Braking technique

Schoie81

Hiya, Just got thinking about braking on my ride home last night so thought I'd ask for some opinions/advice. Whlist descending on a hill with corners (so you need to use the brakes) is it best to keep the brakes on all the time, and keep your speed low on the whole climb, or are you better letting the brakes off on the straight bits (which will cause you to pick up speed), then braking harder to slow for corners. My logic says its better to maintain a steady, slower speed, rather than speeding up and then braking hard, but got to thinking last night that maybe all this actually does is create heat in the brakes, increasing wear and reducing braking efficiency, whilst not really braking much, so maybe its better to use them only to slow for the corners.

Sorry that turned into a bit of a ramble... .but what is everyone else's point of view?

fat daddy

Personally I don't go near the brakes whilst cornering ....... I do all my braking before the corner, if you want to keep a slow speed then brake a few times along the straight, release for the bend, then come back on the brakes

if the hill is that steep to over heat your brakes then only brake for 3 second bursts

generally speaking though I don't brake going down hill unless approaching a bend .. then scrub the speed, release the brakes and turn in

svetty

Schoie81 wrote:

Hiya, Just got thinking about braking on my ride home last night so thought I'd ask for some opinions/advice. Whlist descending on a hill with corners (so you need to use the brakes) is it best to keep the brakes on all the time, and keep your speed low on the whole climb, or are you better letting the brakes off on the straight bits (which will cause you to pick up speed), then braking harder to slow for corners. My logic says its better to maintain a steady, slower speed, rather than speeding up and then braking hard, but got to thinking last night that maybe all this actually does is create heat in the brakes, increasing wear and reducing braking efficiency, whilst not really braking much, so maybe its better to use them only to slow for the corners.

Sorry that turned into a bit of a ramble... .but what is everyone else's point of view?

Definitely better not dragging the brakes all the time. You should apply the brakes at intervals - referred to as cadence braking. Apply firmly, using approx 70% front, 30% rear and avoid braking in the corners. You should obviously avoid letting too much speed build up. Use the drops for balance and stability but use your upper body as an air-brake between the bends.

haydenm

fat daddy wrote:

Personally I don't go near the brakes whilst cornering ....... I do all my braking before the corner, if you want to keep a slow speed then brake a few times along the straight, release for the bend, then come back on the brakes

if the hill is that steep to over heat your brakes then only brake for 3 second bursts

generally speaking though I don't brake going down hill unless approaching a bend .. then scrub the speed, release the brakes and turn in

Pretty much this. If you find yourself braking in corners in an emergency it can stand you up and send you straight on into a wall, much better off controlling speed before hand and flowing round corners. If you are pushing into corners then braking can give you less grip when you need it

cougie

Brake before a corner then release. If you're braking all the way down then you need to have a word with yourself. ;-)

davidof

Schoie81 wrote:

is it best to keep the brakes on all the time, and keep your speed low on the whole climb, or are you better letting the brakes off on the straight bits (which will cause you to pick up speed), then braking harder to slow for corners.

Personally I'm never climbing fast enough to need the brakes. YMMV of course.

mrb123

cougie wrote:

Brake before a corner then release. If you're braking all the way down then you need to have a word with yourself. ;-)

Try Hardknott in the wet!

bernithebiker

Just do what most Formula 1, 2, 3 drivers and riders do; brake as late and hard as possible.

You'd be surprised just how hard you can brake in the dry with the front. It's very hard to lose grip like this. Brake hard whilst the bike is straight, just before the bend, off brakes, lean in, clip apex, look for exit, back on the power!

ugo.santalucia

MrB123 wrote:

cougie wrote:

Brake before a corner then release. If you're braking all the way down then you need to have a word with yourself. ;-)

Try Hardknott in the wet!

Or in the dry...

Last August I came down the steep side of Newlands Hause, mildly moist... I was coming down very carefully, 15 mph at best... I managed to lock both wheels... the road is so steep and the tarmac so slippery that there is no grip... you just slide down, hoping to find a rougher patch that offers some grip

FatTed

have a look at this tutorial on descending (and braking)
http://www.flammerouge.je/factsheets/doidescend.htm

StillGoing

Scrub speed when you don't want it with short braking efforts. Trail brake in corners if needed, but you need to have a delicate touch and feel for it otherwise disaster awaits you.

pilot_pete

Have a read of this http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40020&t=13064046&start=20 where I posted a bit of a guide to braking and cornering, especially downhill.

PP

meesterbond

Pilot Pete wrote:

Have a read of this http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40020&t=13064046&start=20 where I posted a bit of a guide to braking and cornering, especially downhill.

PP

Just read through that and it's spot on... get in the drops, do your braking in a straight line, get the weight on the outside pedal and look where you want to exit the turn rather than at the ground in front of you. If you need to scrub some speed off in the corner, then back brake only.

Those four/five things have improved my descending no end - the 18km or so down the Galbier this afternoon was a joy rather than the terrifying, white knuckle nightmare it used to be.

rick_chasey

Schoie81 wrote:

Hiya, Just got thinking about braking on my ride home last night so thought I'd ask for some opinions/advice. Whlist descending on a hill with corners (so you need to use the brakes) is it best to keep the brakes on all the time, and keep your speed low on the whole climb, or are you better letting the brakes off on the straight bits (which will cause you to pick up speed), then braking harder to slow for corners.

NEVER drag your brakes. Option 1 is bad form and at worst you're asking for your brakes to either fail through overheating or causing your tyre to pop.

Rule is - brake when you have to, not when you want to.

Brake before the corner, before you do your turning.