Author Topic: Reaction Megabrake (Read 3356 times)

fugazi · « **on:** November 24, 2008, 01:43 PM »

Has anybody got any info/pics on these? I know they were a Rob Ridge converted ACS Boa, a mate had one way back when & I've forgotten what was done to it, pretty sure it had proper sealed bearings?

kev-s · « **Reply #1 on:** November 24, 2008, 02:11 PM »

i think but cant be sure, didnt it use a 10mm axle? i may be wrong but for some reason i think it did

JT71 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 24, 2008, 02:22 PM »

I have a couple of boas with 10mm axles, the front has the acs cable doubler on it too.

fugazi · « **Reply #3 on:** November 24, 2008, 02:40 PM »

Yes, the reaction brake did have a bigger spindle now I think of it, the normal boa's had a habit of snapping & all those tiny bearings would go everywhere! The 10mm boa's acs made came after the megabrake, so did they get the idea from that?

Wayne Ryder · « **Reply #4 on:** November 24, 2008, 02:43 PM »

ACS did their own 10mm axle version sometime after Rob's modded brake. No idea if they ever gave him any credit but as it'd never been done before and was never repeated, it seems a bit of a spooky coincidence (strokes chin). Although someone on here assured me that it'd be OK to do so, drilling out the hole in the forks never appealed much, so the brake I'm using at the mo is a standard axle.
Using sealed bearings would've been a great idea if he did it, but never having seen one in the flesh it's hard to say. Sounds completely possible, I know George French did some U-Brakes like that. Think he did a lever, too.

darkersomeday · « **Reply #5 on:** November 24, 2008, 02:49 PM »

"This view shows my old rear brake. This was a modified U'brake that I ran for about 3 years. The pivots were bored out and sleeves glued in which take 2 sealed cartridge bearings each. The springs had to come out to make room for this and I replaced them with a single tension spring accross the top of the arms. This was a bit of a bodged job and is coming to bits now but it has worked very well and has needed absolutely no maintenance over its life. The exrtra long straddle is a piece of mountain bike braided inner cable held in the pinch bolt and with a nipple clamp (see catalogue)"

from g's website

GINGERHOLMES · « **Reply #6 on:** November 24, 2008, 03:08 PM »

im pretty sure the reaction mega brake used an 8mm axle with sealed bearings and they were great, i had one for a short time

i think it was 8mm as the original 6mm brakes were only 6mm on the outside of the arms and inside the brake the axle was already 8mm, this is all from memory but im sure u didnt need to drill the centre out when the 8mm rection mega brake axle was fitted, and u only drilled the forks to 8mm as well, as the 10mm from ACS ended up being pretty close to the welds on some forks

but as i said this is all from memory

christhejob · « **Reply #7 on:** November 24, 2008, 05:29 PM »

the axle was the size of a proper wheel axle, 10mm. sealed bearings. i've got one in the garage. balls if i am going to take a picture, it is freezing!

fugazi · « **Reply #8 on:** November 24, 2008, 05:53 PM »

Quote from: christhejob on November 24, 2008, 05:29 PM

the axle was the size of a proper wheel axle, 10mm. sealed bearings. i've got one in the garage. balls if i am going to take a picture, it is freezing!

LOL! Well thanks for confirming they had sealed bearings, I kinda remember now that it was machined quite a bit & the bearings were a fair size, how about a pic when it's warmer?!

generallee · « **Reply #9 on:** November 24, 2008, 06:21 PM »

Having been a mate of RObs for a long while now, I ran one right from the start when he brought them out - and just like Chris says - 10mm axle and sealed bearings - amazing brake!!! ACS did a cheaper copy job with loose bearings after that -
steve

Philbert · « **Reply #10 on:** November 24, 2008, 06:42 PM »

i've just drilled out some forks for laz's reaction sealed brake and thats definately 8mm. i thought he couldn't use a sealed cartidge on a 10mm as there wasn't enough room to fit it. unless they happened a bit later! i may be wrong, but laz's is definately 8mm and came directly from rob i think not too long ago.

