Why I love pedal brakes more than disc brakes on my bike | 5 tips on making short trips convenient

There are plenty of good reasons why pedal or coaster brakes are pretty rare these days -- disc brakes are better in almost every way. But there's an important reason why I love old-fashioned coaster brakes on my bike. Check it out, along with 5 tips for making short trips on your bike as easy and convenient as possible.
Here's the video about SmartHalo I mentioned in this video: • Smart-bike review: $12...
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Tom Babin is the author of Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling: rmbooks.com/book/frostbike/

[@teddcuizon3964]

Im 22 and Im just re-learning how to ride a bike because Im a cancer survivor who never really had time for it as a child. I bought a cheap 20" coaster brake bike from walmart, and I just did my first commute to work today via bike.

[@smol_vape]

nice man! hope you're doing well and stay safe on your commutes

[@alex2143]

Whenever you're discussing bikes and making a city more bike friendly, there's always someone that uses those kinds of arguments. "But bikes don't work in mountainous areas" (except 1. they do, and 2. you likely don't live in a mountainous area), "bikes don't work for when you have to go to the other side of the continent to get groceries" (ok so use a car when a bike doesn't work for you, that's what we do in the Netherlands), "but sometimes it rains here" (again, the Netherlands has shitty weather but we ride bikes all of the time - and you can still use a car if you don't want to ride a bike), "why should we build bike paths, there's no one cycling anyways" (great idea, let's also take away the roads for cars and see how many people will be driving), "bikes can just use the sidewalk" (sure, pretty good idea actually. We could even make the sidewalk a bit bigger, delineate an area meant for bikes and an area meant for pedestrians and maybe make the area for bikes smooth asphalt for easy riding. Could even give it a cool name like a bike path or something)... Design a city that accommodates bikes as a first class mode of transport, and people will start cycling. They'll use bikes for trips that make sense, and they'll still use cars for other trips. And if more people bike, that means less cars, so cars go faster too.

[@alicanguran8577]

Thanks for this video but the content of it really doesn't match the title...

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Thanks for the feedback. I adjusted the title a bit. Hope that's more accurate now.

[@smartiboo]

Lmao ...... wait for it....... wait for it.........

[@dansherman1980]

I used to scoff at coaster brakes until I got older. It does make riding a bike easier by making it mindless to come to a stop. It’s literally how fast you want to come to a stop. Not to mention it stream lines the daylights out of look of the bike with there being no cables.

[@lena19191]

Yep I’m the same , had carbon road bikes ( they were cool ) and then found coaster brakes again in my later years , they work fine and made me remember how much fun it is to ride a simple machine again .

[@benbraceletspurple9108]

They have there place. Some rides should be on a coaster brake bike.

[@thatcarguy1UZ]

I love my coaster brake, but I would not ride a bike with only a coaster brake. My bike has a coaster brake and a front caliper brake. With that being said, 99.9% of the time I just use the coaster brake. However, I like the idea of having a another way of stopping my bike in the event I drop a chain.

[@rzpogi]

While I would love to have a coaster bike, I live in a generally hilly area and I'm a big dude(250lbs). The coaster brakes will wear out quickly.

[@ThisTimeTheWorld]

​@@rzpogiget a coaster and front drum or disc.

[@B.A.512]

Daily commuter here: Personally, I like coasters too! I ride 26km daily, 5 days a week. I use the Sturmey Archer S2C. Just love it, no maintainance needed, and not much energy loss. Just a simple steel bicycle :) Thanks for the vid!

