Tips for learning how to stop on a fixed gear more efficiently?
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puppy mangler
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Tips for learning how to stop on a fixed gear more efficiently?
I recently got in to an accident after a car braked right in front of me because he was trying to get on the freeway and two from our group passed him to his right. I was right behind, and ate it big time.
I only have front brakes on my kilo tt. I know you are supposed to try to apply pressure using your legs to slow the back wheels, but often times I find it very difficult.
On downhills, I usually pump my front brakes so I don't go too fast and so I don't flip over the handlebars if I use the front brakes too hard.
Any tips on ways to stop faster, exercises to stop faster etc.
I am considering adding back brakes...
I only have front brakes on my kilo tt. I know you are supposed to try to apply pressure using your legs to slow the back wheels, but often times I find it very difficult.
On downhills, I usually pump my front brakes so I don't go too fast and so I don't flip over the handlebars if I use the front brakes too hard.
Any tips on ways to stop faster, exercises to stop faster etc.
I am considering adding back brakes...
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Rear wheel braking is only valuable for:
a) basic redundancy
b) poor traction situations (snow, ice, gravel, etc.)
c) cornering near the limits of traction
d) reducing wear and heat on the front brake surfaces and pads
#4
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
At my shop I run into so many people who do not use their front brake because they have a fear of going over the bars when they should be more afraid of being unable to stop fast enough to avoid a collision.
I can tell they don't use their front brakes because they often have little to no wear while the rear brakes often need replacement.
A decent front brake will give you all the stopping power you will ever need if it is applied properly.
When you brake hard you need to shift your weight back as far as possible to keep the rear wheel in contact with the road and push against the bars to resist what can be nearly 1 g in braking force.... when the rear wheel starts to lift or skid you will know you have reached your maximum braking capacity and may have to modulate the brake a little.
This is something one needs to practice at every stop until it becomes reflex... and soft braking becomes more of a conscious effort.
Basically...once you have good technique, turn every stop into a panic stop.
Repeat this a few thousand times until you can stop the bike on a dime and get 5 cents change without thinking about it.
My youngest daughter (she's 9) does this all the time and I actually had to upgrade the brakes on her little 20 inch mtb to Avid V's with Kool stops because she can hit 35 kmh and needed far better braking power.
When I call "Stop" the girls know this is a right now affair becuase there may be some danger they can't see so they really hammer those brakes... and we practice this alot.
My youngest will use her brakes to modulate her speed when we are riding but when we hit a light or an intersection she hammers on the front brake... not the rear.
My oldest daughter has been taught the same thing and because they ride more upright bicycles with a set back position and higher bars going otb is not much of a risk.
Their front brakes are going to wear out long before the rear ones do.
I can tell they don't use their front brakes because they often have little to no wear while the rear brakes often need replacement.
A decent front brake will give you all the stopping power you will ever need if it is applied properly.
When you brake hard you need to shift your weight back as far as possible to keep the rear wheel in contact with the road and push against the bars to resist what can be nearly 1 g in braking force.... when the rear wheel starts to lift or skid you will know you have reached your maximum braking capacity and may have to modulate the brake a little.
This is something one needs to practice at every stop until it becomes reflex... and soft braking becomes more of a conscious effort.
Basically...once you have good technique, turn every stop into a panic stop.
Repeat this a few thousand times until you can stop the bike on a dime and get 5 cents change without thinking about it.
My youngest daughter (she's 9) does this all the time and I actually had to upgrade the brakes on her little 20 inch mtb to Avid V's with Kool stops because she can hit 35 kmh and needed far better braking power.
When I call "Stop" the girls know this is a right now affair becuase there may be some danger they can't see so they really hammer those brakes... and we practice this alot.
My youngest will use her brakes to modulate her speed when we are riding but when we hit a light or an intersection she hammers on the front brake... not the rear.
My oldest daughter has been taught the same thing and because they ride more upright bicycles with a set back position and higher bars going otb is not much of a risk.
