What is the proper breaking procedure? I rely on my rear brake about 95% of the time. It seems most natural to me, but I have read where using the front brake as the primary stopping brake.

signed: confused

I agree with what you have read. Due to weight transfer (forward) under braking, your front brake is most effective, be it on a bicycle, motorcycle, automobile, etc.

Rick / OCRR

You're asking about breaking stuff or about bringing your bike to a stop with your brakes?

OK. You don't use both brakes at the same time?
Squeezing both levers is the most common procedure.
Weight transfer with slowing generally causes the front brake to do more of the work than the rear.
What is your technique?

Sheldon Brown recommended that bikes have no rear brakes - err breaks.

(At least I think I read that somewhere)

Good catch JannMM, I was referring to brakes on the bike but I broken a few things around the house. Well perhaps more that a few things.

As a rule I just brake with the rear break, but on occasions I use both.

Stopping power - front 75% rear the rest.

95 percent of the time I squeeze both brake levers.

That is not true. In fact, Sheldon "Redundancy" Brown thought even fixed-gear bikes should have rear brakes. What he did say is that the front brake is the primary and should be controlled by one's dominant hand, which is not the way America's right-handed majority ride. He also pointed out that if you are using both brakes together and begin a rear wheel skid, you should take this as your signal to ease up on the front brake, because your rear wheel is about to lift off the ground.

On dry, level pavement I use the front brake almost exclusively. To check speed on a long descent, I use the rear brake exclusively to avoid overheating the front rim. When stopping on a downhill run, particularly a steep one, or any time on wet or otherwise slippery pavement, I use both brakes together.

The most effective way to stop is by using your front brake and your front brake can provide maximum stopping power on it's own... this is really important during panic stops as you can cut your stopping distance in half.

To do this you need braking technique that has been developed to the point of being reflex as when you hammer the front brake you also need to shift your weight back (but this does vary by the rider and the bike) and know when to back off / modulate that braking as to not go otb.

Rear brakes are best suited for modulating speed and are especially important when the road surfaces are slippery as using, or mis-using a front brake under these conditions can be disastrous.

OK - John E - 95%

Here is what he said, calling himself, "Sheldon 'Front Brake' Brown"

by Sheldon "Front Brake" Brown

https://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

Braking--Front, Rear or Both?


Since your bike has two brakes, one for each hand, if you want to stop as safely as possible, you need to pay attention to how you use each of them.




Conventional Wisdom


Conventional wisdom says to use both brakes at the same time. This is probably good advice for beginners, who have not yet learned to use their brakes skillfully, but if you don't graduate past this stage, you will never be able to stop as short safely as a cyclist who has learned to use the front brake by itself.
Maximum Deceleration--Panic Stops


The fastest that you can stop any bike of normal wheelbase is to apply the front brake so hard that the rear wheel is just about to lift off the ground. In this situation, the rear brake cannot contribute to stopping power, since it has no traction.

Won't I Go Over The Bars?


The rear brake is O.K. for situations where traction is poor, or for when your front tire blows, but for stopping on dry pavement, the front brake all by itself provides the maximum stopping power, both in theory and in practice.
If you take the time to learn to use the front brake correctly, you will be a safer cyclist.
Many cyclists shy away from using the front brake, due to fear of flying over the handlebars. This does happen, but mainly to people who have not learned to modulate the front brake.
The cyclist who relies on the rear brake for general stopping can get by until an emergency arises, and, in a panic, he or she grabs the unfamiliar front brake as well as the rear, for extra stopping power. This can cause the classic "over the bars" crash.
Jobst Brandt has a quite plausible theory that the typical "over-the-bars" crash is caused, not so much by braking too hard, but by braking hard without using the rider's arms to brace against the deceleration: The bike stops, the rider keeps going until the rider's thighs bump into the handlebars, and the bike, which is no longer supporting the weight of the rider, flips.
This cannot happen when you are using only the rear brake, because as soon as the rear wheel starts to lift, there is not more braking force generated by it. Unfortunately, though, it takes twice as long to stop with the rear brake alone as with the front brake alone, so reliance on the rear brake is unsafe for cyclists who ever go fast. It is important to use your arms to brace yourself securely during hard braking, to prevent this. Indeed, good technique involves moving back on your saddle as far as you can comfortably go, to keep the center of gravity as far back as possible. This applies whether you are using the front, rear or both brakes. Using both brakes together can cause "fishtailing." If the rear wheel skids while braking force is also being applied to the front, the rear of the bike will tend to swing past the front, since the front is applying a greater decelerating force than the rear. Once the rear tire starts to skid, it can move sideways as easily as forward.
If you don't believe me, perhaps John Forester can convince you...see his Entry in the rec.bicycles FAQ on Front Brake Usage. (Unfortunately, the maintainer of that site has a habit of breaking links, so you may need to go to the rec.bicycles FAQ index to find the article.)
Learning to Use The Front Brake


