Author Topic: Kuwahara brake bridge question - WITH ADDED PICS (Read 3696 times)

kusam · « **on:** January 22, 2006, 07:56 PM »

Least I think it's called a brake bridge....

after my thread on my old laser lite, I realised that although it has dia-compe brake lever, the actual brake is a Weinmann (what's that all about....I didn't like them!). Have looked at this pic on Jamies Kuwahara site - http://www.dreamgate.ne.jp/kuwahara/mybikes/laserlite_37.jpg

the brake bridge appears to be solid with holes in.....mine looks like it has snapped or been adapted as I don't have the holes....just the arcs of the holes...god knows how the brake manages to stay attached.
Here's a pic, just tested crap camera and it works again.
Is there any reason why this piece of the bike will have been removed? Can't see it having snapped off

Am sure I had brakes like the one on that other pic....perhaps that was on my other bike.

TwoBobRob · « **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2006, 08:19 PM »

Obviously, I have no idea what I'm on about, but that looks correct to me; I'd say the shape of that is just a little distinguishing feature.

The centre bolt does all the work, and that little thin bridge would have buckled under braking pressure if it were a problem..

Maybe they beefed it up on a later/different model?

danny silverstreak · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2006, 08:36 PM »

sam get a pic of the whole bike on

kusam · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2006, 08:41 PM »

I will do....but needs to be outside in the daylight...

Damn....why does my camera decide to work again just as a nice re-chromed Ku pic has been posted....

Twobob, hmm....maybe it was beefed up later on....but the finish on it doesn't feel smooth

Mattdub · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2006, 09:07 PM »

Sam ,

If my memory serves me correctly we all used the Weinmann style brakes on 1.3/8 wheels because of the short throw of the brake , 1.3/8 wheels were overall a larger diameter.

Dunno about the bridge though $:-\$

Matt

kusam · « **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2006, 09:12 PM »

Quote from: Mattdub on January 22, 2006, 09:07 PM

Sam ,

If my memory serves me correctly we all used the Weinmann style brakes on 1.3/8 wheels because of the short throw of the brake , 1.3/8 wheels were overall a larger diameter.

Matt

Ahh..thank you....that explains that

kdw712 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2006, 09:14 PM »

have you had a look at jamie's kuwaraha site - its in the links section
it may help on the brake bridge mod or standard question

kusam · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2006, 09:18 PM »

kdw.....yes.....included a link to a pic of a brake bridge on his site in my post

kdw712 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2006, 09:22 PM »

lol

i must learn to read eh !!!

i'll get my coat .............

showtime · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2006, 09:54 PM »

it looks like it has been cut away to enable you to get the wheel further forward in the frame :o

maybe it was modified lkke this so you could shorten the rear end a little? $:-\$

Frosty · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2006, 09:59 PM »

As Danny says, put a pic up of the whole bike, also the rear dropouts. The brake bridge does not look like a tange one, could have been mod'd after purchase!!

kusam · « **Reply #11 on:** January 22, 2006, 10:23 PM »

Maybe it's a combination of Mattdubs answer and Showtimes....something to do with using skinnys. I will take some pics in the morning. The serial number is T3H1472...wassat mean then? Same policy as Mongooses?

retrogeezer · « **Reply #12 on:** January 22, 2006, 10:31 PM »

Yep - it has definitely been modded - it should be a flat bridge with the centre hole for the caliper bolt and then a big hole either side.

Skinnies have a larger overall diameter so that is almost certainly the reason.

Someone else post a pic of their laserlite brake bridge - there are enough around!

retrogeezer · « **Reply #13 on:** January 22, 2006, 10:32 PM »

Oh yeh, T3H1472 means Tange, 1983, August. no 1472.

kusam · « **Reply #14 on:** January 22, 2006, 10:40 PM »

I thought so Retro. Thanks

Frosty · « **Reply #15 on:** January 22, 2006, 11:20 PM »

Does the plate look like it was added after the frame was chromed? Also worth looking at the position of the plate, some are welded on top of the seat stays and others are welded in the middle of the stays. As in the pic below

It may be worth getting one of the folk with a mini to post some pics up, just to see what was done for bikes designed for running the skinny's. It may be one of those bridges transferred to your ride.

