brakes or no brakes on your 29 or 36 in

madams · 2011-05-20, 02:47 PM

Do most people who ride these two unicycles have brakes or not?

Mike Adams

MuniAddict · 2011-05-20, 03:17 PM

Depends on the type of riding. I don't need a brake on my 36er for road riding, since 99% of it is done on the beach bike paths, which are mostly flat. But the times when I use it off road, including my 29er, then yes, I always use a brake.

davidp · 2011-05-20, 05:24 PM

On my 36" I run a drag brake (V-brake attached to a friction shifter). When I had a 29" I ran a V-brake with a standard brake lever. I don't use my brakes on every ride but it's nice to have them and adapting a V-brake is cheap.

MuniSano · 2011-05-20, 06:13 PM

The age old answer to this question (if you'd done a search) is this: If you have to ask you probably don't need them.

Hung Like Saddam · 2011-05-20, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuniSano

If you have to ask you probably don't need them.

This

I only put brakes on my 29" last week, had them on the MUni since last year, Had the 29" 2 years and ive only put brakes on now as im getting more and more addicted to 29"ering over everything and anywhere.
If you're asking us, you probably don't need them.

kb1jki · 2011-05-20, 10:19 PM

I run 150 mm cranks on the 29er, and 125 on the 36er... short cranks and big hills around here means brakes on both. I prefer disc brakes to any rim brake option.

deadbeatpope · 2011-05-20, 11:25 PM

I bought one a year ago for my 29er but still haven't installed it. Don't know if I will.

neilth · 2011-05-20, 11:58 PM

I didn't run brakes and did absolutely dandy without them for a year... until I got into an uncontrollable descent and tore my acl

Always brakes for me from now on...

krjames · 2011-05-21, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilth

I didn't run brakes and did absolutely dandy without them for a year... until I got into an uncontrollable descent and tore my acl

Always brakes for me from now on...

That I think is what the OP was wanting to know. When should a rider start thinking about putting on brakes. So the question should probably be phrased "What sort of riding would you be graduating to that should cause you to put on brakes as a precautionary measure?"

As they say, good decisions come from experience, experience comes from bad decisions......

Have a nice weekend
I'm off for a 100km run, not much training so it should be interesting

James

harper · 2011-05-21, 01:59 PM

The question asked was:

Quote:

Originally Posted by madams

Do most people who ride these two unicycles have brakes or not?

The answer is obviously no. In the group of all 29" and 36" unicycles, those without brakes greatly outnumber those with brakes. First, read the question. Then just look around you.

Alan Hogan · 2011-05-21, 04:14 PM

I have brakes on everything!!

I actually use them to hold the wheel still when I am mounting

vookash · 2011-05-21, 06:30 PM

I just removed the brake from my 29er because I put shorter cranks for road riding and they are not compatible with my brake. On the road I don't need the brake. Offroad I don't need it, but it feels so much better to have it and my legs are much much happier next day about it

ImFalling · 2011-06-14, 05:01 AM

I have been running my kh29 without a brake. But every time I go down a hill (even 10 metres), I lack confidence and get sore legs quickly. If the slope is steep, I find myself standing out of the saddle in order apply backpedaling pressure, which often enough causes a UPD. Uphill is easy, downhill is scary! I know that after a while, the backpedal muscles will strengthen and this will be less of a problem (never rode a fixed gear before uni).

Should I get brakes now, or persevere and try to become more comfortable without them?

Maybe put a fixed gear on my two wheeled contraption (single speed with flip/flop hub) to assist with backpedal strengthening?

davidp · 2011-06-14, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImFalling

Should I get brakes now, or persevere and try to become more comfortable without them?

Both. If you can find or make some mounting adapters, there's no reason not to get a cheap cable brake now. In time you'll find you use it less on hills that once required it but there will still be times when it will come in handy.

mbalmer · 2011-06-14, 04:11 PM

I don't use brakes as much as I used to but I still like them for steep downhills. To me it's cheap insurance for a safer descent (when I need them). Sounds like you would benefit from adding a brake. It makes downhill more fun and much less scary. This is strictly an opinion thing though.

