Sturmey Archer X-FD Brake Drum

[MrBoots]

Because of the impending snow, I swapped out my Avid SD7 front V-brake (w Koolstop thinline pads) in favor of a Sturmey Archer drum brake hub. I originally wanted to run an Avid BB7 front disc brake, but there were too many parts and $ involved in a disc conversion. So far, I've been using the brake drum for two weeks. Stopping power is great, on par with my V-brakes on their best day in the dry and as good as the old Tektro disc brakes on my MTB in the wet. Additionally, the internals are completely sealed from the elements so I'd highly recommend this for all-weather commuter bikes.

 

[MrBoots]

Oops, I meant to post this in the Testing and Reviews section. If a mod sees this post, can they please move it to the correct section? Thanks!

 

[NeezyDeezy]

I thought drum brakes didn't provide very good stopping power.

 

[MrBoots]

A few people told me that too but I don't buy it. Perhaps older drum brakes in the past weren't very good but this Sturmey Archer brake stops as well my old Avid V-brakes did in the dry. In wet and snowy conditions, the V-brakes don't hold a candle to the drum. It did take about a week for the drum brake to "break-in" though. Wet-braking, the drums been very comparable to discs. On top of all that, drum brakes are supposed to be maintenance free because they're sealed - no need to clean dirt and grime like with discs.

 

[blueb0ttle2]

How fast are you running? Also, are you using the 70mm or the 90mm (More power) model?
I recently converted to Sturmey Archer 70mm Drum Brakes and am satisfied with their performance. I cruise at 15 MPH (20km), although I am contemplating running at 25 instead

 

[MrBoots]

I'm using just the 70mm model. I normally cruise at around 25-28 mph and even at these speeds, the drum brake feels more than sufficient. I've heard that some folks have issues with fading brakes. This seems to happen during long decents where they brakes are used for extended periods of time or very frequently. I haven't encountered this myself even after vigorous rides with constant stop and go. Drum brakes seem to be pretty popular on pedicabs for their stopping power and all-weather reliability. If it works for a heavy cargo bike, it should work fine for my bike.

 

[docnjoj]

Greenspeed still uses drums on the fronts of their trikes. I have ridden one and they really stop as good or better than my BB7 discs.
otherDoc

 

[MrBoots]

On the few cargo bikes and pedicabs I've seen firsthand, the majority were equipped with drum brakes. I've ridden a 90mm SA drum-brake equipped hybrid and stopping power on that was on part with the best disc brake bikes I've ridden. The only problem for me, was the larger diameter of the drum was problematic when trying to source spokes. So far the biggest pluses are not having to constantly adjust and clean the brakes like I have to with V or disc brakes and no awful screeching noises like my old V-brakes did.

 

[blueb0ttle2]

It took me a while to get the cable tension on my drum brakes just right. They had the habit of popping out at first. The trick is to make the cable tight. Really tight. It will feel "harder" to pull than a V-brake does, but it will be reliable.

 

[MrBoots]

So for shits and giggles at work today, I wanted to see how my bike would fare in a head-to-head braking comparison with a fully disc-equipped bike. So my bike commuting buddy at work who owns a Trek Mendota city bike with Avid BB5's agreed to do a roll-then-stop test. We pedaled side by side to about 12mph and then slammed our brakes to see which bike would have the shortest braking distance. Surprisingly, after 4 tries, the braking was just about dead even each time. Mind you, I probably weigh about 20 pounds more than he does and my ebike probably has a good 15 pounds on his with my ebike gear. On top of that, I've only got a V-brake in the back.