Hope you have some good advice. Saw your contact info over on Tucson MTB.
My parents bought my son a 20″ department store bike, which he is thrilled with, but the handbrake is too tough for him to squeeze. I saw an online video at BikeTutor.com about adjusting kids handbrakes (http://bicycletutor.com/childs-hand-brake/), but I cannot even do the first step, because this brake handle doesn’t even _have_ a reach adjustment screw!
A friend bought his son a 20″ diamondback, and the brakes are _sweeeeet_! Easy to apply. Really made me realize the diff. between department store kids bikes and those from real manufacturers.
Anyway, can you recommend updating the department store bike with some better components? And where would I source them from.
I added a hand brake I bought over at Oro Valley Bicycles. It was an Odyssey kit with a brake and lever. The big difference usually is that the dept. store has a caliper brake that mounts on one bolt, while the bike shop bikes usually have a cantilever set-up. There are adapters out there for the caliper to canti, but usually after you buy the adapter and the brakes, you would be almost up to the cost of a bike shop bike. Call me if you would like to try and get the original brake to to work better, or for help with a new brake. I do go into town occasionally and could pick up parts if you would want me to do the whole job.
Scott,
Hope you have some good advice. Saw your contact info over on Tucson MTB.
My parents bought my son a 20″ department store bike, which he is thrilled with, but the handbrake is too tough for him to squeeze. I saw an online video at BikeTutor.com about adjusting kids handbrakes (http://bicycletutor.com/childs-hand-brake/), but I cannot even do the first step, because this brake handle doesn’t even _have_ a reach adjustment screw!
A friend bought his son a 20″ diamondback, and the brakes are _sweeeeet_! Easy to apply. Really made me realize the diff. between department store kids bikes and those from real manufacturers.
Anyway, can you recommend updating the department store bike with some better components? And where would I source them from.
Thanks for any advice,
Dom
By: Dom on May 16, 2011
at 2:43 pm
I added a hand brake I bought over at Oro Valley Bicycles. It was an Odyssey kit with a brake and lever. The big difference usually is that the dept. store has a caliper brake that mounts on one bolt, while the bike shop bikes usually have a cantilever set-up. There are adapters out there for the caliper to canti, but usually after you buy the adapter and the brakes, you would be almost up to the cost of a bike shop bike. Call me if you would like to try and get the original brake to to work better, or for help with a new brake. I do go into town occasionally and could pick up parts if you would want me to do the whole job.
Scott
By: thehubbikeshop on May 19, 2011
at 4:23 pm