What was taken for granted until a few years ago has become increasingly unpopular in recent years. Young people in particular are less and less interested in having a coaster brake. However, not every e-bike has a coaster brake - we will explain why this is the case in more detail in the following article.
Is the coaster brake an outdated technology?
Above all, however, the coaster brake has been considered a relatively outdated technology for several years, and its popularity seems to be steadily declining. The many new developments in e-bikes and pedelecs , which also affect the effectiveness of the braking force, have increasingly led to hardly anyone being interested in an e-bike with coaster brake or a pedelec with coaster brake.
Coaster brakes are still available, but only on a few models. Some people don't want to miss out on their advantages. You can find out in this article whether a bike with a coaster brake is suitable for you.
Where does the brake come from?
The classic coaster brake was first installed on a bicycle in 1903. At that time, however, it was still called the Torpedo and was developed by Ernst Sachs . It then took several decades before the brake was combined with the first hub gears .
The company Fichtel & Sachs was considered a pioneer on the market at that time and developed the so-called Komet freewheel , which differs from the Torpedo in the design of its drive and the associated brake.
Unlike the Komet freewheel, the Torpedo freewheel had a kind of locking body inside, which was pressed into the hub body at different levels. The Komet freewheel, on the other hand, had fitting pieces inside that were pressed into the hub body by a thread on the axle.
Today, of course, there are many different versions of the coaster brake, although it has become much less popular in recent years. Young people in particular are buying bikes like
fixies these days, which have no mid-engine, coaster brake or gears, so that they can be completely flexible on the road.
However, there are a few special features with an
electric folding bike . Until a few years ago, it was hardly possible from a technical point of view to combine a mid-engine with a coaster brake.
If you didn't want to do without a coaster brake, the only solution was an e-bike with a front-wheel motor. However, these also brought with them some risks, such as a relatively impractical center of gravity or the so-called susceptibility to slipping , which is particularly noticeable when cornering.
Nowadays, however, there are also new drive systems that make it possible to combine a coaster brake with a mid-engine. This drives the front chainring directly - so there is no need for an additional pinion to touch the chain. However, demand for pedelecs and
e-bikes is not particularly high and is tending to decrease.
The coaster brake and other braking systems on the e-bike
Of course, the braking system of an electric folding bike is at least as important as its drive. Many bikes today are equipped with disc brakes, rim brakes and sometimes even coaster brakes.
However, hydraulic brake systems have become the most popular on electrically powered bikes. You can also find these on our high-quality electric folding bikes from MYVELO . Their big advantage is that they have excellent braking power, which is transmitted to the brake pistons via a line filled with oil.
Here, a distinction is made between hydraulic rim brakes and hydraulic disc brakes. Roller or drum brakes are generally not found on electric folding bikes or pedelecs.
The different drives of the e-folding bike and the coaster brake
The coaster brake is not installed in all e-bikes these days, and it is also rare to find it on e-folding bikes or single-speed bikes . However, it is important to first know the differences between the three common drive systems: There are front, middle and rear wheel motors .
Front wheel motors are located in the hub of the front wheel and can be easily combined with all kinds of gear shifts, as well as with coaster brakes. However, traction is not necessarily optimal on slippery surfaces or when riding uphill.
There are also mid-engines where you benefit from a balanced weight distribution. This has little impact on your riding behavior on the electric folding bike. Since the center of gravity feels similar to that of a normal bicycle, the riding experience on an electric folding bike or e-bike with a mid-engine is very natural. Here, too, combinations with all types of gears and a coaster brake are possible.
The third option is the rear hub motor, which most of our bikes are equipped with. Here, the position of the motor is characterized by a direct transfer of power to the bike. Because rear wheel motors are always combined with a derailleur gear system, such as our high-quality Shimano gear system, there is no coaster brake installed.
The different types of Pedelec coaster brakes
Basically, a distinction is made between two variants of a Pedelec coaster brake - on the one hand there is the drum brake and on the other hand there is the disc brake.
gearshift types and the coaster brake
Nowadays, a distinction is made between derailleur and hub gears on e-bikes and e-folding bikes.
If you are more of a sporty rider on your Pedelec, a
derailleur gear is the right choice for you. This gives you the advantage of being able to change gear in any riding situation. However, this type of gear is a little more prone to maintenance and cannot be combined with a coaster brake.
With hub gears, however, you take the pressure off the pedal and therefore slow down. If you ride at a leisurely pace anyway, this will hardly bother you. A coaster brake can also be installed, which can provide more
safety in wet conditions.
Coaster brake - what are the advantages and disadvantages?
Advantages:
- Easily operate the back pedal with less hand force and brake safely - even on e-bikes with hydraulic handbrakes
- Hand signals can still be made while applying the brake - but this may be difficult for some
- The brake is generally reliable, robust and low-wear
Disadvantages:
- The brake can easily overheat on long descents
- Overheating can cause the grease to evaporate, which will negate the braking effect and is very risky
- If you have an e-bike with a backpedal brake, you also have to let the brakes cool down on longer rides
- The braking force is rather lower in higher gears
If you choose a bike with a coaster brake, maintenance may be necessary from time to time. This includes tasks such as readjusting the brake or lubricating the brake casing with suitable grease.
Conclusion: A MYVELO e-bike is a practical companion even without a coaster brake
If you decide on one of our high-quality MYVELO e-bikes, you will notice that our bikes mostly do not have a coaster brake. Although there are still many models on the market where you can find this braking system, due to falling demand the selection is becoming smaller and is very small for classic e-bikes anyway. Before you make a decision, we recommend that you carefully weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of e-bikes with coaster brakes.
