Arm signals while braking

Hi everyone,
I am (obviously) another beginner! I'm very excited that I just purchased my first "real" bicycle since I was in highschool. So it's been more than 40 years. Now I am practicing using the gears and brake levers. I've read on different web sites (including Sheldon Brown's) that the primary brake to use is the front one (contrary to popular belief that the rear one is the one to use). He does a great job explaining why and encourages new riders to practice always using the front brake. So here's my question: since the front brake is on the left, and you are supposed to signal with the left hand to other riders when you are slowing down--how can I use my front brake while slowing down and signal the slow down at the same time? Actually the same question for any other arm signals. Those are mostly done with the left arm in a country where we drive on the right side of the road. So why would they make the left lever as a default operate the front brake? Do any of you experienced riders out there have this altered on your bike to make the front brake the right hand lever?

Thanks in advance for any advice and discussion of this. I've been having fun reading posts in this forum!

Actually, use both brakes together... If you try to rely too much on the front brake alone, you can lose traction with the rear wheel, resulting in the back of the bike coming off the ground and flipping you over the handlebars, what they call an "endo."

Give your hand signals a little in advance, then get your left hand back on the bars to actually make your turn or apply the brakes.

The braking power of each wheel depends on how much weight it's bearing. When you're just riding along, your weight is pretty much evenly distributed. But when you apply the brakes and slow, your body weight shifts forward, and this weight shift can cause the rear wheel to skid and lose traction. So when you brake, you want to shift your weight backwards to help compensate, and make a smooth controlled stop.

Panic stops or the "quick stop" is where this weight shift is essential... but it doesn't hurt to practice on your "regular" stops, so as to build good braking habits.

Tom

As big of a fan of front brakes as I am I think you should re-evaluate what those websites are telling you about front brake use.

The front brake is the primary source of stopping power, yes, and is more effective than the rear brake.

The front brake can and should be used more than most inexperienced (and even some experienced) cyclists use it.

That said, thinking of the front brake as the primary brake can be dangerous. Using it by itself can cause you to flip over your handlebars. It takes a fair amount of experience on bikes in general and your specific bikes to figure out just how much front brake you can get away with in isolation (or any of a number of other scenarios) without causing a major crash.

Rear brake doesn't have that problem (you may skid and slide out, but it's less likely and not as catastrophic as if you go over the bars)

I rarely, if ever, use my front brake without the rear brake also engaged just as much if not more. Though it can be done, I don't recommend anyone use the front brake without using the rear at the same time.

Thus in situations like you describe I signal with my left hand and then begin to brake with my rear (right hand). You shouldn't brake before signaling if at all possible, especially if you are riding in a group with people close behind you. They need that reaction time. After holding the signal for a few seconds I scrub off the rest of the speed I need to by applying the front brake as well (rear brake is still applied).

In an emergency where I need to stop especially fast I don't signal. I will call out "STOPPING!" or similar (In really nasty cases the warning has been known to be one of a few choice 4 letter words :o) and hit both brakes at the same time without removing my hands from the bars. I try to give as much time as I can for people behind me to react without hitting me whatever is in front of me (also helps prevent the "over the bars" problem).

You need to always be looking/thinking ahead so you can signal before you have to lay on the brakes, turn, etc.

When making an emergency stop, I prefer using primarily the front brake (though not necessarily only the front brake). You can prevent an endo pretty easily (by sliding back over your rear wheel, which should become somewhat of a reflex for anytime you're doing much more than feathering the brakes, especially on hills) -- but by using a lot of rear brake in the mix when braking hard, you risk a rear brake skid, which really sucks (I say this from experience).

I also frequently feather the front brake only when I just need to bleed off a little speed. I use both brakes together when I'm coming to nice long controlled stop, or trying to bleed off a lot of speed, but in a non-emergency situation when I have plenty of time to do it and don't have to lay on the brakes particularly hard.

With all due respect, I think the endo danger is vastly overstated. I really don't think it takes that much experience on bikes to avoid endoing when relying primarily on the front brake.

What Liza said. Well said.

But I think the OP was asking about hand signals - it's pretty much implicit in "looking/thinking ahead," but to be explicit, yes. Keep feathering the rear brake while you signal with your left hand (also signal audibly if you're with other cyclists), then brake, then signal again if there's traffic behind you that might not have seen your signal and/or isn't noticeably slowing, then stop.

Thanks so much for all the great advice. Most definitely I'll need to practice the braking technique.

The article that was written by Sheldon Brown is located here:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

This does confirm what most of you are telling me about braking. And your advice on using the arm signals is very helpful. (I'll want to get more comfortable riding before I even attempt to ride with a group!)