My daughter has a Specialized Hotrock 12 with a coaster brake that she isn’t getting on with.

She was riding without stabilisers at 2 years old after coming from a balance bike but being so young she cant figure out how to set the pedals to get going on her own as it involves rotating the cranks and rolling forward (simple for us adults to understand). When they are in the correct position for her she is fine but she get frustrated and I have to give her a push which I don’t mind at all. I don’t think that the slow pick-up of the hub helps. its seems like it takes about 90 degrees sometimes before it picks up. She is fine just using the front brake to stop but ill fit a calliper rear to get her used to having two brakes.

So does anyone know if there is a way of disabling the specialized coaster brake? I cant find a definitive answer on the web only info on other types of hubs. I have also read conflicting info about removing the torque arm or the internal brake pads or methods involving adding washers but then read about hubs unscrewing themselves which doesn’t sound good.

I haven’t taken the hub apart yet and had a look how it works as she uses the bike most days and I don’t want her to be without it.

Thanks

Andy

She loves the bike and doesn’t want an Islabike before anyone suggests it.

My daughter has the same bike (in pink of course), I’ve looked at this in the past, I think all you need to do is remove the reaction arm on the NDS, but I’ve not taken it apart to try ,but that’s all it would take to disable the coaster brake.

The other option might just be to change the rear wheel:

Might this do the job?

Need to check spacings really.

My boy has a Hot Rock too and had the exact same problem. I gave him a helping hand to set off but then eventually he got used to it and now quite enjoys the ease at which he can skid the back wheel using his coaster brake 🙂

Had the same issue with my daughter.

Sold the bike and bought a Islabike instead.

From what I have read just removing the reaction arm can cause the axle to rotate in the drop-outs. Not sure if this would happen with the forces applied by a kid but I don’t want to do anything that may end up causing a failure.

I was thinking of a sourcing a new wheel but would prefer to keep the original if possible. A local shop has a pair of white mag wheels for £20 that I may look at if I cant disable it.

I’m now thinking a new rear wheel might be the way to go myself, she’s muddled on with the Coaster hub for over a year but it is a bit shit and draggy and she just uses the the front brake 95% of the time…

As for keeping it all “Original spec”, her younger sister will probably inherit so actually having the bike useable when she’e big enough makes sense, and I can always keep the coaster wheel if I ever want to flog it on in the original configuration (although I doubt anyone would want it like that TBH).

A second caliper for the rear might be a good idea, I might have a reasonable one in the spares box actually, while I’m at it I might see if I can find some levers better suited to little hands too.

Actually changing it to take screw on FW might be a good thing anyway as I think a slightly easier gear might suit her better as well, so I could change the gearing at the same time.

That’s it, I’m re-building my daughter’s bike!

I’ve managed to stop the coaster brake working on my son’s hotrock by stripping and servicing it and obviously not putting it back together quite right or using too much or too little grease or something. It was a messy job so not keen to sort it out and to be honest I’d rather he just be used to using brake levers. The bike is really light but the back wheel weighs a tonne so I’d be tempted to swap it for a normal light wheel and just have the front brake

I thought of stripping the coaster brake on my sons hotrock 12. He was struggling to peddle after moving on from the balance bike. I spent a couple of hours in a field pushing him and encouraging him to use the pedals and he soon got the hang. There were times I could see he was accidentally breaking, but he got the knack not long after.
He was soon doing massive broadies and laying rubber down the preschool carpark 🙂
His Hotrock 16 also has coaster, which I’m fine with, its a much more powerful brake for their little hands. Obviously not good for jumps though! His 20″ bike wont have a coaster.

Just ordered this and this (in 18T) Standard gearing on the Hotrock 12 is 26-16 so I’ll be making it a shade easier for her…

I shall attempt to change the drivetrain and wheel on her bike and report back on my success or failure…

I took the arm off my sons Hotrock 12, did the job fine.
In the end i replaced the wheel as its a heavy bugger.

Only downside is the front brake is utter rubbish and despite upgrades i could never get it right and my lad lost a lot of confidence in riding.

Back on v brakes now and loving it, i’ll likely sell the Spesh rather than give it to my 2 year old an get something else.

Shame, its a nice bike.