What Brake Cords Are Needed for a Gyro Braking System?

Also called a detangler, the BMX gyro is designed to allow the front fork to spin around completely without tangling up the bike's brake cables. This is desirable for BMX riders as it allows them to do bar spins easily. Unfortunately, this makes the braking system a bit more complicated, as it requires a few specific brake cables in order to function properly.

  1. The Front Brake

    • The front brake on a gyro system requires only the standard brake cable. The only difference is that the cable must be mounted through a hollow nut in the headset, allowing the front of the bike to spin around the cable and not tangle it up. This special bolt is called a "star fangled nut."

    Rear Brake: Brake Lever to Gyro

    • To connect the brake lever to the gyro, you need a special cable that splits into two shortly after the connection to the brake lever. This is necessary since the gyro requires two cables to be mounted to its top plate. These cables are usually provided with your gyro headset, or available from your bike manufacturer of choice.

    Rear Brake: Gyro to Brake Caliper

    • The cable that connect the gyro to the brake caliper (the device that clamps the brake pads onto the wheel when braking) varies depending on the gyro design. Some have the two cables that emanate from the gyro combine into one that attaches to the brake caliper. Others have the two cables both attach directly to the caliper. If you are unsure which type of cable you need, ask your local bicycle retailer for advice.