descending and cornering

[Eden]

I'm confused about what Oakleaf said about using more front brake. I understand it has more power than the back, but might it also throw me over the handlebars if I try to use it more than the back? Should I just tap it or what? I know my most stable braking is when I have my feet level, I'm off the seat and push my weight far back, and my hands are in the drops with my arms almost locked out. But I save this for emergency when I'm going very straight and fast.

Of course you never want to *slam* on the front brake. That is a recipe for going over the handlebars, but by the same token you don't want to apply too much rear brake either. Too much rear brake and the rear wheel tends to fishtail, which is bad too! As long as you use slow steady pressure you can use your front brake without fear of throwing yourself over the handlebars.

[smilingcat]

if you really need to "slam" on the front brake at high speed while going downhill, you can hit the front brake pretty hard and not go over BUT, you need to do few things.

1. Scooch way to the back of your seat. Nearly off the seat.
2. Be in the lower drops and get low on your bike to lower your CG (center of gravity). This makes it harder to do an ENDO.
3. you tuck your elbows so its at the same width as your shoulder. You don't want to have your elbows sticking out cause you WILL BE SUPPORTING YOUR BODY WEIGHT AND SOME in your two arms.
4. apply brakes on both front and back at the same time. Then "slam" the front brake. If your rear wheels begin to lock up then reduce the braking in front.

Locking up of backwheel is a real good indication of how much weight is coming off the rear wheel as you and the bike are wanting to do an ENDO from slamming the front brake.

Seriously, I can't think of a time when I needed to do this in earnest. I've hit my front brake really hard at high speed on a very steep grade without even coming close to an ENDO. And my arm wasn't happy to support all that weight.

Amount of braking I do? It's mostly in the front brakes. pads on the front are down about 50% while the pads on the rear brakes are still looking pretty fresh. Braking power on the rear wheel is minimal. It's important to learn to use the front brakes cause most of the braking power comes from the front.