Braking hurts my hands

pouncer

After many years on a hybrid I've been on road bike much more of late, but still really struggle on descents. Holding the brake on on hoods tires my hands very very quickly, but drops are so difficult to stay on for any period of time. Is it just a case of building up confidence on drops for descents? Strengthening hands for (almost) constant braking? Or just accepting the speed of a fast descent (by which in my amateur state i consider anything past 32mph) and hanging on to drops ready for scrubbing lots of speed on corners?

keef66

Braking hard from the hoods can be tiring, as I found out last week when I took my bike up to the N. Yorks Moors. Much easier from the drops.

Round east Anglia I'm fine on the hoods only.

Mr Will

Ideally you should be on the drops while descending, for aerodynamics and stability as well as to make the braking easier.

Aside from this though, it should be a very rare thing that you are braking continuously for long periods. Try braking harder for the corners and then releasing your brakes completely on the straights. This will give your hands chance to recover as well as preventing the possibility of your rims/brakes overheating.

Secteur

awww does braky-waky give you hurty handy?

come on, man up!

if your hands & wrists are so weak, then invest in one of these - very cheap and work well

greasedscotsman

pouncer wrote:

...but drops are so difficult to stay on for any period of time.

Why do you find this difficult? Braking on the hoods is always going to tire your hands faster than the drops as others have mentioned.

pouncer

From responses, websites, research and gut instinct, I guess i'm just gonna have to get on the drops more, they just unnerve me when at speed downhill, but like secteur says, I need to man up, though how he can close one of those hand grip things i don't know, think i'll start with something easier, like a dough-nut

roger_merriman

pouncer wrote:

From responses, websites, research and gut instinct, I guess i'm just gonna have to get on the drops more, they just unnerve me when at speed downhill, but like secteur says, I need to man up, though how he can close one of those hand grip things i don't know, think i'll start with something easier, like a dough-nut

realistically loads of folks only use drops for headwinds such like today!

drops will give you better braking, though better pads will negate this somewhat.

On the whole I use the drops rarely, preferring the hoods. But I can stop rapidly from the hoods even on wet and filthy days. if your struggling to stop well then that is something you need to sort out.

Cleat Eastwood

there are no hills long enough were I live to see any difference between hood and drops so I normally use the hoods. And like you constantly on them hurts the hands, on the occasion I've done sportives and went down the big hills I actually went on the drops, not by choice but also by instinct, and I have to say even though I was going faster I felt much more confident and in control.

desweller

In what way does it unsettle you? If the bike feels unstable and nervy when you're in the drops, chances are there's something wrong with your fit. My bike feels much more controllable and stable at speed in the drops than it does on the hoods.

Rob Somerset

Braking from the hoods can be hard work on long descents thats a fact, but its only gonna be on a tiny proportion of rides where its a problem. If the decents are that long, I'm thinking of Alpine lengths, then sticking on the hoods, i.e more upright position, gives noticable 'air braking'. Its quite difficult to get the balance between, the speed you can descend at, braking ability and limiting heat into brakes and rims. For most of the UK you aren't resisting gravity for that long - so man up a bit! Rob

t4tomo

keef66 wrote:

Braking hard from the hoods can be tiring, as I found out last week when I took my bike up to the N. Yorks Moors. Much easier from the drops.

Round east Anglia I'm fine on the hoods only.

Did you do Rosedale Chimney Bank whilst you were up there?

luv_shimano

It's something I've never come across to be honest. I find it just as easy to brake from the hoods as do I do from the drops.

Maybe it's something to do with bike fit or having to reach too far to reach the brakes from the hoods?

As others have said, you should be more in control when going down hills in the drops. Having said that apart from going down hill I very rarely use the drops. It's more of a comfort thing for me.

Give it a few more days/weeks, it could also a be case of weak hand/forearm muscles (rare for any bloke especially from their right hand ). If that's the case they will build up over time. Maybe choking the chicken a couple of times a day alternating hands will help.

keef66

t4tomo wrote:

keef66 wrote:

Braking hard from the hoods can be tiring, as I found out last week when I took my bike up to the N. Yorks Moors. Much easier from the drops.

Round east Anglia I'm fine on the hoods only.

Did you do Rosedale Chimney Bank whilst you were up there?

I rather think Rosedale Chimney did me! Looking at the map I reckon I managed only the lower, easier half. I've been doing hill repeats since I came back darn sarf in the hope of being able to get up it next time.

t4tomo

Don't beat yourself up about it, it is very very steep when you hit the hairpins. I grew up in a nearby dale, climbing the Chimney was aways the ultimate test of your 2 wheeled prowess.