How To Add A Coaster Brake To A Bike

Coaster brakes, also known as back-pedal brakes or foot brakes, are the standard restriction organisation found on most kids bikes. They are uncomplicated in pattern and require essentially zero maintenance, which makes them highly-seasoned to many bike owners. Just pedal backwards and appoint the restriction. Like shooting fish in a barrel, right?

Coaster brakes may exist piece of cake to appoint and piece of cake to maintain, merely they also have their problems. In fact, after testing out over 100 different kids' bikes over the concluding 10 years, we strongly recommend that parents try to avoid bikes with coaster brakes.

4 year old riding Co-Op Cycles REV 16 kids bike at the skatepark

What is a coaster brake?

A coaster brake on a bike is a braking system that is set in motility past pedaling backward. As a result, coaster brakes are also known as backpedal brakes. They are usually found on kids bikes as well equally adult cruiser-way bicycles, simply are never found on technical bikes such as mountain bikes or route bikes.

Bikes with coaster brakes are quite easy to spot due to the restriction arm that is attached to the chainstay of the cycle (typically on the left side of the bike – the opposite side to where the concatenation is mounted). Whether you lot are looking at a bike online or in a shop, spotting the brake arm is a fool-proof way to determine whether or not a bicycle has a coaster brake.

arrow pointing to a black coaster brake arm on a kids bike

Some high-cease adult bikes with internally geared hubs (such as Priority Classic), have a coaster restriction but exercise not have a brake arm attached to the chainstay of the bike. This is rare and as far as we know, these expensive high-end hubs are not used on kids bikes.

Why are coaster brakes a problem on kids bikes?

At that place are four main reasons why coaster brakes are problematic on kids bikes.

Less efficient braking compared to manus brakes
The disability to pedal backwards to regain rest
Difficulty in placing pedals in the "start" position
Loss of all braking abilities upon chain falling off

Less Efficient Braking – Coaster Brake vs Paw Brakes

Quality hand brakes on a cycle require much less effort to engage and provide much more stopping power compared to coaster brakes. Advancements in cycle components in the concluding decade have greatly increased the efficiency of hand brakes, allowing bikes to stop faster and with much less endeavor by the rider.

Many parents will recall the cracking efforts required to activate handbrakes on their bikes every bit kids. Nowadays, a properly adjusted quality paw brake tin easily be activated by using but your pinky finger (try information technology!). If the manus brake is difficult to pull with your pinky, it either needs a tune-up or is poorly designed.

That beingness said, information technology is true that many kids bikes currently have terrible paw brakes that simply don't piece of work! These poor quality brakes are typically only constitute on cheaper large-box stores bikes. These bikes well-nigh ever come up with a coaster brakes likewise, so if you do accept a upkeep bike with a handbrake, it's best to teach your child to rely on the coaster restriction.

The Benefits of Pedaling Backwards!

Coaster brakes can be detrimental to a passenger because they eliminate the power to ever pedal backwards. Why does this affair? While pedaling backwards clearly doesn't propel a bike forward, at that place are two main reasons why being able to do so is beneficial to a young rider.

boy riding a raleigh mxr bike with a coaster brake

Makes Learning to Pedal Easier

Kickoff, pedaling backwards is a natural role of learning how to pedal a bike. When young kids are learning how to pedal, they oft mistakenly pedal backwards instead of forwards. When this occurs on a bicycle with a coaster brake, the bicycle quickly comes to an unexpected stop, which usually leads to a fall.

On a bike without coaster brakes, kids can accidentally pedal backwards without any negative affects. They tin pedal backwards, realize their mistake, and so pedal forwards again without skipping a vanquish.

Helps to Regain Residual

Second, pedaling backwards tin help you regain your balance. Every bit adults, we've all been there and take had to pedal backwards in order to regain our balance on a bike. Kids are the same way!

Whether they are just learning how to residual a bike or are struggling to maintain their balance while going wearisome or riding up a colina, kids have the natural instinct to pedal backwards in club to assistance regain their residual. If a bike has a coaster brake, they lose this ability.

Setting Pedals to the Start Position

The difficulty of setting pedals in the "start" position is another downside to coaster brakes. The "start" position is when i of the pedals is in its highest position with the crank arm essentially perpendicular to the basis.

pedal set start position on a kids bike with a coaster brake

The "start" position is benefical every bit it allows the bicycle to proceeds the most speed and momentum from the start. For kids, this initial burst of speed is of import because bikes are much more stable and easier to ride at college speeds.

If a bike has a coaster brake, moving the pedal to the beginning position tin be very challenging. Without the ability to motility the pedals backward (they stop every bit a issue of the coaster brake), the rear tire of the bike must exist lifted off the ground in order to move the pedals forrad. This skill is much likewise hard for young riders to master.

On a bicycle without a coaster brake, kids rapidly and easily acquire to movement the pedals backwards in social club to get the pedals in start position.

Potential for Brake Failure

One thing to keep in heed about coaster brakes on any wheel is that it will not work if the chain of a bike comes off or gets jammed. Coaster brake hubs tin can only appoint the brake if the rider is able to pedal the wheel backward while there is tension on the chain. The tension of the chain is required to activate the braking mechanism inside the hub.

The loss of braking due to the chain coming off will be sudden and complete. Your child will have no manner to end the bike aside from dragging their feet on the basis.

Why do some bikes have coaster brakes and others have manus brakes?