[@beaterbikechannel2538]

I've heard bad things about these. To be expected when sunrace (spits) buys Sturmey Archer UK, puts the entire workforce out of a job within ten minutes, ships all the machinery to Taiwan and sub-contracts parts manufacturing to Chinese prisons. But how reliable has yours been? If or when you kill it look at a Sram Automatix coaster hub. I'm a huge Sturmey Archer enthusiast but they're dead to me after that filthy trick sunrace pulled. Sources mccraw.co.uk/sturmey-archer-s2c/ hadland-wordpress-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/hadland.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/elegy-for-sturmey-archer/amp/?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#aoh=15697635352065&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fhadland.wordpress.com%2F2012%2F07%2F02%2Felegy-for-sturmey-archer%2F

[@beaterbikechannel2538]

Please tell me you have a front brake to back it up. The coaster brake shoes on the sunrace Sturmey Archer hubs have been known to fail spectacularly. I got an S3C hub given because it was faulty. Turned out the owner had tried adjusting the bearings and omitted the right hand cone lock washer. The hub locked up and he thought it was knackered. I stripped the hub out of curiosity and found cracks on the brake shoe ring. When this lets go I dread to think what will happen if this was the bike's only brake.

[@shannontrainer5857]

You do know that pedal brakes are terrible for hills.

[@B.A.512]

@@shannontrainer5857 It depends, I think you mean they heat up. They do! In serious hills I have a front mechanical disc brake as a backup.

[@danmanthe9335]

@@beaterbikechannel2538 that sounds terrible!

[@SokemRokemRobot]

I love the pedal/coaster brakes best, also. I wouldn't mind having some rim brakes for the front, just for extra safety.

[@delreal1977]

Nice video, I'm a coaster brake guy myself.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Thank you! Us coaster fans need to stick together 😉

[@mwbgaming28]

I had those brakes on my BMX when I was a kid My parents replaced that wheel with a normal wheel and installed front rim brakes after a few months because I kept having tire blowouts every week from having skid contests with my mates at school

[@akbruh4265]

DUDE i replaced my fixie with a coaster brake and end up having to change tires every few weeks. Its so fun to skid/drift with em

[@brianwheeldon4643]

Great Tom. Another video with excellent advice to help you use your bike in real everyday situations.

[@FrankLadd]

Great video and tips! I recently got a 3 speed with a drum brake. Honestly I'm liking the drum brake a lot.

[@briantruck2284]

I was looking for this 🤟

[@Simcore999]

That s because you use a car, live without a car for a few weeks and you will do around 15 to 45 of distance trips

[@docsanti8971]

Love coaster brakes but they are hard to get.

[@thesausage351]

I’ve always loved the coaster brake. They’re hard to find, but I’ve just picked up a 7 speed shimano coaster hub, and I’ll be using that very soon. I never used them as a kid because they’re all but useless for doing tricks, but I like them now on my larger bikes as it’s such a clean install. I’ve got a combination of bikes and brakes, one is disc, I have calipers on my road bikes, and one that is a coaster, and I love it. I wouldn’t use one off-road, but on road, sure, they’re much easier and stop better, and are awesome for skids.

[@SoukaDeezNutz]

Never off-road? Ever hear of a Klunker? There are also modified coaster brakes made to handle the heat. Google 'Badass Coaster Brake'.

[@ThisTimeTheWorld]

I use one off road on a 26in bmx. The front has a v brake. It's fun .

[@thesausage351]

@@ThisTimeTheWorld I’ve actually just bought a snap on Klunker that I’ve been really tempted to convert to the 7 speed coaster, but I really like how it rides at the moment, but 6 more gears would be great.

[@ThisTimeTheWorld]

@@thesausage351 is it a 7 speed IGH coaster brake, or drum brake?

[@thesausage351]

@@ThisTimeTheWorld it’s a coaster.

[@Re-cycles408]

I love my coaster brake and two speed Bendix, makes me feel like a kid again 😂❤❤❤

[@perraccca]

Loved it

[@nathanrhodes4131]

I love how practical you are! Also it's great that you're not wearing a helmet. I mean that sincerely. Helmets scare people, helmet laws make people ride less, which in turn makes cycling more dangerous, and honestly you only need a helmet if you're riding a road bike where your head is pointing straight down at the ground. If you're riding a more upright bike and fall, you're not going to hit your head. Unfortunately, a helmet is not going to protect you in a crash with a vehicle, as helmets are only rated to protect you in collisions up to 12MPH with no oncoming force (so basically they're for falling and hitting your head). Sorry for the mansplain. I just loved that you dressed so casually for a video about riding.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Preach!