Their front brakes are going to wear out long before the rear ones do.
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I wouldn't recommend braking by back-pedaling, except at a low speed (maybe up to ~10m/h or so max), which is also the reason riding brakeless is so stupid in my opinion.
#7
on Baby Charlie Concept~
whole can of worms~
i know riding brakeless puts me in a totally concentrated state of mind about my speed, surroundings, cars passing by, when to slow down...
i feel like having a brake allows you to neglect that state of mind so you just mash and mash and mash and hope that your brakes will save you when and if an accident occurs but it might be too late because you're going too fast~
i say learn to ride more consciously.
all this or im just talking out of my ass. <3
i know riding brakeless puts me in a totally concentrated state of mind about my speed, surroundings, cars passing by, when to slow down...
i feel like having a brake allows you to neglect that state of mind so you just mash and mash and mash and hope that your brakes will save you when and if an accident occurs but it might be too late because you're going too fast~
i say learn to ride more consciously.
all this or im just talking out of my ass. <3
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I recently got in to an accident after a car braked right in front of me because he was trying to get on the freeway and two from our group passed him to his right. I was right behind, and ate it big time.
The best idea is to learn to predict when car would suddenly slow down. Cross-sections, ramps, etc. (in my case, right after cross-sections.) So you are already slow enough to stop with ease if that happen. Yep, when you are "ready" to stop, you can stop. (kinda dumb I know, but it is very true)
But that doesn't mean you shouldn't practice hard-stopping and the other jibba-jabba.
This post doesn't mean I don't get into trouble anymore. In fact, I nearly slammed into a taxi last week. I had to stop so suddenly, my rear tire lifted up scary high. (I need to learn to brake better myself.)
Last edited by Tomo_Ishi; 09-12-09 at 03:08 AM.
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whole can of worms~
i know riding brakeless puts me in a totally concentrated state of mind about my speed, surroundings, cars passing by, when to slow down...
i feel like having a brake allows you to neglect that state of mind so you just mash and mash and mash and hope that your brakes will save you when and if an accident occurs but it might be too late because you're going too fast~
all this or im just talking out of my ass. <3
i know riding brakeless puts me in a totally concentrated state of mind about my speed, surroundings, cars passing by, when to slow down...
i feel like having a brake allows you to neglect that state of mind so you just mash and mash and mash and hope that your brakes will save you when and if an accident occurs but it might be too late because you're going too fast~
all this or im just talking out of my ass. <3
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whole can of worms~
i know riding brakeless puts me in a totally concentrated state of mind about my speed, surroundings, cars passing by, when to slow down...
i feel like having a brake allows you to neglect that state of mind so you just mash and mash and mash and hope that your brakes will save you when and if an accident occurs but it might be too late because you're going too fast~
i say learn to ride more consciously.
all this or im just talking out of my ass. <3
i know riding brakeless puts me in a totally concentrated state of mind about my speed, surroundings, cars passing by, when to slow down...
i feel like having a brake allows you to neglect that state of mind so you just mash and mash and mash and hope that your brakes will save you when and if an accident occurs but it might be too late because you're going too fast~
i say learn to ride more consciously.
all this or im just talking out of my ass. <3
The individual is asking about brakes. He/she is not asking about how to improve their "consciousness" through taking on unnecessary and unintelligent risk.
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OP wouldn't have crashed if he was considering his outs. a car can stop closer than a bike, don't tailgate. if you're gonna tailgate, think about where you're gonna go to avoid a crash. when the car stops, you already know where you're gonna go.
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Um, I understand English just fine, thanks.
And yes, there's no way he's as fast without brakes as I'm with brake, regardless of how "conscious" he is (lol btw, do you think I ride with my eyes closed?)
And yes, there's no way he's as fast without brakes as I'm with brake, regardless of how "conscious" he is (lol btw, do you think I ride with my eyes closed?)
