Front brake/Rear brake

[stoneage]

I snapped my front lever off last night just before the TTTT ride. It's amazing how much I rely on the brakes....for speed. I couldn't hold a steady pace without the front brake. If I tried to go faster, I would come into the corners too hot and my rear would skid. Ask Caples, it was odd. I'm used to scrubbing speed before entering and letting it ride in the corners. I just couldn't go fast, because I didn't have enough braking power to decelarate quickly enough.

[Thewavebb]

I came to the same conclusion a good month ago after I managed to loose a brake pad to my front disc brake on the car ride up from winona to lebenon. It was silly and irritating how much I relied on my front brake for speed modulation in corners. Buck was on that ride and he could probably testify to the my skidding to the woods on occasion on that ride. I have since started playing around with controling speed with pedal cadence and body movement.

[soupboy]

who you ask you'll find that the front brake is 70-80+% of your stopping power. The rear is really only good for speed checks and bring the rear around...yes, skid steering. More of a DH technique than a singletrack technique.

I rode Leb once with a front brake only and found that other than the psychological "need" for a rear brake that my riding really wasn't compromised...wound up taking a lot of turns faster than I previously would. Only biffed once when the front tire washed out on an off camber DH section - more my error than not having a rear brake.

[Tetreves]

I rode Leb once with a front brake only and found that other than the psychological "need" for a rear brake that my riding really wasn't compromised...

Technically you "need" a rear brake (of some type) to legally ride on the road. This can be a fixed gear or hub brake. But then you also technically need reflectors all over your bike to ride on the road after dusk...:eyeroll:

[jjrsds]

What are reflectors?:D

[soupboy]

I got a new frame and my rear hydro line was too short.

I just love skidding so much that I had new parts overnighted.

Technically you "need" a rear brake (of some type) to legally ride on the road. This can be a fixed gear or hub brake. But then you also technically need reflectors all over your bike to ride on the road after dusk...:eyeroll:

[manual63]

BMX racing bike typically only had a rear brake. I learned how to ride fast with only a rear brake and it took me a long time to learn how to use the front on dirt properly. A BMX track is usually not very tight though and skidding can sometimes be a way to attack a corner. Mountain biking is quite different since you can get up to high speed and the have to slow down to a near stop for some of the tight twisty stuff.

One thing I did learn by using only a rear brake for so long. When you need to stop, lean way back and get most of you weight on the rear tire. This works fairly well. Best to have both brakes, but if you are ever without a front, leaning way back helps a lot.

[berrywise]

No matter what kind of brake setup you run just make sure the guys over at Maxim Magazine don't build your bike for you.

Picture from a recent article in their magazine:
http://www.crazyandprimitive.com/2744.JPG

[Konaboy]

Should read 26.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[Tetreves]

Check out that head tube! How'd they put it so far back on the bike? Oh wait...:etard:

[stoneage]

Should read 26.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Good catch!!!

[SpecHR55]

17 gears to many hmmm... I think thats pretty good advise from a Mag that takes takes pictures of naked chicks.;)

[Kosk]

Not to mention that Mani-poo fork is mounted BACKWARDS! That's the most glaring mistake in my book. Idiots!

[Buck]

One thing I did learn by using only a rear brake for so long. When you need to stop, lean way back and get most of you weight on the rear tire. This works fairly well. Best to have both brakes, but if you are ever without a front, leaning way back helps a lot.

don't lean back go for the style points and nose wheelie the corners, and this advice is taken from 10 time world champion Nicolas Vouilloz, watch any vid of him and he pops that back wheel up to keep the wheels spinning!!! Any whoo, I have ridden a whole summer with a suicide set up and did fine, I became got pretty good at nose wheelies in that time!...and then I rode a whole summer with only a back brake, I have learned to rely less on the brakes and more on body movement...moto gliding is much more fun then skidding!
L8R
Buck

[manual63]

don't lean back go for the style points and nose wheelie the corners, and this advice is taken from 10 time world champion Nicolas Vouilloz, watch any vid of him and he pops that back wheel up to keep the wheels spinning!!! Any whoo, I have ridden a whole summer with a suicide set up and did fine, I became got pretty good at nose wheelies in that time!...and then I rode a whole summer with only a back brake, I have learned to rely less on the brakes and more on body movement...moto gliding is much more fun then skidding!
L8R
Buck

No front brake? Nose wheelie? Please explain......

[dave t]

Suicide set-up = only front brakes right, Buck.

[Buck]

Suicide set-up = only front brakes right, Buck.
correct!
L8R
Buck