Road Cycling - Braking technique?

I'm a quasi-newbie - after a couple decade layoff, I got back into cycling this summer (thanks to my wife, the triathlete). Been having a great time.

One thing that came as a bit of a surprise to me, though, on reading a bit is that it's recommended to use the front brake only (other than in exceptional circumstances). Previously, I'd primarily used my rear brake a lot (this may have had to do with going over my handlebars in traffic once many moons ago). So I've started trying this recently, but I was going down a hill in traffic at a pretty brisk pace yesterday and was feeling a little spooked about this. Hard to argue with the physics, but...

Does everyone use this "front brake" technique?

-Jim

I haven't touched my rear brake in about a month. No joke.

You're supposed to apply rear braking just short of the point of the rear wheel skidding, although you're right in tacitly stating that the front brake does the majority of the work. Using the front brake only *will* land you on your head one day--as you discovered in days past.

I don't think I've ever heard of using the front brake exclusively, although I try to use it in the majority. It really does help control speed better. I'm not sure I could get used to full frontal braking.

Using the front brake as your primary brake is recommended because as you decelerate from braking, the rear wheel becomes more and more unloaded-- this occurs regardless of if you brake front, back or both.

If you just use the rear brake, the rear wheel will eventually skid and become useless. The best deceleration you can get using just the rear wheel is just before your rear wheel skids.

The front wheel, on the other hand, becomes more and more loaded as one brakes. It does not skid. The effective limit of deceleration you can get with a front wheel is just as the rear wheel lifts off the ground. This happens at a greater deceleration than when the rear wheel simply skids.

Of course if you brake the front wheel too hard, you'll be thrown, but if you are panic braking that hard you are probably going to hit something anyway.

There are other situations, of course, like steep downhills, where it is better to use the rear brake more.

Here is where I was reading about it:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

-Jim

I use both with more pressure on the front. The only time I only use rear is when doing something with my left hand (like getting my water bottle) which lets me reach only my right brake, the rear one. Or visa versa.

I agree with Sheldon's article. Using the rear brake "just until you lose traction" is a good way to lose traction a little bit sooner. So not only it becomes more complex to try to modulate 2 brakes, but you end up taking longer to brake.

Here are a few situations when it's good to use the rear brake:

1. On ice, sand, oil or wet steel, when you can't brake at full power.

2. When riding downhill, it's good to alternate between both brakes so you doN't overheat the rims. In that situation, you are slowing down, not stopping.

Its LOSE.

I really don't understand why people write loose in place of lose. Personal beef of mine.

Its LOSE.

I really don't understand why people write loose in place of lose. Personal beef of mine.

It's "it's" when you mean it is. (But not "it's" to show possesion.) And what's with all the apostrophes in plural words these days?

Personal beef of mine. :D

ZIIING
lol!

Its LOSE.

I really don't understand why people write loose in place of lose. Personal beef of mine.


G'day,

....well i'm glad to hear you don't loose it about this subject!.

Its LOSE.

I really don't understand why people write loose in place of lose. Personal beef of mine.
Hmmm mmmmm. Personal beef -- nice as a roast with a bit of rosemary, a few roast potatoes and plenty of gravy.


Maybe Michel had an off moment between his French and English. I've never had reason to quibble with his expession on the many other forums and lists to which he posts.

Hmmm mmmmm. Personal beef -- nice as a roast with a bit of rosemary, a few roast potatoes and plenty of gravy.


Maybe Michel had an off moment between his French and English. I've never had reason to quibble with his expession on the many other forums and lists to which he posts.


........I'm tipping Michel's English is better than operator's french!

One thing you should also think about. Under hard braking conditions, move your weight back.

I know that when I think about it, MM - it's just not instinctual yet :(

Good point, though.

-JIm

Sheldon's article seems correct in circumstances where more extreme braking is required, such as stopping quickly while bombing a hill or if the guy in front of you has a sudden emergency. But under more normal circumstances, such as a planned stop at a stop sign, I'd rather distribute the braking to both brakes, to distribute wear and tear more evenly front and back (pads, rims, etc.).

...Under more normal circumstances, such as a planned stop at a stop sign, I'd rather distribute the braking to both brakes, to distribute wear and tear more evenly front and back.

That's one point. But the counter-argument is that if you practice using the front brake only, it becomes second nature. You will already be prepared for the way your front brake takes effect and you won't panic/overbrake in an emergency.

Another aspect I could also add: if you ride a bike without hub generator (like most people) and don't build your wheels (like most people), replacing a front wheel is fairly cheap. So it's better to wear the front rim and get a new front wheel when necessary.

i use the back brake for all casual stopping needs, both brakes for emergencies. i don't know why, but i feel much more in control pulling on the brake with my right hand. i also "feather" the back brake when i'm in a paceline to slow down a bit, it seems less grabby than the front.