[@shannontrainer5857]

Keep in mind he limits his riding to no more than 5 miles a day.

[@kytkosaurus]

@@shannontrainer5857 It's not a hard limit. It's just a statistic. And also it's per ride, not per day. As these relatively short rides are no big deal, it's natural to get several of them in a day. When thinking about using a bike for transport purposes, it helps to try to temporarily forgot everything you know about bike riding for sport purposes... There are of course similarities, but also many, many differences. Many of them surprising.

[@mikebrandt4131]

@@kytkosaurus You sound like one of those intolerant anti-road cycling Dutch-upright-transport-only people who claims that people on road bikes are a menace.

[@kytkosaurus]

@@mikebrandt4131 Nope, anybody should ride the bike that suit their taste and their needs. For many people this could mean various bikes for various occasions. I'm just saying riding for sport and riding for transport are generally different disciplines and you cannot look at one of them through the optic of the other. That said, there definitely are people who are able(at least sometimes) to combine it. If it works for them, great, they should enjoy it. It just isn't automatic and it isn't for everybody.

[@stuarthirsch]

Tip #1 always wear a helmet. My wife had a head injury about 20 years ago when she fell off her bike and hit her head. Tip #2 I attach my bike lights to my helmet not my bike. You can use bright LED flashlights attached with cable ties. Rear flashing lights On the rear use a flashing red light. Both are cheap. Attach with cable ties.

[@DarkDutch007]

if you attach lights to your head/helmet, the moment you swiffle around to look, when cycling in the dark, at the right angles people might not see you or know which way you are going. It is even illegal to not have lights on your bicycle when cycling in the dark, though your way might be a loophole I have no intention to find out. As for helmets, depends where you live and your bicycle activity. In the Netherlands for daily commute, generally no helmet needed, if you go do sporty stuff with your bicycle, tour the france style or mountainbiking, probably good idea to have a helmet.

[@benbraceletspurple9108]

I strongly disagree. Riding a bike without a helmet is still safer than driving a car without a helmet, and the #1 reason car driving kill you is helmet preventable head and neck injuries and you never drive with one of those, ditto walking but you don't walk about with a helmet either. Cycling is an increase of personal risk in some cities, but it decreases the chance of you killing others by 20 times or more.

[@Mojo32]

Whatever happened to everyone actually understanding calculated risk?

[@pandakso3365]

"never ride with a helmet-less head that you don't intend to break"

[@AmvC]

Attaching non-approved, swivelling lights when participating in traffic is not allowed in most countries for many good reasons. One of them was already mentioned, another big one is you blinding people by moving the light source above head height, creating blind spots that put others in harm - and yourself. It may sound ok when you are an asocial being but if you are such being, you could also drive your automobile everywhere since it is better and safer for you and _why care about others, right? Pfff!"_

[@freekjedenturk5866]

in the netherlands we all have things like locks and light on the bike installed from the vactury and well netherlands is a bike nation

[@rickmayabolis]

My coaster was great as my winter beater until i rode it into the ground... great control for snow and ice. my 3x7 speed basically turns into a 2 speed in winter. breaks were scary. Got another coaster for this winter can't wait

[@scstinger5]

Good video 👍. I just love coaster brakes! If loving coaster brakes is wrong, I don’t want to be right lol!

[@ThisTimeTheWorld]

N+1. Coaster brakes are awesome for single speeds or 3 speed IGH. It's nice when it's wet or cold and I still have a rear brake. I like running a v brake front and coaster with balloon tires.

[@joellebrodeur1015]

I'm a new rider and I scoff at coaster brakes for now because I'm trying to not pedal backwards (makes sense as a newb). My son loves the coaster brake on his bike and will need a new rear tire thanks to all the skids he performs. I have a v brake bike on order with internal hub, three speed with Gates carbon drive (Priority Classic Plus Gotham). I originally wanted a different color (Priority Classic Plus in gloss blush) but the color was with a front brake, coaster rear brake combo. Now, you're making me rethink having v brakes front and rear. I want to stop reliably and want as little maintenance as possible. Decisions, decisions.

