If you have coaster brakes on your bike, you may be wondering if it’s possible to remove them…
Can coaster brakes be removed?
You can remove coaster brakes from some bikes with a little bit of handiwork, but you might have to consult a professional to have them removed without causing potential damage to the bike. Because of the way coaster brakes are built into a bike, you will need some tools to take the brake mechanism off of your bike.
Ultimately, your ability to remove coaster brakes, either on your own or with help, is going to come down to the bike you choose. For example, some children’s bike manufacturers make it simple by selling an alternate back wheel not made with coaster brakes.
With some bikes, you may have no other option but to replace the back wheel. This is because many bikes with coaster brakes are built with mechanisms that will impact the usability of the back wheels without it.
Do I Need A Coaster Brake?
Coaster brakes are typically put on children’s bikes as they are required in some countries, such as parts of the United States. That said, they are not perfect brakes as with any kind of braking mechanism. Ultimately, coaster brakes are a preference, and may or may not be available depending on the type of bike you want.
Specialty bikes like mountain or BMX bikes aren’t made with coaster brakes as they aren’t necessary and may be counterintuitive for the type of riding you engage in on one of these bikes.
Can I Change Coaster Brakes To Freewheel?
Some bikes can change from coaster brakes to freewheeling bikes, which essentially means there’s the freedom to pedal both forward and backward. This also helps to give the bike more freedom in terms of pedal range, which can help a person maintain their balance and ride with more ease.
However, the only time you should consider doing this is if the bike has an alternative braking system on it, such as hand brakes. Otherwise, you’re eliminating a very important safety feature that every bike needs.
Can You Put Hand Brakes On A Coaster Bike?
If a bike doesn’t have hand brakes, it’s going to be difficult to modify the bike unless you know how to build bikes. A professional may be able to do it for you, but it’s probably not worth the trouble.
It’s better to simply purchase a bike with either hand brakes only or both types of brakes, changing out the back wheel to remove the coaster brake.
Are Coaster Brakes Better Than Hand Brakes?
There’s some disagreement as to whether coaster brakes are better than hand brakes. It might be harder for young riders to engage hand brakes, which is part of the rationale for including coaster brakes on bikes. If dexterity isn’t an issue, hand brakes might be a better option.
The design of children’s bikes has improved well enough to include hand brakes that work well and are also much easier for children to use. As long as the bike and hand brakes are maintained well, they typically win out over coaster brakes.
How Do I Know If My Bike Has Coaster Brakes?
The easiest way to test if your bike has coaster brakes is to attempt to pedal backward. If your bike comes to a stop when you do this, you have coaster brakes. Otherwise, you’ll be able to locate a coaster brake mechanism on the back wheel of a bike by doing a simple visual inspection.
What Does A Coaster Brake Look Like?
You can tell if a bike has a coaster brake by examining the back wheel. There is a flat metal bar with an attachment to the bike frame as well as the wheel by the chain. The flat metal bar is attached to a cylindrical hub that helps keep the brake mechanism in place and brings together both sides of the bike frame.
Very few amounts of adult bikes with coaster brakes don’t have this flat metal bar, so you’ll have to do the back pedal test to determine if the bike has coaster brakes.
Do All Kid’s Bikes Have Coaster Brakes?
A large portion of kids’ bikes are built with coaster brakes, but they aren’t the only types of bikes that have these in place. They tended to be the top choice a few decades ago, but have gone out of style due to safety and practicality concerns.
As mentioned, some areas of the U.S. require coaster brakes to be put on kid’s bikes, but many newer models will have both coaster and hand brakes. It can be difficult for a child to progress in their bike riding skills when learning on a coaster bike, as it limits what a rider can and cannot do with their pedals.
Why Do Kids Bikes Have Coaster Brakes?
Kids’ bikes historically have had coaster brakes because they were considered much easier for children to use, especially compared to the way hand brakes used to be manufactured. Coaster brakes wouldn’t require a child to have to try and use the pedals while also trying to use the handle brakes, which used to be much harder to squeeze than they are now.
In some areas, bikes that are under a certain height have to be made with coaster brakes, even if they also have hand brakes. Furthermore, while hand brakes are much better than they used to be in terms of usability for kids, cheaper bikes don’t have the best hand brakes yet, so having the coaster brakes to rely on if needed just improves safety.
Are Coaster Brakes Safe?
Coaster brakes are generally safe but are not the preferred type of brake for many. Having the ability to pedal backward may or may not be a necessity for safety or regaining balance. It can also be hard for young kids learning to ride a bike to position their pedals properly to use their bike.
If a bike chain falls or goes out of place, which is not uncommon with bikes, the coaster brakes aren’t going to work efficiently.