When I get on my scooter I squeeze the brakes to keep the scooter still while I swing my leg over the seat. A couple weeks ago while doing this I heard a weird noise and my brake handle went limp. I got off the scooter and squeezed the right brake and noticed the little bar that gets pressed against the back wheel when applying the brakes wasn't moving. The brake cable had broken. I saw a spring and 2 round washers on the floor and this little small barrel looking thing with a piece of my brake cable attached to it:
I called TravelScoot and talked to Bonnie, unfortunately they were out of brake cables. Fortunately my son was visiting that weekend so I waited for him to take a look at it. My son went to a bike shop and picked up a new cable and housing (the housing is the black covering for the cable) for like $8. It was kind of tricky to get the new cable on because you have to thread it through the frame of the TravelScoot. It took about 30 min and my brake was back in business.
If your brake cable breaks I recommend looking for the parts that fall off when this happens, you can reuse them: one spring, two washers and the barrel looking thing above. I recommend taking a look at the brake assembly by the back tire and note how the spring and washers and barrel thing fit while it is not broken so you know what the parts look like if your cable breaks.
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I've made a mental note to check mine (my TS "lives" in the car trunk so I can't check right now). My TS is fairly new so I hope they won't break anytime soon, but... better safe than sorry! Thanks for the info as always.
ReplyDeleteMy first Scooty has been without both breaks for more than a year now and I have been fine with it. When I need to stop, I used my feet to try and stop it. So whenever I leave for office, I always imagine I am doing the downhill race at Moab, Colorado! (Building I work in is up on a steep slope.) Gets hair-raising sometimes, as there are cars and trucks using the same road as I do. On a flat ground, should be no problem.
ReplyDeleteDing
Dear Cynth.,
ReplyDeleteHello !
Not anonymous. From Daniel.
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That is a handy tip to tell others, that you've written.
To re-use the parts that may have fallen from the scooter when the brake cable breaks.
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I went back to a place half a mile from my house to look for those parts once, and I found them, the washers the spring; they were still on the sidewalk at a park entrance.
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When taking one's Travelscoot out-of-town it is best to include in your toolkit, one of those bike brake cables.
Not though, the "black housing" as that is not a vital part of the Travelscoot.
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I even take a pair of bike brake-cable-cutting-pliers, that cut the brake cable neatly so that it may be easily inserted through the "black housing" and also into the tiny hole in the lozenge (that barrel thing).
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Note: for folk who haven't seen it up close, there is a tiny Allen key tightening place at the end of the lozenge.
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Bike shops won't have in stock, that lozenge (barrel shaped thing) nor will they have a spring although some bike shops will make a spring for you out of straight wire, copying the shape required from the other spring on the scooter; the bike shop will have the two washers.
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The brake cable can break when the scooter is being badly-handled by airport baggage handlers, or the brake cable may break when the scooter is involved in a riding collision, so it is always best to be prepared as Cynth suggests.
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Cheers.
From,
Daniel.
Daniel, thank you for giving the proper name for the lozenge! I had no idea what it might be called.
ReplyDeleteHi, I've just become a follower although I have kept an eye on this blog for a while.
ReplyDeleteI have saved up to buy the new TravelScoot which will be arriving in Australia very soon. I have been told it has better brakes, doesn't have a drive belt and has reverse.
Does anyone know anything about it?
I was also wondering about the post by Frank about getting two front wheels fitted for travel on public transport. Does anyone from Sydney have one?
Thanks
ME
A trip to a bike shop and they'd snake it through for you at a little more cost. Saves you the trouble.
ReplyDeleteAlso: if you tape the new cable to the other end of the cable you can "snake" it through youeself easier!
Hi, I'm so excited!!! I picked up my TravelScoot this morning and have been "driving" backwards and forwards around my bedroom.I know, I know, I sound crazy!!!
ReplyDeleteIt goes really well but I need to practice a bit before I hit the shops.
Congrats on your new TravelScoot! I too toured around my house before taking it out into the world.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to news from your first Scoot trip :)