[@ChrisRedfield--]

I would recommend fenders, they come standerd on Dutch bikes, we don't dress for the ride we dress for the destination.

[@mwbgaming28]

0:58 ad start 4:54 ad ends

[@Rot05]

I thought you were joking........ You were being serious.......... Wow.....

[@wuzihuzi]

What ad?

[@mwbgaming28]

@@wuzihuzi sponsorship plug

[@beaterbikechannel2538]

Very good points here. It's handy to have a beater bike. Mine has a rear shimano CB110 single speed coaster for simplicity, now a Velosteel and on the front I have a sachs drum brake. Even though its painted grotty and looks unsafe to deter scumbags stealing it I've known filth kick and bend disc brake rotors out of spite because the bike has been locked up and they couldn't steal it, hence why I use a drum brake.

[@SoukaDeezNutz]

Did the drum brake come with your bike? Where did you get it?

[@claredin]

Sadly, I know people who drive their cars to go some place two blocks away.

[@rustyd3817]

Where can I purchase the coaster brake that you use

[@lena19191]

This is so true , I ride up to the shops to get fast food , first time I did this I nearly crashed because I was carrying my chips and couldn’t apply the brakes …. Now I take my coaster brake bike ….eeezzzy !!!

[@darkiee69]

Best rear wheel hub for city riding: Shimano Nexus 7. 7 speed with coaster brake. Or a SRAM S7 with coaster brake. Both are great.

[@danmanthe9335]

Thanks for the tip!

[@omokok1877]

What to you recommend now

[@mortystation]

I was about tio write a comment about 5km looking a but too much for bike comutes in Europe but.... After checking the distance of my most common comutes here in Berlin, I have to say, you are completely right 😁

[@trex1448]

Does the pedal always move forward or can you just just coast without having to pedal?

[@John_Jim]

No, that would be a fixed gear bike. You can coast.

[@kytkosaurus]

I can see your reasons, but the roller brakes are still the main thing I would like to change on my city bike. I have the lever operated version, not the backpedalling one, though. But even with roller brakes on both front and rear wheels, they just lack the power I need from them sometimes. I would recommend to definitely try them thoroughly before buying. Especially for bigger riders in hilly towns (which is my case, the combined weight of myself, the bike and groceries sometimes gets close to 180 kg and I live in a very hilly town).

[@jayspeidell]

I live in Seattle and riding a bike without discs is really kind of scary and requires a high level of skill and confidence from the rider.

[@SimonBauer7]

get good old 180+mm hydraulic disc brakes.

[@bernocreely4601]

Excellent 🌸

[@trycloudstuff]

I love it too! 3 gear internal hub with coaster brake sounds perfect! Mine is single speed coaster brake, so to get uphill sometimes little bit challenging.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

A single speed may be too much for me, but I love the idea.

[@UglyKidJoe71]

I decided to sell my Fixie and am now looking for comfort and reliability - AKA a Dutch Bike. Now that I'm shopping around I see most Dutch-style city bikes here in Germany / Netherlands have coaster brakes. Now you can't argue with the Dutch when it comes to city bikes., so there must be a reason why they are so popular here (weatherproof, easy...) Honestly I was shocked to see how dominant the coaster-brake hubs are. As I'm getting a bit older I am really looking for comfort and something with virtually no maintenance, so I guess I'll need to go with it. I vaguely remember riding my bike with coaster brakes as a kid, I'm just a bit worried it will kill the ride a bit

[@eveanddell]

Great video. I've come full circle to wanting coaster brakes now. What bike is that you're riding?

[@johnshellenberg1383]

Interesting about your trip data. I have a GPS watch and I track every run, ride, etc, and my rides average about 12km each direction, so around 25km per trip. That said, I do ride my bike as a part of my workout, and that mileage is in there too. Shopping trips are shorter for sure. Totally agree about having the bike accessible! I keep it handy now and that makes a huge difference. It already takes me more time to get ready to ride vs taking the car, so eliminating an extra step of lugging a bike off a rack, etc, is great.

