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a brake?!

Started by Changinglinks . · · Last activity · 4 posts · 680 views

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rec.sport.unicycling archive
Published
2 April 2004
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2 April 2004
Original author
Changinglinks .
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Crank arm lengthShort cranks

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  1. Original post
    Changinglinks .
    Archived post
    #1

    Ok. I wanted to order "the best" MUni money can buy. To me
    this meant durability (because I tend to be rough). I did
    quite a bit of research and just ordered the custom MUni.
    During the buying process, the shop asked me if I wanted
    brakes (if so, mounts needed to be welded on).

    I was thinking "no" even though it was only $50 extra (for
    the mounts to be welded on). I was thinking that it would be
    one more thing to break, and that it seemed to add weight
    and clutter. I thought "maybe without the brakes, I can just
    build stronger legs / more endurance."

    I am completely new to MUni, in fact, I have not even
    learned to ride yet (but I got my leg armor ready today and
    expect the MUni to arrive this time next week 🙂 ).

    In the last thread I saw (and elsewhere) it *seems* common
    to add the brake - at least in the pictures posted online.
    On the other hand, I noticed that there seems to be little
    clearance for mud (and I intend to ride through lots of mud
    in the future). Also, I have never seen a pic online where a
    brake was on any other type of Uni.

    So, my questions are: Did I make a mistake by NOT ordering
    the mounts/brake? Will I be "wishing I had" added the break
    mounts - or is it reasonable to MUni without the brake?

    --
    ChangingLINKS.com - member

    Wishing you Happiness, Joy and Laughter,
    Drew Brown
    changinglinks.comchanginglinks.com
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  2. Sofa
    Archived post
    #2

    think of brakes as a weiner's way down the hill.

    Although this might not be 100% accurate, you have no brakes
    so it is your best train of thought

    They help out conserving leg strength, and in some cases
    offer more control in very steep technical sections, but
    they are hardly needed unless you are riding down hill
    all day long

    I've had brakes, I don't now, and I haven't missed them

    --
    Sofa - You Tu Tu Tuni?

    'Unicycle Product Reviews'
    (brianmackenzie.comunicycleReviews.aspx)

    'London Unicycling Club Website ' (brianmackenzie.comLUC)
    version 3.0

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  3. John_childs
    Archived post
    #3

    I'm in the process of fitting a Magura brake on my Coker
    right now. In fact, I had to wash some hydraulic oil off my
    hands so I could get back on the computer. So yes, a brake
    can be handy even if it's not a muni. For a Coker the brake
    is useful to allow you to go down hills in control even when
    using short cranks.

    For a muni the usefulness of a brake all depends on the
    terrain you ride. You can use the brake on steep downhill
    sections of the trail which will allow you to ride down
    stuff that you wouldn't be able to do without the brake. But
    in those cases it has to be very steep.

    A brake can also be useful if you're going down a long
    downhill on a forest service road or similar trail. Let's
    say you are doing some hill training on a forest service
    road with 1500 feet of climbing. On the ride back down
    you're going to be wishing for a brake. Sure you can make it
    down without the brake, but you're going to be wishing you
    had one. You can actually go down long hills like that
    faster by using the brake and it's easier on your legs.

    I have a brake for my muni but I hardly ever use it. In
    fact, I hardly ever have it installed. I'll likely get it
    installed and functional for Moab and again for the
    California Muni Weekend. But for most of the riding I do
    around home I don't need it. I could make more use of the
    brake, but I find it gets in the way more than it is useful
    97% of the time. But for that 3% it's a good thing. Other
    people get much more use out of their brake on a muni.

    The brake on my Coker is going to get more use than the
    brake on my muni. I can't go down some of the hills around
    Seattle without a brake especially as I experiment with
    shorter cranks.

    For a picture of muni and a Coker with a brake check out
    Nathan Hoover's albums on Webshots

    'Nathan's main album page'
    (community.webshots.communi nathan) 'Nathan's
    Hunter 36'
    (community.webshots.com75146993spvgeL)
    'Nathan's unicycle collection'
    (community.webshots.com29172825KykoOOuIOY)

    --
    john_childs - Guinness Mojo

    john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
    Gallery: '' (unicyclist.comjohn childs)
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  4. Ken Cline
    Archived post
    #4
    Sofa said:

    think of brakes as a weiner's way down the hill.

    I recently got a place I can stay at a ski resort and MUni
    brakes are starting to sound like a fine, fine thing for
    doing crazy downhills this summer. Aside from that, so far
    I've wanted brakes on my street 26"er more than the Muni.
    Riding down steep roads with short cranks is less fun for me
    than riding even steeper trails with the 175's.

    Ken

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