BRAKE LEVER
We may simply divide all of the brake levers into two groups, STRONG (strong and resistant body) and LIGHTWEIGHT (designed for dirt/trails riders). Brake levers come in Center Pull and Linear Pull styles. Levers also come in a wide variety of colours, styles and bends to best suit your riding style and bike color.
BRAKE CABLE
Most common brake cable in BMX is Linear brake cable with a special inner knitted linear housing. This brake cable can not be replaced with a classic shift gear cable. Linear strand housing allowing handlebars+brake cable to be spinned around once while maintaining the same braking capability (only with the correct cable length)
TWISTER
The key part of freestyle BMX bike featuring two cups with a bearing in the middle allowing handle bars to be spinned around 360° while maintaining the very same braking conditions (thanks to the twister the brake cables will never entangle again). The whole braking hardware consist out of the brake lever, 2x top linear brake cable,, 1x cable stopper, 1x cable daptor, rotor, 2x bottom brake cable, brake/u-brake.
U-BRAKE
99% of recent BMX riders are using rear brake only. Nowadays front brake is only rarely used by some of the old school riding lovers. Top class complete bike models does not include it.
U-brake is the most used brake type in BMX with a specific shape that can't be replaced with any other brake. The brake efficiency depends on a type of used brake pads, rim surface (black/coloured, chrome), correctly tightened pawls and brake cable run. Although its good to mentionon, that the latest trend in BMX is to ride completely brakeless.
GYRO PLATE
Gyro plate is a removable spacer under the stem, featuring 2x hole with the threading for arresting bolts. Helps to attach two cables leading from the brake lever to rotor.
RECOMMENDATION:
Brake has to work well at all times!! (if you have one though)
- every beginner rider who is trying to learn very first basics of riding needs a quality brake
- most of a basic BMX complete bikes models featuring not so well working brakes, usually with some low quality brake pads in combination with the black/coloured rim, which is lowering the brake efectiveness, that's why we recommend you to buy GEL brake pads, if you want your brake to be perfect (but please note that GEL pads are far more noisy when braking)
- ask the seller yourself how to improve your brake's effectiveness.