like this: so that you can include the rear brake:

 

[dogman dan]

When I really stopped my front wheel fast, bad things happend to my collarbones. (waterbottle stuck in the forks)

So ease into it if you improve the front brakes that much.

Personally I like locking the back wheel when I really need to stop, and braking just short of locking up the front wheel. That way, you can steer your skid wherever you want to go. Lock the front and skid, it's straight line only at the mercy of physics.

But then I rode a motorcycle with no front brakes for years and got real good at steering a skid between cars since my stopping distance sucked.

 

[broloch]

That actually gives me some more to think about.

Locking up the front too soon would be bad. I guess I could keep the V-brake a little bit looser, so that I really have to squeeze really hard in order to activate them, but it would certainly add a great deal more of braking power. I am currently foot-breaking when I am going really fast only) in addition to using just a single V-brake (.

 

[Chalo]

If you don't intend to use a rear brake, then just use two levers so you can proportion your braking manually between your two front brakes.

But backing up a step or two-- even one good disc brake or linear-pull (V-brake) should be enough to cause your bike to tip up if applied hard. You shouldn't need two on the same wheel, unless your intention is to brake the same wheel from two different levers on the bike.

My favorite combination is a smooth, controllable, low maintenance rear brake in combination with a powerful front brake. So for me, a drum brake in the rear and a linear-pull brake with a booster arch in the front is just about ideal. Instead of a linear-pull, I could also be happy with an Avid BB7 or other very good disc brake, with an 8" rotor. But a linear-pull is cheaper, generally more reliable, and easier to maintain.

What is keeping you from using a rear brake? Are you using a hub motor, and if so, on which wheel?

 

[dumbass]

Would this be safe, or just silly...?

Using one of the brake handles to control a disc brake on the front wheel, while the other be used to activate a V-Brake on the front wheel if extra braking is needed?

The rear wheel would then not have any braking system.

Why would you want to use only one wheel for breaking? Would you disconnect the back breaks on your car? I hope not!! Even the new 3 wheeled scooters advetise the advantage of improved breaking due to the third wheel. As already stated by others you also run the risk of flipping oover the bar with heavy front breaking.

 

[Drunkskunk]

That actually gives me some more to think about.

Locking up the front too soon would be bad. I guess I could keep the V-brake a little bit looser, so that I really have to squeeze really hard in order to activate them, but it would certainly add a great deal more of braking power. I am currently foot-breaking when I am going really fast only) in addition to using just a single V-brake (.

Maximum breaking power comes from the point just before a tire starts to skid. having Any brake that can keep you at that edge will work to stop you exactly as fast. 2 brakes on the same wheel won't make the bike stop any faster. you still have the same maximum braking distance. any faster and you skid the wheel of flip over the handlebars

 

[grandmasterE]

I think you should try disc brakes before you get too into the theoretical. A good quality 200 mm (8") from a high quality component maker (Avid, Hayes, Shimano, etc.) will be more than enough unless your combined vehicle and rider weight are too big to be considered a bicycle (I'd say about 400 lbs). Try hydraulic brakes too.

E

 

[jkirkeboe]

I agree. Try a good hydraulic one, I like the Avid Code 5's with the 4-piston caliper. I only have a 185mm front and 165mm rear, these stop my Ezee Forza scary fast (like ~15 ft from 30mph). The long frame and rear weight bias (dual panniers, battery behind seat post) keep the bike from tipping over.

 

[Speedfreke]

I don't think it's even possible to have 2 brakes on the front wheel because you either have receptors for disc brakes or for rim brakes but not both, at least I have never seen both systems for one wheel.
To come to a safe stop with a very powerful front braking system you have to get your ass off the seat and push it as far back as possible and keep your head and body down as low as possible while applying the brake. This should prevent any tip-over. This was common practice from my bicycle racing days and taught by competent coaches but used mainly for emergency stopping.

 

[lifepo4ever]

I am in new project now and my new bike will be ready for the end of the week and the system brake I will use is a front hydraulic hayes disc brake with rear v brake with good quality pad so when I will apply the front brake , my 6 inch travel fork on the front will absord the energy to transfert the weigth to the ground and apply just enougth to not slip mixed with the rear brake I will have a good braking system

you have to brake like you will drove a motorcycle with disk brake , its so powerful that you can slip from the front wheel or doing a front brake wheelie like I was doing with my cbr 600 but this is another story !!

Once I receive the hub adapter for my rear wheel I will have a full disc brake bike
its very useful in traffic when you run the ebike at 65kph