Maximum braking occurs when the front brake is applied so hard that the rear wheel is just about to lift off. At that point, the slightest amount of rear brake will cause the rear wheel to skid.
If you ride a conventional bike, the best way to master the use of your front brake is to practice in a parking lot or other safe space, applying both brakes at once, but putting most of the effort into the front brake. Keep pedaling as you brake, so that your legs will tell you immediately when the rear wheel starts to skid. Practice harder and harder stops until this happens, so that you will learn the feel of stopping fast, on the edge of rear-wheel liftoff.
Some cyclists like to ride a fixed-gear bicycle, that is, a bicycle that does not permit coasting. When you brake hard with the front brake on a fixed gear, the drivetrain gives you excellent feedback about the traction situation at the rear wheel. (This is one of the reasons that fixed gears are favored for winter riding.)
If you ride a fixed gear with only a front brake, your legs will tell you exactly when you are at the maximum brake capacity of the front brake. Once your fixed gear has taught you this, you will be able to stop any bicycle better, using the front brake alone.
If you find the fixed-gear concept intriguing, I have a major article on Fixed Gears for Road Use on this site, and also a page of Fixed-Gear Testimonials from happy converts.
When to Use The Rear Brake


Skilled cyclists use the front brake alone probably 95% of the time, but there are instances when the rear brake is preferred:
Slippery surfaces. On good, dry pavement, it is generally impossible to skid the front wheel by braking. On slippery surfaces, however it is possible to do so. It is nearly impossible to recover from a front wheel skid, so if there is a high risk of skidding, you're better off controlling your speed with the rear brake.

Bumpy surfaces. On rough surfaces, your wheels may actually bounce up into the air. If there is a chance of this, don't use the front brake. If you apply the front brake while the wheel is airborne, it will stop, and coming down on a stopped front wheel is a Very Bad Thing.

Front flat. If you have tire blowout or a sudden flat on the front wheel, you should use the rear brake alone to bring yourself to a safe stop. Braking a wheel that has a deflated tire can cause the tire to come off the rim, and is likely to cause a crash.

Broken cable...or other failure of the front brake.
Long mountain descents, when your front brake hand may get tired, or you may be at risk of overheating a rim and blowing a tire. For this situation, it is best to alternate between the front and rear brake, but not to use them both at once.
When to Use Both Brakes Together


Generally I advise against using both brakes at the same time. There are exceptions, however:

If the front brake is not sufficiently powerful to lift the rear wheel, the rear brake can help, but the best thing to do is to repair the front brake.
Typical rim brakes lose a great deal of their effectiveness in rainy conditions, so using them both together can reduce stopping distances.

Long or Low bicycles, such as tandems and long-wheelbase recumbents have their front braking limited by the possiblity of skidding the front wheel, since their geometry prevents lifting the rear wheel. Such bikes can stop shortest when both brakes are applied.
Tandem caution: when riding a tandem solo (no stoker on board) the rear brake becomes virtually useless due to lack of traction. The risk of fishtailing is particularly high if a solo tandem rider uses both brakes at once. This also applies to a lesser extent if the stoker is a small child.
Which Brake Which Side?


There is considerable disagreement as to which brake should be connected to which lever:
Some cyclists say it is best to have the stronger right hand (presuming a right-handed cyclist) operate the rear brake.

Motorcycles always have the right hand control the front brake, so cyclists who are also motorcyclists often prefer this setup.
There are also observable national trends:
In countries where vehicles drive on the right, it is common to set the brakes up so that the front brake is operated by the left lever.

In countries where vehicles drive on the left, it is common to set the brakes up so that the front brake is operated by the right lever.
The theory that seems most probable to me is that these national standards arose from a concern that the cyclist be able to make hand signals, and still be able to reach the primary brake. This logical idea is, unfortunately, accompanied by the incorrect premise that the rear brake is the primary brake.
For this reason, I set my own bikes up so that the right hand controls the front brake, which is not the norm in the U.S.
I also do this because I'm right handed, and wish to have my more skillful hand operate the more critical brake.
See also my letter to Bike Culture magazine.

Panic braking: both simulataneously.
Other braking, depending on reason/situation.
Rear brake and front alternating when doing mountainous descents.
Works for single bike and tandem; less chance of over-braking the front on the tandem due to long wheelbase.
Becomes intuitive after years of riding.

