what did I do wrong?

[redrhodie]

The other day, I had a major near-wreck. I was riding downhill, hands on the drops, going about 20mph, when a pick-up truck passed me and decided to turn right in front of me. I know this is the cause of most accidents, and I knew he was going to do it, but it seemed like I had plenty of time to stop, even to me. Here's the problem...

When I went to brake, I hit only the back brake because all I really needed to do was slow down. Well, a lot of you might be able to guess what happened, but it was new to me...the back wheel seemed to want to go in front of the front wheel, sending me into a skid. I just kept thinking "control it", the whole time being 99% sure I was heading for the pavement. Something pulled her back, mostly luck I think, and she was back under me, all well.

Needless to say, I was shaken, not only because I could have hit hard, but because I'm not really sure what I did wrong. BF says I should never just hit that back brake, but honestly, I do it all the time, and have never experienced this before. Have I just always been lucky? Advice, please.

[Jenerator]

I think you've just been lucky. In the case you describe, the combination of the downhill and the use of only the rear brake probably caused the skid you described. During deceleration your weight will shift naturally to the front wheel, unweighting the rear and making it much easier for the rear wheel to lock up and skid. That you were going downhill may have contributed to the added weight on the front wheel, exacerbating the problem of the rear skid.

For more efficient braking, especially in an emergency, you need to use the front brake and shift your weight back. Shifting your weight back weights the rear wheel so it is less likely to lock up when you apply the rear brake and will help you get over the uneasy feeling that you are going to pitch forward over the bars

[bikerchic]

I'm glad to hear there wasn't a smack to the pavement!

My husband just read to me from a cycling book that you should use your front brake 60% of the time. I did not know that nor do I do that I usually always use my back brake.
The book said that the front brake is the most efficient brake and will stop you faster than the back one in an emergency like the one you had, especially going down hill.

My husband posed the question to me of what would I do in a situation like the above and this is what I said:

I would use both brakes, probably feathered the front one while putting more on the back one, I guessed wrong. He said use the front brake!

After reading what Jenerator said it sure make sense to me, something I'll have to get used to doing, front brake 60% rear 40%.

[KnottedYet]

I always hit my back brake first, then bring in my front. Terrified of an endo. I can see that I'll have to mend my ways!

New mantra: front brake, front brake, front brake....

[salsabike]

See Sheldon "Front Brake" Brown on this subject:

http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

[Grog]

I'm glad you ended up in one piece and on both wheels.

You raise a very, very important point:

Major cause of endo: people don't know how to use their front brake and/or are scared of using it (scared of going endo), but when they are in an emergency situation their fear becomes stronger and they hit both brakes hard, and don't absorb the shock with their arms. Over the handlebars they go.

You HAVE to learn to use BOTH of your brakes. Indeed, the front one is the only one that really stops you. The rear only drags you on the road, and yes it will skid. If you have someone riding or arriving right next to you you could also hurt this person. I use the rear brake for slowing myself down, not for stopping per se.

(On a downhill, being in the drops if you have curved handlebars will help...)

I strongly suggest you attend a bike skills clinic or at least practice in a deserted parking lot (you choose a line to stop on, you gain some speed, and experiment braking wth only the rear, only the front, and then combinations of both brakes -- also practice riding with the brakes lightly on, that's called feathering). This will increase your knowledge, skills and confidence tremendously, not to say increase your safety!!

Thanks for sharing this with us!

[redrhodie]

Wow, all this time, I've been braking incorrectly. A clinic would be great. I think it's going to be hard to break my poor braking habits, but fishtailing into a skid made me realize that I'd better learn the proper techniques! Really scary. Good thing I'm lucky!

Thanks for the link to that website, salsabike.

What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger!