Originally Posted by
cyccommute
There is more involved in knowing how to use the brakes than pulling the lever. Therein lies the problem with most brake issues. People think that all you have to do is "pull the lever". But effective braking involves weight shifts, when to use them, how much pressure to apply, awareness of surface conditions, etc. From what you say, I think you understand more about braking and the subtleties involved than most people do. But most people don't know all that much about how to effectively stop a bike in all conditions...hint: it's not simply pulling the levers.
I don't disagree but most all brakes are well designed. They just may not be adjusted properly but most all of them are well designed.
I guess in my mind things like weight shifts, balancing between the use of the front vs. rear brake etc. are all a given. But I started out as a BMX kid doing trick riding where the finessing of brakes is essential for everything, and what a difference good brakes makes.
And I have to disagree that all brakes are well designed - some are mushy, some seem to have too much friction in the mechanisms, some are too sensitive, some unresponsive, some are crunchy ...and then there are those that can really be finessed. But admittedly this has as much to do with install and maintenance as the brakes themselves.