I have found that steep switchbacks need the front wheel to be free to start the turn and then apply the front to bring the back tire down. But I have been falling lately. What do you do to brake on single track switchbacks?

I agree with everything Sheldon Brown says about braking. My fixed gear bike is equipped with front and rear brakes, with the right lever controlling the front brake (motorcycle style). I started using this setup when I raced cyclo-cross; you often come down hills in preparation for lifting the bike over an obstacle at the bottom of the hill by standing on the left pedal, your right leg crossed in front of the left (your entire body is on the left side of the bike), your right hand on the down tube ready to lift, and you want that left hand controlling the back brake because it's a slippery dirt trail.

I don't understand why all American factories set up the brakes with right going to the rear. The signalling reason is nonsense, because you signal with both arms. That right turn done with the bent left arm is only because it's for motorists seated next to the left window, and they can only signal with the left arm. A cyclist, on the other hand, can signal with either arm. For a right turn, a straight right arm is far clearer than the bent left arm.

Luis

I use both but favor the front. You have to remember that the front does not like to be stopping while turning though so brake before you turn and then maybe use a little rear for control but the front has done most the work before the turn.
Coming to a straight stop I use the front 95% though.

BRAKES, not breaks!!! Please.

Mainly use the front brake, except on loose surfaces, I use the rear to stabilize the bike. In emergencies, need stabilized, but ultimate deceleration limit is when all the weight is transferred to the front wheel. Then, the rear wheel is in the air.

it's also important to support your weight agianst the handlbars, so you don't pitch forward.

Though the front brake is the most effective in scrubbing off speed, be warned that it's probably the last thing you want to grab in a panic once you've committed to overcooking a turn since the first thing the bike will want to do is straighten up and go straight (which would be fine if you had a lot of room to run off on...)

On tight, downhill switchbacks, I use both brakes, paying close attention to staying just below the limit of adhesion. I also concentrate on keeping the bike as straight upright as possible so I can brake harder without skidding. Doing this well requires paying close attention to weight distribution, what is happening to the bike, lots of modulation of brake lever pressure to get all the braking force possible before the tires start to slip and a pretty high pucker factor.

I agree with 98% of Sheldon's ideas. One word of caution about sliding back on the seat. I once saw a guy slide back so far that he was actually behind the seat. It was a very dramatic weight shift. Unfortunately, as he was coming to a stop and tried to slide forward on the seat, his slightly baggy shorts got caught on the seat and he went over on his side trying to get his shorts un-hung from the seat. As I watched this I thought that there was also another possibility which is slamming into the back of the seat with one's less protected portions of one's anatomy.

I've never intentionally pulled either brake harder. That could also be the reason that I fell twice when warming up and 4 more times in a 6 lap cyclo cross race last weekend.

Thanks for the discussion guys, one more thing to consider while riding as fast as possible while facing an array of hazards. I was blaming the unintentional dismounts on tires and pressure choice. Right before race time I decided it was more important to take a leak than take some air out of my tires.

Anyone who thinks that one brake, front or rear, applied by itself is more effective than both applied together is forgetting one very important fact, tire contact with the pavement. It is the force applied through the tire to the ground/pavement that determines what happens to the cycle's direction. It is the magnitude of that force that determines how fast the desired event occurs. For maximum braking one must use all the square inches of tire/pavement contact. If one only uses one brake only the area of that tire's tire/pavement contact is used while the other is ignored; hardly a formula for maximum braking.

So, for maximum braking use both brakes maximally while shifting rider weight as necessary to maintain control. For modulated braking use whatever the rider is comfortable with; after all only partial braking is needed under that circumstance.

90% front-braker here. Use the rear for control in turns, while signalling, etc.

I figure the front brake is on the left (weak hand for most) side to keep front wheel from locking up as easily. I still have plenty of stopping power with it. Also, braking while signalling does pitch me forward a bit and so I'd rather be on my rear brake in that situation.

Side note: AFAIK, in WI only signals made with the left hand are "legal". When signalling a right turn with bent left arm, though, most drivers are confused and simply wave back at me.

I use the front more than anything, but you do have to watch out for on loose stuff. The ability to turn is based on the ability to roll.

While considdering quick braking it's worth noting that a bike, even when not brought to its quickest stop, can come to a stop a hell of a lot faster than a car. Not long after I started road riding I was driving and had a cyclist take the lane in front of me to go through a light, then brake way harder than he needed to, causing me to almost rearend him. He then had the balls to shake his fist at me. It made me very aware that when braking you have to be aware of the traffic behind you. Going over the bars sucks, but getting rearended sucks even worse.