# Brake upgrade question for a touring tandem



## Scott B (Dec 1, 2004)

Hello,

I'm helping some relatives get their tandem ready for the Northern Tier and I need some advice on brakes. They currently have linear pull brakes which are OK, but it's not enough power when they have their BOB trailer or are doing long descents.

The need a new rear wheel so that might be worth considering. The frame and fork doesn't have disc tabs at the moment.

Option 1)

Add a disc brake to the front, this would mean a new wheel, fork, brake and stem. They would still need a rear wheel. I was thinking of a mechanical disc (Avid BB7). What size rotor would be best for this application? I can spec a fork that will be able to take the strain. I might also add an improved rear linear pull, possibly a Paul Motolite or something similar.

Option 2)

Add a drum brake to the rear and keep running rim brakes. The rim brakes could be upgraded as well.

Option 3)

Add the best rim brakes possible and the best pads possible. Thinking a pair of Paul Motolites and I'm not sure about pads. Would this be enough? Any suggestions on pads?

Option 4)

Get disc tabs added to the frame and a new fork, change the whole bike to mechanical discs. This is likely too expensive. It seems like it might be the best option, but perhaps not really an option given the cost.

Between them, gear, the BOB and the bike I bet they are around 400+ pounds all loaded up. I can build wheels and have worked with all of the parts before, I just have never really ridden on a tandem so I'm not sure which would be the better choice. Are there other options to consider? Do people have suggestions for specific products they like?

Thanks!


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## dir-t (Oct 14, 2005)

We've only towed the BOB with our tandem on one hilly ride but we did ok using a drum brake and some Shimano linear pull rim brakes (probably around 400# combined weight). 

That ride included about 4 miles of constant descending down a combination of jeep road and singletrack. It took a lot of brake work which got to be a real hassle on the more twisty parts of the singletrack. Discs would have made it better but I think having a drum brake and some decent rim brakes is probably fine for road purposes.

Contact the guys at MTBTandems.com. They have all kinds of experience with different brake set ups and testing.


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## Plum (Mar 27, 2005)

I don't think you're likely to see a large improvement in going to the paul brakes over the shimanos, I'd spend $20 on new pads first. I'd probably do the drum brake on the rear.

Also, you say that you 'can' build wheels. For a tandem, 'can' might not be as durable as someone who 'does' build wheels, if you catch my drift. 

I had a hard time finding a rigid fork that was rated for tandem use, although I was looking on the MTB side of things. Road forks may be easier to source..

Plum


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## Scott B (Dec 1, 2004)

Plum said:


> I don't think you're likely to see a large improvement in going to the paul brakes over the shimanos, I'd spend $20 on new pads first. I'd probably do the drum brake on the rear.
> 
> Also, you say that you 'can' build wheels. For a tandem, 'can' might not be as durable as someone who 'does' build wheels, if you catch my drift.
> 
> ...


As for the wheels I should say does, I've built a number of pairs for road, touring and cross and all of them have held up. 3 pair of wheels have done 2000+ mile loaded tours without needing truing, so I feel pretty good about my ability to build solid wheels. Good point though, just because you can make it become a wheel doesn't make it a good wheel.

I'm now thinking doing new pads and the drum brake on the rear first. Having the drag brake option seems useful.


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## dir-t (Oct 14, 2005)

Scott B said:


> Having the drag brake option seems useful.


I'd go as far as to say it's essential for long descents if you're running rim brakes. You don't want to overheat a rim and melt your inner tubes by dragging a rim brake for too long.


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## Old School Misanthrope (Dec 31, 2009)

another idea is a u brake bridge I run one on the rear of my RT 3000 TAKES THE FLEX OUT OF THE REAR BRAKES (keeps stays from flexing outward) much more power. you could run one on the front too but the fork doesn't have as much flex . it is dependent on your application tho


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## Plum (Mar 27, 2005)

Scott B said:


> As for the wheels I should say does, I've built a number of pairs for road, touring and cross and all of them have held up. 3 pair of wheels have done 2000+ mile loaded tours without needing truing, so I feel pretty good about my ability to build solid wheels. Good point though, just because you can make it become a wheel doesn't make it a good wheel.


Thought that was likely the case, building tandem wheels isn't for the weak of confidence..




Scott B said:


> I'm now thinking doing new pads and the drum brake on the rear first. Having the drag brake option seems useful.


I think i'd go this way as well. Discs may have more power, but can be (so I've read) subject to heating up for longer descents and prolonged use. I'm going to discs for my mountain tandem, but it's more for wheel size versatility (it's a bastard wheel size, almost 650b, but will fit 26" with larger tires or 700c with smaller road tires) than anything else. Plus, I had a u-brake on the rear and didn't want to deal with it.

Plum


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## cogtooth (Jan 20, 2007)

My 48 spoke tandem wheels were my easiest wheels to build. The less the spokes, the more difficult the wheel is to build. Besides not heating the rims, a drum brake still works when descending hills in the rain.


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## strathconaman (Jul 3, 2003)

Go with the drum. It is really the only heavy touring option.


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