2011-05-20, 02:47 PM	#1
madams Registered User Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 156	brakes or no brakes on your 29 or 36 in Do most people who ride these two unicycles have brakes or not? Mike Adams

2011-05-20, 03:17 PM	#2
MuniAddict Not "2" Tired Join Date: Aug 2006 Age: 57 Posts: 13,542	Depends on the type of riding. I don't need a brake on my 36er for road riding, since 99% of it is done on the beach bike paths, which are mostly flat. But the times when I use it off road, including my 29er, then yes, I always use a brake. __________________ My latest TV segment UniGeezer.com My videos

2011-05-20, 06:13 PM	#4
MuniSano Hartman Rocks, Uncompahgre beyond.. Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Huntsville, Alabama Age: 38 Posts: 995	The age old answer to this question (if you'd done a search) is this: If you have to ask you probably don't need them. __________________ munisano

2011-05-20, 10:19 PM	#6
kb1jki Unicycles on my mind... Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: North of Boston, MA Age: 40 Posts: 868	I run 150 mm cranks on the 29er, and 125 on the 36er... short cranks and big hills around here means brakes on both. I prefer disc brakes to any rim brake option. __________________ Retrofit Disc Brakes to your existing unicycle today!

2011-05-20, 11:25 PM	#7
deadbeatpope Some call me Kevin Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Lakewood, CA Age: 41 Posts: 920	I bought one a year ago for my 29er but still haven't installed it. Don't know if I will. __________________ ---------------------------------------------- Art is a misspelled rat. "The unicyclist is the purest form of rebel"

2011-05-20, 05:24 PM	#3
davidp Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chelmsford, MA Age: 33 Posts: 705	On my 36" I run a drag brake (V-brake attached to a friction shifter). When I had a 29" I ran a V-brake with a standard brake lever. I don't use my brakes on every ride but it's nice to have them and adapting a V-brake is cheap.

2011-05-20, 11:58 PM	#8
neilth Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 13	I didn't run brakes and did absolutely dandy without them for a year... until I got into an uncontrollable descent and tore my acl Always brakes for me from now on...

2011-05-21, 04:14 PM	#11
Alan Hogan The Highland unicyclist Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Kirkhill, Inverness, Scotland Age: 36 Posts: 393	Brakes I have brakes on everything!! I actually use them to hold the wheel still when I am mounting __________________ Unicycling in the Scottish Highlands http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/Highland.Unicyclist

2011-05-21, 06:30 PM	#12
vookash ('')( :)(..)(: )('') Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Krakow, Poland Age: 31 Posts: 869	I just removed the brake from my 29er because I put shorter cranks for road riding and they are not compatible with my brake. On the road I don't need the brake. Offroad I don't need it, but it feels so much better to have it and my legs are much much happier next day about it

2011-06-14, 05:01 AM	#13
ImFalling Graham Join Date: May 2011 Location: Adelaide, Land of OZ Age: 30 Posts: 96	I have been running my kh29 without a brake. But every time I go down a hill (even 10 metres), I lack confidence and get sore legs quickly. If the slope is steep, I find myself standing out of the saddle in order apply backpedaling pressure, which often enough causes a UPD. Uphill is easy, downhill is scary! I know that after a while, the backpedal muscles will strengthen and this will be less of a problem (never rode a fixed gear before uni). Should I get brakes now, or persevere and try to become more comfortable without them? Maybe put a fixed gear on my two wheeled contraption (single speed with flip/flop hub) to assist with backpedal strengthening?

2011-06-14, 04:11 PM	#15
mbalmer Is it June yet? Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Jose, CA Age: 53 Posts: 1,105	I don't use brakes as much as I used to but I still like them for steep downhills. To me it's cheap insurance for a safer descent (when I need them). Sounds like you would benefit from adding a brake. It makes downhill more fun and much less scary. This is strictly an opinion thing though.

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