[@gigabto]

Hi Tom! Thanks for this video! I'd like to know more details about your bike! I really liked your bike and I would like to make a "copy" for me :-).

[@Shifter_Cycling]

It’s an SE triple, with a 3-speed internal hub. And I love it!

[@DillsArtThing]

I wish my E-bike had both coaster brakes and hand brakes. Hand brakes for when I need to stop quickly or if the chain breaks, but coaster for normal riding.

[@murraymadness4674]

Coaster brakes are great if you don't have hills to go down and thus need more stopping power. Bikes are too unsafe in most cities in USA

[@PhyllisGlassup2TheBrim]

I started riding a bike aged 4 in Germany where all the bikes were like this. I consider them safer than the hand operated brakes. I have just started cycling again in my 60's and hate the English bikes where you have to rely on having non arthritic hands, strong enough to grip the brake hard enough to stop. I am now looking for a coaster bike. My legs are stronger than my poor twisted hands. When you need to stop, it's instinctive to first stop pedalling. Pressing back on the pedal is very effective.

[@Kappa123ish]

I agree. I’m in my 60s and looking for a coaster brake bike, as I had one in the 1960s, so it’s the only kind I will ride. Cannot see myself “squeezing” something to stop.

[@ford2M]

I'm having the same exact problems due to RA, small hands, and limited grip in my hands.

[@sillymesilly]

Simplicity is the best form.

[@ohioemeregncyresponsevehic3381]

I have an 80cc motor kit on a huffy nel lusso, coaster brakes, it had the power to send me flying and the wheels squeal.

[@707nicky9]

So don’t put a motor kit on my 90s shwinn with coaster brakes?

[@ailyn7920]

Is it good as a stand alone brake? I would like to have a clean looking bike but definitely not a fixed gear one. So will this suffice even if I have no front brakes? (regular city/urban/traffic riding, nothing harsh or super fast)

[@Shifter_Cycling]

My bike has no front brakes, just the coaster. Not as much stopping power, but I love the simplicity.

[@ailyn7920]

@@Shifter_Cycling Well that's what I'm aiming for, simplicity. Then again, is it enough for a stand alone brake? Thanks for the reply though!!

[@Shifter_Cycling]

@@ailyn7920 I use it as my only brake, so it's certainly possible.

[@glennpettersson9002]

On the brakes I have been in an emergency stop situation with disc brakes and just locked up both wheels, ouch. I still prefer them though. On commuting I did a 30km ride to work on a modified 90's MTB, definately going 700c, it was a painful 2.5 hours which I had to repeat to get home. Loved it but nutrition becomes a factor on long rides😁

[@dadato82]

I have a single speed bike and i would like to get the coaster break installed. Is it sold online?

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Yes, they’re pretty common. If your local bike shop doesn’t have one, try something like this: www.internet-bikes.com/en/brake-parts/coasterbrake-hubs/

[@queertales]

Just note that installing a coaster break involves replacing the rear hub, and thus rebuilding the whole rear wheel.

[@briantruck2284]

Buy a complete wheel cheap then labor & u have a spare 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@JGnLAU8OAWF6]

Hydraulic disk brakes almost don't need any maintenance.

[@charleskim3114]

Can I ask what bike you are riding there? I’m looking for a city bike that looks good.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

It’s an old(ish) SE Tripel. They’ve changed a bit since I bought this one, but it’s been a fantastic, lower-cost urban bike for me. www.sebikes.com/archive/2017/tripel-

[@MarkoGh]

Where did u buy that bike?

[@jasonyoung1898]

#5 is the best

[@lalitaratnadharmachari4681]

Remember to start from stop the first time you use a coaster brake. I jumped onto my moving bike several times at the beginning. The brake engages as your foot hits the pedal and you travel over the handlebars. Embarrassing if nothing else.

[@user-pk3lp2qb7b]

great video,what is the name of your bike ? it looks heavy duty ,cool. thanks.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

SE Tripel. They don't make them like that anymore!

