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Good day guys. I would like to know... I've purchased a old fixed gear bike, and i converted it to a freewheel. I've managed to install a rim brake on front. I was going to install ine on the back but noticed theres no holes for the caliper to mount on.

Did some research, theres a way to add disk brakes on rear. But im not sure if im going to buy the disk brake adaptor... Need your opinion.. Drill hole on the frame or install disk brakes..

No idea on specs of the bike.. Sorry

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  • Offtopic, but the fork looks bent.
    – ojs
    Aug 23, 2018 at 3:17
  • I've managed to install a rim brake on front. That front wheel looks like a carbon fiber rim without a braking surface. If so, using a rim brake on that wheel is downright dangerous. The carbon fiber on a such a wheel is not designed to withstand the abrasion and significant heat generated by braking.
    – Andrew Henle
    Aug 23, 2018 at 10:30
  • @AndrewHenle: it also looks like a black deep section rim like a velocity deep-V, a mainstay of the hipster fixie lineup. Carbon rims on that bike would be a seriously nonsensical price-value allocation.
    – whatsisname
    Aug 23, 2018 at 15:49
  • @whatsisname That's definitely possible, although it wouldn't be the first time someone put aero CF wheels on a cheap track frame - an actual track racer maybe. If they are Velocity Deep-Vs, the braking is going to be horrible on that black powdercoat and will destroy the powdercoating eventually, likely making for one butt-ugly wheel. I don't know how substantial Deep Vs without brake tracks are, so using rim brakes on them might or might not be dangerous long-term. If they are pretty thin, they won't fail as fast as a CF rim, but neither will they last long under a lot of braking.
    – Andrew Henle
    Aug 23, 2018 at 15:55
  • It has brake surface... Its a repainted rim. Also not carbon fiber rim.. That thing is heavy.
    – alan Salvador
    Aug 28, 2018 at 2:50

2 Answers 2

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With no disk brake mounting lugs on the frame you cannot mount disc brakes. There are bolt on adapters but I personally would not trust them. Additionally you would need a disc compatible hub which in reality means a whole new rear wheel.

You should check that that the wheel rims are compatible with rim brakes. There appear to be reflective stickers where the braking surface should be.

I always advise buying the bike you want, not a fundamentally different one hoping you can convert it. The easiest path for you might actually be to sell this bike and buy a single speed with front and rear rim brakes.

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  • Most disc compatible hubs will also have a wider spacing than a track hub spacing, so the frame will also have to be cold set to a wider stance.
    – Rider_X
    Aug 23, 2018 at 6:34
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It appears you bought a track bike. Track bikes generally are not meant to have brakes, and are meant to be ridden on a track, not on the street. It appears your wheels do not have braking surfaces on them, so even if you do install brakes, your braking performance may be awful.

If the brake bridge on the rear seat stays has a hole in it, you should be able to find a caliper brake you can fit there. Don't even bother attempting with disc brakes.

In my opinion, if you were able to install a front brake, and it works well, then you are good to go. Having two brakes is better than one, but a sole front brake is fine as long as you don't ride like a lunatic and you keep good care of it. Your other options are to either accept your loss and learn to ride brakeless, or get a rear wheel with a coaster brake. In my opinion coaster brakes are a lot of fun so it would be an upgrade.

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  • 5
    Local laws may require both front and rear means of stopping, for good reason.
    – Swifty
    Aug 23, 2018 at 5:01
  • Yep... Decided I'll go front brakes only... Thank you
    – alan Salvador
    Aug 23, 2018 at 7:08
  • @alanSalvador That front wheel doesn't look like it has braking surfaces on the rim. It also looks like a carbon fiber rim. You do NOT want to use rim brakes on that wheel. The rim will be destroyed rapidly and is likely to fail catastrophically.
    – Andrew Henle
    Aug 23, 2018 at 10:26
  • It has brake surface... Its a repainted rim. Also not carbon fiber rim.. That thing is heavy.
    – alan Salvador
    Aug 28, 2018 at 2:47

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