Due to CPSC requirements, nigh 12″, 14″, and even some 16″ kids bikes are required to have coaster brakes. When the regulation was crafted back in the '70s, handbrakes on bikes were very difficult to use, and so coaster brakes were considered to be the safest for kids.

Sadly, 50 years subsequently the CPSC regulation has yet to be updated. And then even though coaster brakes are now less efficient than quality hand brakes, they are still required on the smallest of bikes.

In that location is, however, a lot of gray expanse as to how the CPSC regulation is applied. As a consequence, some smaller kids bikes are available without coaster brakes, only not many.

As mentioned to a higher place, we certainly recognize that inexpensive hand brakes do non perform besides as coaster brakes. Our hope is that the US standard will eventually be updated to exist like to the European standard. Not only does the European standard not require coaster brakes, it likewise bans inexpensive hand brakes that are very inefficient and never stay in melody.

Which kids bikes practise not have coaster brakes?

Check out our kids bike comparison charts to quickly see which bikes have coaster brakes and which do non. These charts, broken down by size, as well includes the weight, seat heights, and MSRP of each bike to help you hands narrow down your options.

12″ and xiv″ Bikes Comparing Chart
xvi″ Bikes Comparing Nautical chart
20″ Bikes Comparison Chart
24″ Bikes Comparing Chart

Aren't sure which size bike your kid needs? Our kids bike sizing guide will assistance you chop-chop and accurately determine the best size bike for your child.

How does a coaster brake work?

The magic of coaster brakes is in the rear hub. The hub of a bike is the center component of the wheel to which the spokes attach. The rear axle of a bike also travels through the the rear hub.

yellow arrow pointing to a black coaster brake hub on a kids bike

Essentially all of the components needed to stop the wheel are located within a coaster brake hub. With no moving outside parts to get banged around, the beauty of coaster brakes is that they are substantially maintenance-free.

Upon pedaling backward, the coaster brake hub stops a bicycle by pushing a brake shoe confronting the inside edge of the rotating hub. With the restriction engaged, the rear hub tin can't rotate, which and then stops the rear wheel of the bicycle. To see this in action, RJ The Bike Guy has a great 7-minute video that clearly shows the mechanics of a coaster brake.

The internal mechanism of a coaster brake hub

How do yous remove a coaster restriction on a cycle?

Since coaster brakes are incorporated into the hub of a cycle, you can't simply turn them off. In order to remove 1 from a cycle, yous must either replace or modify the bike's rear hub.

If you happen to have a woom ii, Prevelo Blastoff One, or a Pello Romper, however, freewheel kits are available to permit you lot to hands remove the coaster restriction (encounter more in the next question).

Replacing the bike's hub is quite complicated and isn't a DIY task! But for the really adventurous spirits, the guys over at Stacked BMX came upwards with a way to change a coaster restriction hub to remove the brake. We haven't tried this ourselves, simply for those who are really aching to go the coaster brake removed, this might be worth a shot.

If you endeavor to change your coaster hub, be certain to start ensure that your bike has at least a well-tuned and fully-functional rear hand brake. Ideally, the coaster brake should not be removed unless the bike has front and rear hand brakes.

Exercise Non remove the coaster brake on a cycle that only has a front end hand restriction! Braking with just the front wheel is unsafe and can crusade the rear tire to pop upward and cadet off a kid when the restriction is engaged.

How practice you install a freewheel kit?

In club to offer young riders a riding experience without coaster brakes, many high-end brands (including woom, Prevelo and Pello) offer freewheel kits for their 14″ bikes. Freewheel kits consist of an entire new rear wheel that the consumer swaps out for the bike'southward standard bicycle. This freewheel features a freewheel hub instead of a coaster restriction hub.

Due to differences in wheel frames and components, freewheel kits are not interchangeable between brands. Then unless your cycle's manufacturer offers a freewheel kit for your specific model, installing a freewheel kit will not be an option for you.

Because the CPSC regulation does not forbid a consumer from modifying a wheel one time they have purchased it, companies can legally sell freewheel kits. Withal, they must ship the cycle with the coaster brake wheel installed.

Swapping out a coaster rear bicycle for the freewheel kit is quick and like shooting fish in a barrel, and pretty standard across all brands. This 4-minute video from Prevelo demonstrates step-past-footstep procedures on how to brand the bandy.

Are coaster brakes problematic on adult bikes?

Coaster bikes are not exclusive to kids bikes and tin also be found on adult neighborhood bikes such as cruiser bikes. For use around town, especially in flat areas, coaster brakes typically perform just fine for adults.

Due to their power to heat up quickly, coaster brakes are not recommended for any type of technical riding, riding at fast speeds, or effectually hills.

Teen riding Priority Classic beach cruiser down sidewalk

Based on our own experience, they aren't platonic when pulling kids in a trailer or when using a baby bike seat, only non a bargain-breaker. If your wheel happens to take coaster brakes, just make sure to ride at a much slower stride than usual when using a trailer or a bike seat.

Since coaster brakes really don't allow you lot to come to a wearisome and controlled stop similar hand brakes, stopping ofttimes comes as a quick jolt. With the extra weight of a kid seat or a trailer, this jolt can exist more pronounced and quite unexpected for the adult passenger. In extreme cases, this jolt can cause the rider to lose their residual and potentially fall over. As a outcome, be sure to stick to slower speeds and avoid hilly areas!