Regards

Paul

kusam · « **Reply #16 on:** January 22, 2006, 11:25 PM »

Looking at a pic of the brake bridge on Jamies Ku site, it does look how mine should have looked before it was violated with a hack saw. I can tell by running my finger round it now that it has been hacked at.

jon016847 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 23, 2006, 05:26 PM »

There was a replica kuwahra laserlite that came out after the original, it was a really cheap version made by a company that even imitated the decals, and they got caught out and basically shut down. I am sorry to say that looking at your brake bridge you never had a laserlite. It was a copy; basically it was a £10.99 frame being sold for £179 bitd. Ouch I know it must really hurt to know that after all this time you never had an original. Oh well, one good think has come out of this, I am only messing with your head, so you can breath easy now and laugh at my really poor joke. I can actually he3ar the sigh of relief now. LOL

theRuler · « **Reply #18 on:** January 23, 2006, 05:27 PM »

jT Racing · « **Reply #19 on:** January 23, 2006, 07:13 PM »

I got skinny's on my laserlite and theyt fit nicely. I do have to run a really short caliper (weinmann 810 or shimano) to have a brake on it. Seems a bit drastic, cutting the brake bridge instead of getting a shorter brake. Some dads have lots to answer for " new caliper, new chain, NO WAY son, pass me that hack saw i'll have it sorted in a minute and don't argue with your father" . Woh, was like being home again for a moment. Shame it's been bastardised. guess you got a laser extralite now.

showtime · « **Reply #20 on:** January 23, 2006, 07:53 PM »

Frosty
are both the bikes in your pic Laserlites?
the one on the left seems to be quite different from all the Lasers i've seen

the brake bridges were all (as far as i was aware) all welded between the tubes like in the picture i'm posting below (from Jamies site, 84 with logo on left & 83 without on right) plus the chainstays looke like that have been bent too sharply & join the BB too far out! i've looked on all my Kuwies plus some pics from the net & none seem to be that far out on the BB $:-\$

not calling it a fake but it looks quit different even just from that one pic

kusam · « **Reply #21 on:** January 23, 2006, 10:06 PM »

Quote from: jon016847 on January 23, 2006, 05:26 PM

There was a replica kuwahra laserlite that came out after the original, it was a really cheap version made by a company that even imitated the decals, and they got caught out and basically shut down. I am sorry to say that looking at your brake bridge you never had a laserlite. It was a copy; basically it was a £10.99 frame being sold for £179 bitd. Ouch I know it must really hurt to know that after all this time you never had an original. Oh well, one good think has come out of this, I am only messing with your head, so you can breath easy now and laugh at my really poor joke. I can actually he3ar the sigh of relief now. LOL

Quote from: townshend bmx on January 23, 2006, 07:13 PM

I got skinny's on my laserlite and theyt fit nicely. I do have to run a really short caliper (weinmann 810 or shimano) to have a brake on it. Seems a bit drastic, cutting the brake bridge instead of getting a shorter brake. Some dads have lots to answer for " new caliper, new chain, NO WAY son, pass me that hack saw i'll have it sorted in a minute and don't argue with your father" . Woh, was like being home again for a moment. Shame it's been bastardised. guess you got a laser extralite now.

Am not happy

kusam · « **Reply #22 on:** January 23, 2006, 10:08 PM »

Showtime...where's the pics?

showtime · « **Reply #23 on:** January 24, 2006, 07:07 AM »

Quote from: KuSam on January 23, 2006, 10:08 PM

Showtime...where's the pics?

good point

been back & added the pic, straight from Jamies site

Frosty · « **Reply #24 on:** January 24, 2006, 10:01 AM »

Showtime,

You're right and I personally share your thoughts on the frame above. The chainstay point I have raised before, but you'll see below the complete frame that is decal'd up as a Kuwi I just think someone is taking the p*ss. They are convinced these are genuine Kuwi "Survivor" frames. The rear drop outs whilst having a look of Tange about them do not convince me either, hole size and positioning, the position where the seat stays meet the seat tube are also different and the seat stays at the drop out end are also closed and one side has a flattened tube again with blow holes!! I have done a lot of research into this frame as the owner has a few of them he wants to sell, claims they came from a closing down BMX shop and they are arrived in Kuwi boxes less the forks. These are another component I have tried unsuccessfully to positively id. They look initially like TRX's, but they have slash cut ends and blow holes in a different place to the TRX's.

One thing that did come out from my research was that as the years passed and dependent on the particular maket the bikes were intended for they builds and specs were quite different.

Regards
Paul

Author Topic: Kuwahara brake bridge question - WITH ADDED PICS (Read 3696 times)

Frosty

retrogeezer

retrogeezer

Frosty

jon016847

theRuler

Frosty