Parking Brake

[SHemingway]

Or lack thereof - I miss the parking brake from my old Helix - already had one slight mishap with bike tipping over while I was in the market - I had left it on an ever so slight incline on the side stand - came out and it was down, a rather dubious street person claimed it was blown over (unlikely) but the slight grade could have meant it rolled - the dealer suggested a rubber band on the handle bar or a Velcro strip of some sort to rig an effective parking brake - anyone tried this yet?

[Mogan David]

fix up a strap like they use for the Quick Stand:
www.motorcycleradar.com/q...and.htm#ao (http://www.motorcycleradar.com/quick_stand.htm#ao)
The Velcro needs to go through a metal ring and then back over onto intself.

[ScudaMax]

Good idea. Bicycle shops sell little velco straps like that as pump straps for securing frame pumps to the bicycle.

[Gnome]

On the web a few month ago I saw a possable solution to your parking brake question. Only problem I can't remember where I saw it, and can't find it. I will keep looking. It was a chrome lock that fits around the Hand Grip and clamps the brake lever closed. It is meant as a antitheif device and a padlock locks it into place so the brake is locked. Theory being if the front brake is locked someone can,t roll away the bike. Similar to a brake disk lock but easyer to remember to take off. I remember think it would be easy to get around it by either cutting the brake line or using bolt cutters to cut the lever since most are made from very light metal. But it would work as a parking brake, and with the integrated brakes on the Atlantic it would lock both. Now if I could only remember where I saw it.

[jlb43]

I carry a small hard rubber wheel chock with me and when I park where I feel the bike might roll I simply put the wheel chock under the rear wheel on the downhill side. Try it for yourself. I cannot move the bike over the wheel chock without really trying. No way it will roll on its own.

[Gnome]

Earlier I posted about a lever lock that could double as a parking brake. I thought I remembered seeing them at the european cycle site. They are a dealer in the LA area Italian sport bikes and scooters. I sent them an e-mail and David there responded today. He says it is part number Lock 448-350 with a cost of $49.95. it locks the lever to the throttle. Of course In the case of the Atlantic you could lock the one front brake and throttle or both brakes if used on the left side. I asked if he could point me to a photo. The web site for european cycle is www.europeancycle.com (http://www.europeancycle.com) Their phone number is 714-530-2711 or fax 714-530-7858. I have never used or needed a parking brake but this might do and give a small bit of security as well.