I use both about evenly. I used to use just the front, then I got these terrible brake pads on the front (shimano 7700s, product # RC55 HC) and they would make this horrible sound when the rims got hot. it wasn't a squeal, it was more like a harsh nails on the chalkboard, metal on metal hissing sound. I discovered it was rim getting shredded, with lots of nice aluminum shards being imbedded in the pad. I picked out all of the shards, and reinstalled them. I'm not sure what I was thinking. The hissing started again after 10 seconds of braking. I got rid of them for kool stops recently, but I've been trained not to use the front brake too much. plus, I find that the koolstops have a lot of initial bite to them. the back seems to modulate better.

I tend to use both pretty heavily, leaning more towards the front if I had to pick one. You wont go over the bars so long as you learn how to throw your butt back and lock or tighten your arms. You go over the bars when all your weight goes forwards, either because your butt (and center of gravity) was too far forward to start with or because you werent expecting the sudden stop causing your arms to buckle and your butt to subsequently slide forward.

Try mountain biking if you really want to learn about how to work brakes :)

Here are a few situations when it's good to use the rear brake:

1. On ice, sand, oil or wet steel, when you can't brake at full power.

2. When riding downhill, it's good to alternate between both brakes so you doN't overheat the rims. In that situation, you are slowing down, not stopping.

Also, turning is another time you should lay off the front brake.

One thing that came as a bit of a surprise to me, though, on reading a bit is that it's recommended to use the front brake only

You should use BOTH brakes. Of course, the front has more braking power. But, if you don't use the rear, you are limiting yourself to 60 - 70 % of your total braking power. Braking should be a balanced operation. It you really want to get hurt, a front wheel wash out will get it done quick.


Try mountain biking if you really want to learn about how to work brakes

I totally agree with this one. Snatch a handful of front only on a MTB and you will get a good closeup look at the dirt.

It's "it's" when you mean it is. (But not "it's" to show possesion.) And what's with all the apostrophes in plural words these days?

Personal beef of mine. :D

Touché

You should use BOTH brakes. Of course, the front has more braking power. But, if you don't use the rear, you are limiting yourself to 60 - 70 % of your total braking power. Braking should be a balanced operation. It you really want to get hurt, a front wheel wash out will get it done quick.



I totally agree with this one. Snatch a handful of front only on a MTB and you will get a good closeup look at the dirt.

its not just mountain biking, if you only use the front brake on a road bike, you could go over a slipperly spot and the front tire will go out from under you so fast you won't even know what why you're on the ground...and on fast decends, its best to distribute the weight as best as possible. if there is loose sand, wet spot, manhole cover, grating, candy wrapper, loose change on the road, it doesn't take much! Use both brakes! I've been in emergency conditions when I've had to stop quick, it at that point you just do it and pray!

You should use BOTH brakes. Of course, the front has more braking power. But, if you don't use the rear, you are limiting yourself to 60 - 70 % of your total braking power. Braking should be a balanced operation. It you really want to get hurt, a front wheel wash out will get it done quick.


Did you read Sheldon's article? According to his reasoning, the above statement about 60-70% is false. He points out that peak front-braking power is achieved at the moment just before the rear wheel lifts off the ground (i.e. you want to stop as quickly as possible without endo-ing). At that hypothetical moment, the rear wheel will immediately skid with the slightest rear braking force, and therefore applying the rear brakes will be useless (because at the moment when the wheel unweights, it no longer contacts the ground enough to have any friction with the ground).

If you read the article, it is comparing using the front brake ALONE vs. using the rear brake ALONE. He does not discuss using both brakes in a balanced manner accompanied by proper weight shifting. Which is much better than the front brake alone. So, I guess I am not disagreeing with his article. There is just a much better way than one brake at a time for a rapid stop.

The reality for maximum braking for a wheel is the point just before the tire skids. So, on a two wheeled machine the maximum braking power is just before both tires are skidding with neither tire doing so. And note that this will be achived with your weight shifted back, lots of front brake and a moderate amount of rear. Doing this, you will not go over the handlebars.

Read the beginning of his article :

from http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html
Maximum Deceleration--Panic Stops

The fastest that you can stop any bike of normal wheelbase is to apply the front brake so hard that the rear wheel is just about to lift off the ground. In this situation, the rear brake cannot contribute to stopping power, since it has no traction.


"The rear brake cannot contribute to stopping power..." IOW, the rear brake isn't useful anymore at that point. If you shift your weight back, you increase a bit the maximum possible decelleration before the rear wheel lifts up.