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I'd say that comment has a good degree of wisdom to it. That is; take note of your environment, be aware, make allowances, check what people & traffic are doing. Yes, all of the things you should be doing anyway (fixed or not) but more so!
It's kind of the reverse of 'the best defence is a good offence'; the most efficient braking is trying to make sure you don't have to! Other than that, practice hard braking on the front brake and learn its limits.
It's kind of the reverse of 'the best defence is a good offence'; the most efficient braking is trying to make sure you don't have to! Other than that, practice hard braking on the front brake and learn its limits.
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I'd say that comment has a good degree of wisdom to it. That is; take note of your environment, be aware, make allowances, check what people & traffic are doing. Yes, all of the things you should be doing anyway (fixed or not) but more so!
It's kind of the reverse of 'the best defence is a good offence'; the most efficient braking is trying to make sure you don't have to! Other than that, practice hard braking on the front brake and learn its limits.
It's kind of the reverse of 'the best defence is a good offence'; the most efficient braking is trying to make sure you don't have to! Other than that, practice hard braking on the front brake and learn its limits.
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I wasn't tailgating btw. There was no bike lane on this street, so I was on the free way on ramp lane, to the left as possible. The car was on the lane nearest to the freeway on ramp lane. He switched lanes without signaling, but had to stop in the middle because two bikers rode to his right to pass him. I was just behind him when it happened. I don't think I ran in to him come to think about it, I think I tried to swerve out of the way and I lost control.
I guess I had a number of options, but all the ones I could think of involved me on the ground.
I guess I had a number of options, but all the ones I could think of involved me on the ground.
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Some times accidents are unavoidable.
Your two friends made it around him but in the process made the driver panic and stop. Don't be on the left side of the road when your on a freeway on ramp and cars are merging left, you put your self in a bad spot to begin with. Never rely on other people to signal.
Plan for the worst and hope for the best. It has never failed me.
Your two friends made it around him but in the process made the driver panic and stop. Don't be on the left side of the road when your on a freeway on ramp and cars are merging left, you put your self in a bad spot to begin with. Never rely on other people to signal.
Plan for the worst and hope for the best. It has never failed me.
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When you brake hard you need to shift your weight back as far as possible to keep the rear wheel in contact with the road and push against the bars to resist what can be nearly 1 g in braking force.... when the rear wheel starts to lift or skid you will know you have reached your maximum braking capacity and may have to modulate the brake a little.
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When you brake hard you need to shift your weight back as far as possible to keep the rear wheel in contact with the road and push against the bars to resist what can be nearly 1 g in braking force.... when the rear wheel starts to lift or skid you will know you have reached your maximum braking capacity and may have to modulate the brake a little.
On my non-fixed off road bikes and motos, I use the rear brake to slide into turns... it's a faster way of getting through some stuff.
But even when we were BMX'ing back in the 80s and 90s, we still employed this. Not because anybody told us how... it just felt right. Folks would be suprised how much riding a variety of bikes helps in bike handling skills.
You are right, though. On a fixed gear with a front brake, you can stop ON A DIME.
Last edited by Dion Rides; 09-12-09 at 10:38 AM.
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That's a hell of a frightening picture, it's bonechilling.
I'm relatively new to riding fixed, and have had to do some quick stops a few times. I ride with brakes, so should I feel the leg feedback that's being talked about? I've heard that riding fixed makes you more sensitive to exactly when your back wheel will lift up. I think I've felt this happen, but I've never actually fallen off due to a stop.
I'm relatively new to riding fixed, and have had to do some quick stops a few times. I ride with brakes, so should I feel the leg feedback that's being talked about? I've heard that riding fixed makes you more sensitive to exactly when your back wheel will lift up. I think I've felt this happen, but I've never actually fallen off due to a stop.
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And those would be the ones riding "Big Wheels®" on the sidewalk.
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Seriously, just practice. First thing you should do when you hop on a new bike, in a new car, on a new motorcycle, etc is figure out how to stop, then how to stop in a hurry. Then find the limits. Common sense before heading out into the wild.