The other thing is that if the bike (or brake pads or rotors) is new, you want to bed the brakes in first. The way I do this is just pedal as hard as I can on a level surface with either the front or the rear brake applied for a few 100 feet. You will feel them transition fairly quickly. It is a good idea to get a feel for each brake applied separately on level ground under safe conditions before you set out on your first major outing.