[@jonneet2126]

I'd want a front rim brake as a backup. And, since the front brake does most of the braking, it seems like a no brainer. An example is the Citizen Milan folding bike.

[@jonneet2126]

Also the Six three zero cruisers with a 3 speed internal geared hub and coaster rear brakes.

[@davegannon5065]

I would not recommend coaster brakes only. For the rear wheel a coaster brake is fine but you also need a front brake, especially if you ride in the wet or down steep inclines. The rear wheel only does abut 10% of your total braking effort during emergency braking.

[@thepoke3000]

The best bike is a classic dutch city bike, one speed with coaster breaks, i got a brand new black one for really cheap, it rides smooth, you sit comfy, i ride 20km in total per day just for work.

[@danmanthe9335]

Where can get one?

[@ViktorijaBastete]

When I lived in Lithuania coaster brake bicycles was literally the only thing you could find. I can't stand European handle breaks. I don't know how to use them well. And had minor accidents 😅

[@orvilleclisby6748]

I use to like coaster brakes but they can overheat the hub drying out the oil that lubricates the gears inside.

[@AidanTheLoverBoyOhDwyer]

every time i slow down with coaster brake it always abruptly sudden and dangerously jerky can you give tips bruh

[@gordonhooker33]

Brake gently instead of full force, as the coaster brake locks the back wheel. I grew up with them since the late 50’s and still own one which I ride at 3 times a week. I had my last wheel custom made in California USA, I turn 70 next year so this bike should outlive me.

[@zeroikaze6471]

Can i rest my feet on the pedals without braking on a coaster brake?

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Yes. You just have to align your feet properly.

[@zeroikaze6471]

@@Shifter_Cycling thanks! so there is like a deadspace ? bc the thing with coaster brakes is that you never stop pedaling....

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Yes, exactly. If you hold your feel in mid pedal, horizontally, your wheels will spin and you rest your legs.

[@DarkDutch007]

you can stop pedaling and your bicycle would still keep your build up momentum, the moment you try to pedal backwards, only a couple degrees, it would start slowing you down by activating the coasterbrake.

[@MybeautifulandamazingPrincess]

My setup for commuting is the simple and best setup imo, coaster + the good old rim brakes. No accidents, no risk of running over People cause you couldn't stop in time, and it's safer than a fixie imo

[@michaelestell1973]

Hi , What the name of bicycle 🤔 where can I buy 🤔

[@kingJim4]

What bike brand is that ? Do you have a link to it ?

[@Shifter_Cycling]

SE Tripel. The new models aren't quite the same.

[@cindygosa2997]

I honestly didbt think bikes were that popular but i still likr it

[@bryanolan9175]

Rear tire life?

[@Belia1]

Is it possible to have that on a non Dixie bike and if is what type of bike has that

[@Shifter_Cycling]

This bike is a 3-speed SE Tripel, and yes, you can have this kind of brake on pretty much any bike

[@gcvrsa]

I'm not going back to coaster brakes. But, I live on the edge of the center of my town, which is located in a rural area, and it is no more than 5 Km from one end of town to the other. Everything is within that span: my office, all the shopping, and the cultural activities, town government, post office, bank, nightlife, intercity railway station, etc. I haven't done any maintenance on my current bicycle, other than periodically reinflate the tires to my usual 65 psi every few weeks, in 7 years. It has cantilever brakes, and they work just fine. But then, I don't drink coffee whilst riding. Oh, and I keep my bicycle in my living room, just inside my front door.

[@masterprocrastinator8521]

Best thing about coaster brake, if you turn just before braking you can kick out your rear tire pseudo-drift style

[@Shifter_Cycling]

A skill I have yet to master, but will start working on right now

[@welchsgum7195]

i just learned to do that and it is absolutely the most fun i’ve ever had

[@lena19191]

Lol doing this regularly…. I’m now known as the “ skiddy king “

[@fortyminutes]

Wow! A sensible reviewer. I like your style. A real cyclist for transportation and interaction.

[@shannontrainer5857]

Keep in mind that this guy limits himself to only 5 hours a day and he avoids hills like the plague.

