Old 12-02-08, 11:11 PM
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tjspiel
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Originally Posted by jakewalczak
I am still a bit new to the technical terminology of bikes- What are the lugs? Are those the treads?

I understand the importance of a front brake when braking while heading straight, but while turning; always equals disaster for me. Maybe there is a trick? I never seem to have a problem with braking with my rear brake. When I have both attached- I always find myself only using the rear- which is why I have to replace my rear pads more than the front. I have never found a need for a front brake.

As for the front derailleur/ grip shifter. My cable blew out and instead of replacing the cable, I just decided to cut it off. Now I have less wiring, less metal and less "clutter". I think it looks better and I never need to shift the front gears on the fly. I just manually select the gear if I know what type of riding I will be doing. It is actually pretty awesome. I like it better than having a single front ring because I am not limited to a single ratio. I can switch depending on my urgency and how fast I will want to be able to go.

Thanks!
There are times in the winter when your rear wheel alone won't have enough traction to slow you down or stop you. Yes you need to be careful with the front brake while turning on slippery surfaces. Don't lock up the wheel. Squeeze lightly, release, and repeat as necessary. It's best to take turns slow under those circumstances anyway. I tend to use both brakes.

Studded tires will help on ice and packed snow but they're spendy. Lowering your tire pressure as much as you dare will help a lot in loose snow. Makes it harder to pedal on bare pavement though.
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