Help! Is it me or is it the brakes? and should I get an upgrade of some sort?

[teawoman]

Last fall I took a spill on a hill. I was on the hoods, couldn't stop at the bottom (or switch to the drops--was afraid I'd fall over), hit obstacle, flew off bike, broke ribs.

I seem to have very little braking power from my hoods, even on little hills.

Several people in my bike club who saw the whole thing say I should be able to get much better brake leverage from the hoods than I did. People I've described it to say I should have been in the drops all the way down the hill.

I don't want to ride in the drops every time I run into even a small hill, but it's starting to look as if that'll be the case...I know once I get back on the bike I'll be paranoid as all get out.


Here are my bike specifications: Giant OCR1w http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/...ad/1243/29268/

I was under the impression that Shimano 105 were good (or good enough) components, but that the Tektro caliper are cheep and cheesy for the setup. Others say I should get new brake pads and that will do it. Still others say it's an adjustment that needs to be made to the levers/calipers/whatever.

I am taking the bike into the shop to have them look at it, but it's driving me nuts not knowing whether it's me or the bike.

Someone else posted here saying that she had the same problem with the OCR1w and they couldn't fix it, but I can't remember who that was.

I'm preparing for a season of hill paranoia