[@carltongadgettmannprice352]

I'm a big coastal brake biker.

[@ford2M]

What electric bike with coaster brakes would be best for a woman under 5 feet tall with small hands and limited hand grip? (I have a Lectric eBike Strep-thru 2.0 with hand brakes. It's a great bike, but my hands are small, and it scares me not to have foot brakes.

[@emma70707]

Just have a shop adjust your brakes--you may need to buy ones that better fit your hands--so you feel more comfortable pressing them. A reputable shop should be able to get it set up so it's comfy and feels easy to brake.

[@TheAdrian91706]

I had a bike like that but had the front brake in the front....I loved to make skids..1971

[@Korina42]

I can see it; coaster in the back, canti in the front. How do they do on hills?

[@DarkDutch007]

i guess that depends on the combined mass of user and bicycle + your brake setup and speed you are going?

[@Korina42]

@@DarkDutch007 The combined mass of the rider is considerable, as is the steepness of our hills. As for speed, eh, not something I worry too much about.

[@shannontrainer5857]

Terrible. Coaster brakes have no modulation whatsoever.

[@kytkosaurus]

@@Korina42 Then I would recommend trying very thoroughly before buying. I am heavy and on our steep hills, the coaster brakes can be problematic even without high speeds.

[@Korina42]

@@kytkosaurus No worries; it was just a fleeting idea.

[@thedudeabides3930]

I just wiped out on my beach cruiser today for want of "stopping power." I'll take the stopping power of disc brakes, thanks.

[@steve00alt70]

I was like what is coaster brakes?

[@franco912]

For flat terrain it's alright not for slopes or hills especially when it's raining or during winter.

[@oo7naughtyusmaximus933]

I was in a children's home back in 1975, I was 10......I was on a bike with cruiser type brake system fitted. It was raining and i was going down hill......i applied the rear brake.......then my right heal somehow slipped out of my trainer and went between the chain and the chain ring. I felt a sharp pain.....then i had to reverse the bike to free my foot. After this the trainer somehow found its way back onto my foot. I went inside to inform one of the staff that i had hurt myself, i was basically ignored........then a sharp pain went from foot and up my leg. I yelled out and was told to "shut up".....that's when blood spurted out of the breather holes in my trainer.I was taken to hospital and given 30 stitches. I now have 4 inch scar on my heel.

[@15minoflame]

where is this sprawling city

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Calgary, Canada

[@jjp002]

Question: Did the bike in the video originally come with disc brakes and then you converted to coaster brakes? I'm thinking of getting a fixie bike that comes with disc brakes and I want to convert it to coaster brakes by removing the rear disc brake and installing a fixed hub, is that possible? or should I just get a bike that comes with a fixed hub already?

[@sorian_delorean3348]

It is possible, with washers as spacers as need be, but wheel tensioning can be a bit iffy if the rear mount is the diagonal type.

[@michaelestell1973]

What the name and brand of your b8ke 🤔

[@johnacord5664]

Better get a brake for the front wheel. When I was a kid, my bike threw the chain during a down hill. After that, any bike I owned had a front wheel brake. Saves ware and tare on your coaster brake.

[@vincewhite5087]

But have you seen the elevation change from down town to say by Nose Hill?

[@Shifter_Cycling]

I ride daily from the top of 14th Street SW into downtown. The hills aren't exactly fun, but they are certainly attainable on a 3-speed with pedal brakes.

[@vincewhite5087]

Shifter have you tried riding from downtown going north on 14th, past Nose Hill. With downtown elevation of 3428 ft, and nose hill something like 4022ft.. I have used the paths, it’s a bit more gradual. When I worked in NE by Sheraton Cavalier, from West side if Sandstone. It was 18kms each way. Not sure if 3speed would work. The NuVinci cvt looks interesting though. Bought me a bike this winter (cheaper off season). Plan to start major cycling next year. Will think about winter riding as I get better. I grew up as a kid cycling in Winnipeg (not in winter), but it flat there which makes it easy. Ordered your book, maybe there is some good advise there. Might even get ebike & folding bike to take travelling.

