You only need one finger..

RealMan

So who does one finger braking? Mentioned on another thread, and a couple of people were saying they don't.

You do need hydraulic brakes or decent cable brakes (its kinda hard to pull against a stiff cable with just one finger).

Do you use your index or middle finger?

Obviously one finger braking gives you more control as you have more fingers on the handlebars, but you do need to have your brakes set up properly to be able to do it.

Sam Hill and Steve Peat setting some nice examples

peter413

I use 1 finger. Always have and aways will.

Only thing is, I have had them set up for 2 fingers untill earlier today (I finally got bored enough to do something about the brakes ) but it worked fine, just, meant it was easier to grab the brakes with 2 fingers if I wanted to go over the bars or something :roll:

robertpb

Just the one is all it requires. 8)

ilovedirt

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

Also, i do it. (obviously not with my middle finger) I will sometimes use two if i'm really in a hurry to stop though!

supersonic

Usually two, sometimes one. It feels better for me with two, and I do not notice a lack of control at all.

RealMan

ilovedirt wrote:

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

Also, i do it. (obviously not with my middle finger)

Have heard of people doing it, and swearing by it. Don't do it myself though.

supersonic wrote:

Usually two, sometimes one. It feels better for me with two, and I do not notice a lack of control at all.

But don't you notice the gained control when you brake with one finger? (Rather then the loss, with two).

peter413

ilovedirt wrote:

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

My dad does sometimes

ilovedirt

RealMan wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

Also, i do it. (obviously not with my middle finger)

Have heard of people doing it, and swearing by it. Don't do it myself though.

:? Really? I can't really see how that would work....

peter413

ilovedirt wrote:

RealMan wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

Also, i do it. (obviously not with my middle finger)

Have heard of people doing it, and swearing by it. Don't do it myself though.

:? Really? I can't really see how that would work....

It leaves the other for shifting

RealMan

Couple of guys here say they middle finger brake. Although plenty like you who are just "wtf?" lol.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/t ... ly-does-it

peter413 wrote:

It leaves the other for shifting

No, I think the idea is you get more control from the index finger on the bars then the middle finger.

supersonic

RealMan wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

Also, i do it. (obviously not with my middle finger)

Have heard of people doing it, and swearing by it. Don't do it myself though.

supersonic wrote:

Usually two, sometimes one. It feels better for me with two, and I do not notice a lack of control at all.

But don't you notice the gained control when you brake with one finger? (Rather then the loss, with two).

It felt less. Maybe because am used to the former.

peter413

Well my dad does it for the shifting so it is for both those reasons

The Northern Monkey

I use my fist.

RealMan

bigbenj_08 wrote:

I use my fist.

Bit pathetic really. I tend to go for a full on armpit lock. Or just cable tie the levers to the grips before I start.

Unless you're referring to something else, that is.

peter413 wrote:

Well my dad does it for the shifting so it is for both those reasons

How often do you shift when braking?

The Northern Monkey

RealMan wrote:

bigbenj_08 wrote:

I use my fist.

Bit pathetic really. I tend to go for a full on armpit lock. Or just cable tie the levers to the grips before I start.

obviously too young... nay mind.

ilovedirt

RealMan wrote:

peter413 wrote:

Well my dad does it for the shifting so it is for both those reasons

How often do you shift when braking?

How often do you NOT shift a split second before braking?

The Northern Monkey

ilovedirt wrote:

RealMan wrote:

peter413 wrote:

Well my dad does it for the shifting so it is for both those reasons

How often do you shift when braking?

How often do you NOT shift a split second before braking?

how often do you just get out and ride your bike... 1 finger or 2..

RealMan

ilovedirt wrote:

RealMan wrote:

peter413 wrote:

Well my dad does it for the shifting so it is for both those reasons

How often do you shift when braking?

How often do you NOT shift a split second before braking?

How often do you realize the difference between during and before?

ilovedirt

RealMan wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

RealMan wrote:

peter413 wrote:

Well my dad does it for the shifting so it is for both those reasons

How often do you shift when braking?

How often do you NOT shift a split second before braking?

How often do you realize the difference between during and before?

I'm not defending braking with your middle finger (seems a little daft to me), just saying some people might find it easier to just not have to move their fingers from their shifters. I can imagine it going badly in a crash situation though....

bigbenj_08 wrote:

how often do you just get out and ride your bike... 1 finger or 2..

Not very often these days, mate. Unfortunately.

Duffer

How often do you click the "quote" button?

miss notax

ilovedirt wrote:

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

I do :oops:

I've never really thought about it before, it's just what I do :?

For what it's worth I have never had any problems braking and have lots of grip / control etc on the bike - so as it's a system that works i'm sticking with it!!!

(Miss Notax goes off embaressed that people have been looking at her strangely all these years.... :oops: )

Andy B

One finger, the middle one, cos it's sick^rad

Harry182

miss notax wrote:

ilovedirt wrote:

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

I do :oops:

I've never really thought about it before, it's just what I do :?

For what it's worth I have never had any problems braking and have lots of grip / control etc on the bike - so as it's a system that works i'm sticking with it!!!

(Miss Notax goes off embaressed that people have been looking at her strangely all these years.... :oops: )

Me too. I thought it was normal - It leaves your index finger free to operate your shifter triggers. I've positioned my brake levers accordingly and it feels natural.

Happy Harry

I've got SRAM thumb shifters so ALL my fingers are available for grips or levers

Because of where the levers are on the bars, the middle finger sits nicely in the crook of the lever. So, yes, I generally use one (middle finger) braking but my index finger is sitting on the lever inboard of it. If I need to increase the braking (or to relieve pressure on a long downhill) I can use the index finger as well. Two fingers on the grip works OK.

Where are my stabilisers?

I always used to use 2 fingers for braking but when I went all hydraulic a couple of years ago, I started flitting between 1 and two fingers - Usually the middle finger if it's one :oops: ! I didn't know this was odd either! My index finger is usually hovering above the brake lever ready to help my middle finger if I need to brake hard

TBH I think it's a sloppy habit I've got into! It seems I am in the odd-bod group for this one

Will Snow

ilovedirt wrote:

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

Also, i do it. (obviously not with my middle finger) I will sometimes use two if i'm really in a hurry to stop though!

Steve jones , dirt magazine, for one. Calls it his patented way of preventing arm pump. Billy from the same mag swears it works as well.

Use two fingers me, its literally the only way to brake when you have huge hands like me (read into that what you will)

butcher of bakersfield

ilovedirt wrote:

Who 1 finger brakes with their middle finger??!!

Me...

For two reasons:

1. It's the strongest. Thus gives the most braking power.
2. I find my hands more balanced on the bars, covering a wider area and giving the most stability.

Use two if I need them though.

Will Snow

i think this may be one of those each to their own threads (, i.e. full sus vs hardtail, flats and clips), though that normally ends up with realman telling us we are all doing it wrong

Northwind

I can do any of the above but I tend to fall back to 2 fingers just because that's what I use on the motorbike. You trade a wee bit of grip but I find it gives me better braking control so it's give and take.

biff55

Andy B wrote:

One finger, the middle one, cos it's sick^rad

if there ever was an advert not to do something. :shock:

hard-rider

I used to use 2 fingers because I needed the strength to get decent retardation on my MTB with V brakes 15 years ago. Now with hydraulic discs I'm trying to use one finger but still feel more comfortable with two fingers.