fw5zTPmU2K8X

I have seen the advice in a bunch of places to swap your brake levers: put the rear brake on the left-hand lever so you can better modulate your braking coming into a dismount. This is actually the opposite of what I do: for road riding and commuting, I want the front brake under my (stronger, more coordinated) right hand; only in cross do I want to keep the front brake under my left hand so I can keep using it as I'm dismounting.

Am I missing something? Is there a compelling reason to prefer the rear brake when coming into a dismount rather than the front? This is only my first year of cross, so I'm definitely still learning, but so far, I still use the front brake almost exclusively. In conditions sloppy enough that the rear brake might be preferable, I'm generally already going slowly enough that I don't need to hit the brake at all....

flargle

It's an old-timey concept (like stepping through on dismounts, or "sizing down" the frame) that has no basis in logic. Most of the braking going into a set of barriers happens when both hands are still on the bars, and that last bit of braking works fine on the front brake.
https://www.leelikesbikes.com/running...oto-style.html

Andy_K 

The problem with using the front brake while dismounting is that you run the risk of having the back of the bike pop up unexpectedly. This can be good in some circumstances, but it's easy to lose control of.

As for using the front brake almost exclusively, that's fine as long as you're going straight. If you use the front brake while turning, you'll find yourself needing to slow down even more to make the turn. Obviously you should scrub all the speed you need to before you start turning, but if you absolutely must brake in a turn, it has to be with the rear brake.

UBUvelo

i'm one of those that has the rear wheel reversed for traction...i think it makes a real difference.

i also like having the back wheel pop up at barriers...i brake it hard so it pops up and i easily hoist it on the shoulder...a no brainer

campyman099

Why are you shouldering the bike through the barriers, that's quite a bit of wasted energy?

UBUvelo

i didn't really clarify what i was saying....small barriers, i just hop off, pick up (no brakes at all on barriers....or if i was sven nys like last year, just hop 'em)..

the brake-n-hoist is for runups (a barrier...) and when ya just gotta run and carry it and waste energy in small blocks`~~~~~!

but the fast approach, then hard-front-braking makes it an easier lift. it's there. on the shoulder. keep moving! drop, hop on, churn...