# Drum brakes



## oldwheels (17 Dec 2018)

i am going to be looking at an Ice Adventure with front drum brakes. Looking online there are various opinions on drum brakes but has anybody got real world experience of them? This trike is virtually new and no idea yet why it is for sale so a bit wary. Not that I think there is anything dodgy about ownership since it comes from a very reputable business but any opinions about possible snags to look out for would be welcome. Mebbe the previous owner just did not like it after purchase. 
My other option is a new Gekko with 5 or 6 week delivery. Need to get it before any Brexit snafu. There would only be about 5 or 6 hundred pounds difference between the two.


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## Sharky (17 Dec 2018)

Fitted a wheel with a hub/drum brake to my upright tandem trike to provide the secondary brake system alongside the cantilever brakes. Previously had two caliper brakes on the rear wheels which were ineffective.
Doesnt get a great deal of usage, but I must have had the wheel from new for about 20 yrs and still operates ok.


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## Tigerbiten (17 Dec 2018)

I use disk brakes on my ICE trike simply by the fact I've fitted a SON dynamo hub on one side and cannot fit drum brakes.
But speaking to people who use them drum brakes, they work well.
If you expect to go silly fast and want to stop silly quick then disks are probably better, but if you want a brake system that is almost maintenance free then drums are better.
I see no reason for not getting them bar one similar to mine.

Luck ...........


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## lazyfatgit (17 Dec 2018)

Hired a bike and rode 40miles (downhill) or so from near the top of the volvano in Maui. Heavy cruiser with fat tyres and a drum brake. Regular braking to keep with the rest of the group would have cooked rim brakes and I'm not sure how discs would have coped. They were the right brake type in that scenario.


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## oldwheels (17 Dec 2018)

Interesting observation lazyfatgit as some on I think USA sites take the view that drum brakes would cook before disc or rim. I have had brake shoes smoke descending Mam Ratagan. I am looking for comfort and safety before excitement since my speed days on a bike at least are mostly over and day runs and light touring are my aim. I tend to fall over getting on or off a conventional bike now so a trike seems a good idea. I know I can lay the bike down and get on or off that way but it is a bit of a faff.
Thanks to the others for their input. It all helps to make up my mind in early January.


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## KneesUp (17 Dec 2018)

I have an SA 70mm drum on the front of my commuter (standard bike) It's been maintenance free, and has provided excellent braking regardless of the weather since summer. It's not got that instant 'grab' that sometimes can feel too strong, but it stops you quickly and in a controlled way. I fitted compressionless cable which did make a difference.


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## Tigerbiten (17 Dec 2018)

An ICE trike is normally setup with independent front brakes and it also almost brake steer free.
So on a long decent your fine just keeping the speed down by only using one front brake at a time.
You just have to keep swapping sides to let the working side cool a bit.
The back wheel brake has a lot less stopping power than the fronts due to the lack of weight on that wheel.
It's normally just used as a parking brake, but also it does make a good drag brake if you want to let the fronts cool more.
So overheating the drums isn't really an issue unless you're doing something silly .........


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## classic33 (17 Dec 2018)

I've drum brakes on the rear of the "Beast o'Burden". Had no trouble, even with a 1/4 ton on the back.

If it's something "stupid" you may be thinking of doing, I've a a few long descents round these parts. No stopping or overheating problems encountered so far.


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## oldwheels (18 Dec 2018)

Makes sense Tigerbitten. I have been alternating back and front on my Brompton on long hills.
Classic33 actual user info is reassuring.


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## Bad Machine (18 Dec 2018)

I've found the quick release axles on my 2010 ICE Adventure (which uses 70mm Sturmey Archer Drum brakes) mean I can remove either or both front wheels easily, to fit everything in the back of the car. Only one wheel comes off to fit in one car, both wheels if it's going in the other. You can replace front wheels quickly, but not give a concern about having disc rotors rubbing against brake pads (because they're always in a slightly different place compared to when you took it apart ).

If you're considering an ICE Adventure with full _Compact Flat Twist Fold, _then the ability to make it really small for transport is great. That, and the easy removal/replacement of front wheels has been a real boon - I've taken my trike whilst working away from home, as well as when on holiday.

The other opportunity is should you want to add a dynamo hub, then Sturmey Archer make the X-SDD dynohub in a 70mm size - a drum brake and dynamo combined - which makes for a simple upgrade (you only need to swap the hub on one side of the trike - all other parts of the trike remain the same). I'm just waiting for my new spokes to arrive this week, so I can do just this ! 
Dynohub  + new rim  +new spokes  + Off work  =


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## BlackPanther (19 Dec 2018)

I’ve had a couple of Trices with drum brakes. I found that there’s a lot les chance of locking a wheel on drum brakes. It’s not that there’s less stopping power, it’s just that they didn’t ‘grab’ on application like disc brakes can. In contrast, the Catrike 700, my current steed, is forever locking up, especially downhill with a few leaves on the ground.


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## Drago (19 Dec 2018)

Geoffrey Apps prefers drum brakes for his MTBs because they're weather proof and, as Mr Panther points out, the modulation is superb.


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## byegad (19 Dec 2018)

I had them on my ICE QNT, 10,000 miles and no issues or even adjustment was needed, except when I changed the brake cables. They are more than enough to stop a laden trike and heavy rider.


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## oldwheels (19 Dec 2018)

Thanks for the reassuring responses particularly Bad Machine regarding removing the wheels.


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## mrandmrspoves (20 Dec 2018)

I have independent drums on the front wheels of my Redmount. They are not as sharp as the BB5s I had on my Performer but they work fine and have been maintenance free. I suspect that if I bothered to take them apart and clean them the performance might be improved slightly but because they do the job ok I have not got round to it yet. 
I would regard drums as being better overall than discs due to being low maintenance and only marginally less effective than discs (which depending on the weight distribution of the trike may make it less likely to accidentally lock up the front wheels)


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## Nigelnightmare (20 Dec 2018)

I've got 70mm drums on my Qnt and would highly recommend them, as others have said good all weather braking/modulation + they last a very long time 50,000+ miles.
According to ICE They have never had to renew any drum brake shoes on any of their trikes.
My "Q"nt 2007 is still on the original brake shoes, whereas my vortex fs 2011 disc brakes have been changed twice this year and there's not much difference in stopping power/performance.
Discs have a little more delay in wet weather before full stopping power.
HTH


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## byegad (20 Dec 2018)

mrandmrspoves said:


> I have independent drums on the front wheels of my Redmount. They are not as sharp as the BB5s I had on my Performer but they work fine and have been maintenance free. I suspect that if I bothered to take them apart and clean them the performance might be improved slightly but because they do the job ok I have not got round to it yet.
> I would regard drums as being better overall than discs due to being low maintenance and only marginally less effective than discs (which depending on the weight distribution of the trike may make it less likely to accidentally lock up the front wheels)



My QNT had drums and my Catrike Trail and Kettwiesel have BB7 discs. They are way more fiddly to set up, but, unlike the BB5s I started on with the Kett' do stay adjusted a decent while. TheDrums are fit and forget.
The QNT with full day touring load and a few roadside repair items on board weighed quite a but more and was also a longer wheelbase than the Trail. The standard SA drums on the QNT were more than enough to lift the rear wheel [not recommended] or stop the trike with my 100kg on board from 50mph down hill. The BB7s on the Trail are less easily modulated and, being shorter wheelbase, lifting the rear off the Trail is really too easy.


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## Nigelnightmare (20 Dec 2018)

To help with the back wheel lifting under heavy braking I fitted the FB bracket to move the seat back.


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