Cyclo-cross straddle brakes
Discussion
My Kona Jake needs me to disconnect the straddle cable in order to get the wheels on and off as the barrel adjusters don't give enough clearance on their own. For the second time, this morning I put the wheels on but got distracted and didn't connect them up. First hill I come to and no brakes, t-junction at the bottom. I crashed deliberately at 20mph+ (having taken as much speed of as I could by dragging feet on floor, which was very little and has taken a fair bit off my shoes! As soon as I hit the deck a car came across the t-junction at speed so had I not crashed on purpose that would have been it. I've still smashed myself up a bit but it could have been infinitely worse.
Anyway, I know it is totally my fault but obviously with road calipers and discs (as my other bikes have) you can't have no brakes unless you have dismantled them. Is there a cyclo-cross alternative I could use, or has anyone ever tried fitting two parallel barrel adjusters in the cable run, so I could get out of the habit of unhooking them?
Anyway, I know it is totally my fault but obviously with road calipers and discs (as my other bikes have) you can't have no brakes unless you have dismantled them. Is there a cyclo-cross alternative I could use, or has anyone ever tried fitting two parallel barrel adjusters in the cable run, so I could get out of the habit of unhooking them?
Watchman said:
You really need to get a helmet cam. 
Straddle brakes... is that what I used to call centre-pull?
I do have one, but it wasn't attached. It would have been quite exciting because I decided to crash into those orange plastic barriers as they were digging the road up on the hill. I moved 4 of them about 2m so it must have taken a decent amount of energy out of the situation before I hit the deck.Straddle brakes... is that what I used to call centre-pull?
Centre pull yes, so the cable is fixed to one side, and the other side you clip in and out.
They are these: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...
(well, an older version of those)
BliarOut said:
Just keep a track pump in the car, they can put 100PSI in in seconds 
I don't even need to do that, what I meant was I sometimes get the bike out of the car (having already detached the wheels) and then store in house with wheels off. The rush part is getting it put together again in a morning when off to work. But I let tyres down to put bike in car, I would be able to pump them back up quickly before setting out and if I forgot, I would notice straight away and head back, far less dramatic than this morning's turn of events. And it won't cost anything either. Cheers for such a simple and effective suggestion that I hadn't even thought of.You'd like to think, but I am afraid I did it about 2 years ago. That time I braked at the bottom of the hill (well tried to) and as a result shot out taking a 90 left onto the t'junction, but straight across both lanes. It is still downhill there on that road, but less steep so I dragged my feet (cutting straight through the shoe) to get some speed off and then aimed it into a fence but I was going slow enough to stay upright and not get hurt then.
That experience flashed by my eyes this morning and I took a split second decision that I could not risk the road being clear again. Indeed, as I hit the deck a car went past at speed, so I reckon that would have been a bad decision.
It is just so easily done, I had thought about connecting cable whilst bike still upside down but thought it would be easier once I had but bike right way up. Problem is on getting it turned over I probably attached panniers first and then put helmet on etc and part of my brain probably thought brakes dealt with as I had actually considered doing it, just hadn't. I will leave the cables alone now, I can't be trusted!
That experience flashed by my eyes this morning and I took a split second decision that I could not risk the road being clear again. Indeed, as I hit the deck a car went past at speed, so I reckon that would have been a bad decision.
It is just so easily done, I had thought about connecting cable whilst bike still upside down but thought it would be easier once I had but bike right way up. Problem is on getting it turned over I probably attached panniers first and then put helmet on etc and part of my brain probably thought brakes dealt with as I had actually considered doing it, just hadn't. I will leave the cables alone now, I can't be trusted!
shouldbworking said:
Why do you need to take the wheels on and off frequently?
My road bike has campag xenon shifters and all the adjustment needed to remove the wheels is done at the shifter - could be done on the fly. Presumably other shifters have similar arrangements - probably not worth it though.
When it goes in the car or stands in conservatory for a bit. It does have barrel adjusters but there isn't enough range of movement in them to clear the tyres. New shiftpods and brake levers would be a big expense, will just do the letting the tyre down thing from now on.My road bike has campag xenon shifters and all the adjustment needed to remove the wheels is done at the shifter - could be done on the fly. Presumably other shifters have similar arrangements - probably not worth it though.
I find it weird that you just hop on a bike & ride off without checking the brakes - EVERYTIME I've got on a bike to ride I've checked the brakes either before moving or at a very slow pace in the car park/road. I do this regardless of whether I've just put the bike together out of the car, or just wheeled it out of the garage.
I find it weird that you do that though, although it is good that you do! I use the bike nearly every day, it gets pushed down an alley , then I get on, then I ride up a hill which then starts to drop down steeply to the t-junction in question. So for me to get on and then start braking whilst going up a hill would be odd.
I guess it's just what we get used to. I came from mountain bikes to road bikes - so am used to disconnecting brakes all the time & having to check them regularly - it's probably why I still check the brakes on the road bike before every ride, even if the wheels haven't been off the bike.
PHmember said:
I guess it's just what we get used to. I came from mountain bikes to road bikes - so am used to disconnecting brakes all the time & having to check them regularly - it's probably why I still check the brakes on the road bike before every ride, even if the wheels haven't been off the bike.
Agreed, unfortunately it is not my normal thing to do, I have complacent with good caliper brakes on my road bike and discs on my mtb I guess, plus the nature of the initial part of my ride is a big problem in the equation - when I realise it is too late!What is quite staggering really is the number of decisions we can make in what could have been no more than between 2-3 seconds of squeezing brakes, getting feet on floor then deciding which barrier to crash into and at what speed. Maybe all those hours on GT5 have paid off after all!
Gizmoish said:
Amazing how time slows down, isn't it.
I think a disc-mount equipped front fork, and a new front wheel with disc is required.
If I didn't have a Kinesis Evo carbon fork on there I might agree. Will have to replace the bike eventually and would definitely go down the disc route when I do. Problem with me and bikes is I don't replace, I supplement I think a disc-mount equipped front fork, and a new front wheel with disc is required.
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