fugazi · « **Reply #11 on:** November 24, 2008, 06:58 PM »

Maybe over time Rob did Two sizes? Just had a vague recollection that He used skateboard wheel bearings at One point.

harris · « **Reply #12 on:** November 24, 2008, 07:02 PM »

mines a 10mm axle with sealed bearings ,i have to use a 17mm spanner to remove that mumma

fugazi · « **Reply #13 on:** November 24, 2008, 07:09 PM »

That looks like a stock 10mm boa to me? btw Harris glad you got a gyro for that Pork sorted, will we see it built up soon?

JT71 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 24, 2008, 07:10 PM »

I'm sure mine are 10mm too, but it's too cold do go down the garage to have a look.
(regular ACS Boa, not Reaction Megabrakes and dunno if they are sealed bearing, they say sealed mech or summat on em)

harris · « **Reply #15 on:** November 24, 2008, 07:12 PM »

that is a stock boa ,i have a mega brake on the morales but has the same axle cant see it on the bike
sorry i should have said

fugazi · « **Reply #16 on:** November 24, 2008, 07:13 PM »

Yep, standard 10mm boa's, by sealed mech they mean a real thin plastic/rubber seal covering lots of tiny loose bearings, I have some in the garage, they do work well though!

TwoBobRob · « **Reply #17 on:** November 24, 2008, 07:51 PM »

I ran a Reaction Megabrake for ages. !0mm axle, sealed bearings for definate. ACS did their own version later on, yeah. Robs brakes to my knowledge were only ever 10mm axles, I recall a 17mm spanner being used as when I went to an AD plate and 990, I had to drill out that plate to 10mm and put a m10 bolt through it to suit the hole in my forks......

Philbert · « **Reply #18 on:** November 24, 2008, 07:54 PM »

he must have changed then. laz's is 8mm. 10mm must have been later on. 8mm at the time was knarly as at that point brakes were 6mm

TwoBobRob · « **Reply #19 on:** November 24, 2008, 07:55 PM »

Could be. I got mine in about 95ish?

welsh denny · « **Reply #20 on:** November 24, 2008, 08:29 PM »

i blew up loads of those boas, espec doing nosepicks. not good. never try taking em apart as you'd have more fun wrestling an alligator than you would putting all those bearings back in. i used to run cable ties thru the brake block slot and around the arms to reduce flex. worked real well. just let it have some slack so not too tight.

also heard about people drilling out coins (5 pence pieces i think) to run in there instead of bearings..............

subversion · « **Reply #21 on:** November 24, 2008, 08:42 PM »

We modded a Boa using a wheel axle & a 'machined' (read filed whilst spinning in a pillar drill) axle cone bitd, seem to remember it worked 'OK' & looked 'TOTALLY SH1T'

Wayne Ryder · « **Reply #22 on:** November 24, 2008, 11:34 PM »

Quote from: welsh denny on November 24, 2008, 08:29 PM

Never try taking em apart as you'd have more fun wrestling an alligator than you would putting all those bearings back in.

Nah, it's not that bad. Once you've got some good grease in there they don't fall out when you're putting it back together. I've done two now, both times the bearings were pretty dry and worked better with more lube.

Lazarou · « **Reply #23 on:** November 25, 2008, 12:51 AM »

I ran a Megabrake for most of the 90s got this one from Rob a few months ago made up from the last bits he had lying around he sent me two axles 8mm and 10mm but only the bearings to fit the 8mm (I ran a 10mm in the 90s he did offer both sizes and both were sealed) Performance wise not brilliant but a massive improvement on stock Boas!

Unfortunately the donor for this one was a rear i'd have liked a front by hey ho beggars can't be choosers.

fugazi · « **Reply #24 on:** November 25, 2008, 04:39 PM »

Cheers for all the input/thoughts so far chaps

Author Topic: Reaction Megabrake (Read 3356 times)

JT71

darkersomeday

christhejob

JT71

welsh denny

subversion

Lazarou