[@shannontrainer5857]

@@vincewhite5087 Truth is he avoids hills like the plague.

[@shannontrainer5857]

@@Shifter_Cycling According to Google Maps 14th Street is awfully flat.

[@Matthijsklaassen]

Have you considered a decent lav mic? It would def improve your videos.

[@noname-oc3eo]

where this guy actually talked about pedal brakes and how it works.

[@constancelovejoy7308]

How do u use a coaster brake? Can u show us how coaster braking works? 😊

[@Shifter_Cycling]

You just pedal backwards and the brake engages. Very simple.

[@mtsenskmtsensk5113]

Back pedal brakes are terrible to get to the right position, I often bark my shins on them as I forget and the brake applies. You can only move the pedals forwards, which means if you are stationary, you have to lift the back wheel off of the ground. If you try to mount the bike pushing off, as you find the pedals with your feet you can't help slightly applying the pedal brake. I definitely prefer rim or disc brakes, because you can always rotate the pedals to a position for best leverage much more quickly to give you confidence and thereby more control of the bicycle.

[@jmzan]

Anybody ever ride bmx with these? Heard they work great for tire taps

[@nanetteproctor9763]

How do I make my downsyndrome sons bike a peddle backwards brake what do I order to change it to peddle brakes and not hand brakes.

[@AtheistDD]

The easiest way would be to buy a new rear wheel (with coasterbreak, and internal gears if you like, 3 speed is quite affordable) in what ever wheelsize your sons bike is and install it.

[@adventuristic194]

people who saw him almost kill his family at 0:14

[@my1after909]

Just watching along a bit now, but I'm already put off by you mentioning distances in KM, vs Miles. You're in the US, right? A petty complaint, but to date, I have a hard time converting the factors.

[@DarkDutch007]

I think he is Canadian, which do use Kilometers.

[@furstenfeldbruck]

i remove my pedals when I leave my bike outside

[@stuarthirsch]

Good idea, but doesn't that take time and tools to remove and reattach the pedals?

[@jeremyvalencia8801]

@@stuarthirsch no shit

[@coffeepot3123]

coaster brakes are "fine", but i'd much rather have rear brakes (and front ofc) to be honest with ya'. If i'm using coaster brakes and the front brakes fail i'm fucked depending on where i am the moment it happens. Coaster brakes don't slow you down fast enough if you're heading for a crosswalk for example. (in my experience) Seems more like some company "ploy" to save money.

[@AceSkates]

Always have one hand free for coffee!

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Very important

[@robertstan2349]

hate them. i like to get up off the saddle and will ratchet pedals as needed. those things glue you down. and once you do have to do maintenance (because eventually you will; you'll have to tear that thing down to get into the internals). give me a hand brake any day

[@physiocrat7143]

If you have not ridden a bike with hub brakes before you might find it impossible. That was my experience and finding a bike without one is next to impossible where I live.

[@SimonBauer7]

buy an mtb online then. they all dont have coaster brakes.

[@innergi5516]

I dont understand why they only put coaster brakes on kids bikes. I hate hand brakes bc the pads are always wearing down really fast & it's a pain in the ass to replace them. Nvr have to replace a coaster brake. Hand brakes are unreliable & therefore unsafe. If I need to make a sudden stop with hand brakes, they btr be in new condition or I'm dead meat, & it only takes a few long trips b4 my pads are worn down. I nvr had that problem with coaster brakes as a kid. Last but not least, skidmarks! You can make 5 to 10 foot skidmarks to be proud of with hand brakes. Just bc we live boring crappy adult lives does mean we dont want to be kids again & make skidmarks to show off to our friends. We are all children at heart no matter the age.

[@gulzeb]

Yeah, I'm not out to die. Being in a car is dangerous enough already, with all the inept drivers and angry drivers on the road.

[@diatonicdoug6525]

Coaster brakes are great. If you're 6

[@wenbiaoliang]

Calgary

[@ll1881ll]

Bait and switch video