Now if you ride a tandem, a triplet or... with an adult stoker, you have a longer bike that will slide instead of flip. The rear brake gets some usefulness. OTOH, if you have a child stoker or no stoker at all, the rear brake has almost no use.

dont convolute real world applicability of conceptual physics

want to slow down? grab both brakes ... not that complex

I try not to stop, red light, stop sign, or dismount. I do slow down in traffic.

I use the left brake more often, but also the right, to just slow down.

It is nice to be sure that both brakes are working.

Panic stops may mean some one is not paying attention.

I generally apply my back break, then pump the front a bit to take the speed down to a finer degree. The point about using the front brake more because the wheel is easier to replace is a great point though.

Until the rear wheel locks, the back end comes sliding around, and you snap over the highside if you're not ready for it...seen it happen. Bent a rim on the back of Alpe d' Huez braking down from 45 into a hairpin doing just that (didn't crash, but scared the heck out of two old ladies sitting on a bench in the corner).

Real world applicability.
thankfully, brakes can be modulated. if you are turning hard and slam the brakes, or if the brakes are locked and you attempt to learn and turn... then you might wipe out. you should brake before turning , anyways. if you are going perfectly straight, and happen to lock the rear, it should still be easily controllable. maybe its not as intuitive to others as it is to me. :shrug:
i put a ton of miles in my world, and have done a ton of 50+mph descents.

i think biloki had a blowout in the rear -- it wasnt a braking-induced wreck :D

i trail brake... and brake mid turn on a bike... its a lot more manageable and more lenient on a bike than in a 2500lb car carrying lots of momentum

Read the beginning of his article :

from http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html
Maximum Deceleration--Panic Stops

The fastest that you can stop any bike of normal wheelbase is to apply the front brake so hard that the rear wheel is just about to lift off the ground. In this situation, the rear brake cannot contribute to stopping power, since it has no traction.


"The rear brake cannot contribute to stopping power..." IOW, the rear brake isn't useful anymore at that point. If you shift your weight back, you increase a bit the maximum possible decelleration before the rear wheel lifts up.



Exactly. Leaning back just increases how fast you can stop (i.e. the magnitude of your deceleration) before your back tire unweights completely. This does not change the fact that at maximum deceleration, the back brake is useless. With all due respect to Avalanche, physics refutes his statement about 60-70%.

(Note: This analysis also assumes no front wheel skidding, which is a realistic assumption for good tires on dry asphalt during a straight-line deceleration.)

i use the back brake for all casual stopping needs, both brakes for emergencies. i don't know why, but i feel much more in control pulling on the brake with my right hand. i also "feather" the back brake when i'm in a paceline to slow down a bit, it seems less grabby than the front.

I solved that problem by swapping the cables. My right lever controls my front brake.
Why? Motorcycle riding/racing for 9 years. It is much easier to have the same mechanical
set up on my bicycle as my bike as well.

I modulate both brakes, but put more emphasis on the front. Locking and sliding
is a matter of control and degree of comfort, every rider is different. Locking the rear
is not always the worst thing, if you can do it gradually and you can maintain control.
Although it does nothing for tire wear!

Also, you can, not that it is common, but you can lock the front wheel/tire under hard braking.
It depends on brake pad compound, a riders braking style the road surface condition/traction, and tire compound.
But you can lock it before it throws you over. It is more prevelant in cooler
or cold weather where traction is not great.

Braking is learned technique like every other aspect of riding/racing.
It takes practice and 'feel'
to brake effectively and safely, you just don't grab a handful!
There is a proper or correct or effective way of braking,
it can mean getting in and out of a corner quicker, scrubbing off as little speed as possible,
or it can be the difference of avoiding a crash, or saving your life.

Oh yea, I forgot to mention I trail brake as well. You can trail all the way through a turn
it allows you to run deeper into the corner, but there is a limit.
Leaned over too much too fast may force the front tire to give up...
But again, its experience, control and feel.

Oh yea, I forgot to mention I trail brake as well. You can trail all the way through a turn
it allows you to run deeper into the corner, but there is a limit.
Leaned over too much too fast may force the front tire to give up...
But again, its experience, control and feel.

You trail brake on a bicycle? Wow. I feel pretty comfortable doing it in a car (obviously), but have no idea how you motorcycle guys do it. Nothing but respect here...

Anyway, back to bicycles, I've never gone fast enought to have to brake before turns. Not too many winding, steep roads where I live.

Anyone happen to know what kind of G's one can pull on a road bike?

Anyone happen to know what kind of G's one can pull on a road bike?
I don't know but this guy must be turning a 54-10. He's also wearing the new Giro helmet for '05.
http://www.dciem.dnd.ca/publications/factsheets/images/f04_gcapture.jpg

Eventually, you will learn, it just takes experience.
If I hadn't been riding motorcycles, there is no way as a new cyclist I would
be able to trail-brake. So, don't worry, you will get the hang of it.
Practice on very small descents at low speed is the best.