Re: [CR]Need advice on some Phil Wood Super Champion Tandem wheels

(Example: Framebuilders:Rene Herse)

In-Reply-To: <20060727050649.93872.qmail@web52515.mail.yahoo.com>
References: <20060727050649.93872.qmail@web52515.mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 17:05:55 -0400
To: Don Wilson <dcwilson3@yahoo.com>, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
From: "Sheldon Brown" <CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]Need advice on some Phil Wood Super Champion Tandem wheels


Don Wilson wrote:
>Could someone take a look at these Super Champion
>rim/hum set and tell me if the rear "drum" hub that
>the seller refers to is an example of a drum brake for
>a tandem? If it is, do you use that rear drum brake in
>the hub in combination with cantilever brakes on the
>rear wheel rim for increased stopping power due to the
>weight of two folks on a tandem? Finally, would these
>rims/hubs make a nice set of rims/hubs for my old
>Gitane tandem that lacks a hub brake? Its Modolo rear
>brake lever has seats for two cables.
>http://ebay.com/<blah>

That's an Atom drum brake. These were common for tandems in the '70s. (The ad says: "marked Brevete SGDG" which means "patented inc.")

These were not wonderful brakes, but not terrible either.

However I very strongly advise against using a single lever to control two brakes. Best way to use a drum brake on a tantrum is as a "drag brake" with some sort of derailer shift lever.

See my article on Tandem Brakes for details on this:

http://sheldonbrown.com/tandem-brakes

Sheldon "One Brake, One Lever" Brown +---------------------------------------------------+ | As far as I know, none of my immigrant ancestors | | arrived with a passport, visa or work permit. | +---------------------------------------------------+ --
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