I'm a bike virgin and I need help!!!

[Grog]

As for breaking, to begin with - try to remember to break primarily on the back wheel (using the right hand).

Keep in mind that braking with the rear brake only or even mostly will make you skid.

In general bike use, it is highly recommended to learn to brake mostly with the front brake (like 60-40 front-rear), which actually stops you, whereas the rear brake only "drags" you.

The ratio changes when going downhill at high speed but even there you should be feathering both brakes, certainly not only the rear one.

The bike handling course, which I also strongly recommend, will also help with this. Or, while you're in that parking lot, also try braking with only the rear, only the front, or both brakes, at different speeds, with different braking intensities...

Welcome to the wonderful world of cycling! You'll soon feel like you're 7 years old again!

[pikato]

Keep in mind that braking with the rear brake only or even mostly will make you skid.

Wait, what?? During my fitting last night, LBS guy told me to always use rear brake first, only use front brakes for 'hard stops', and be sure to lean back when using front brakes so I do not pitch forward.

[TsPoet]

Wait, what?? During my fitting last night, LBS guy told me to always use rear brake first, only use front brakes for 'hard stops', and be sure to lean back when using front brakes so I do not pitch forward.

She's talking performance. Your LBS and I are talking ease and safety. You always want to learn to use the rear brake first. When you get into performance, you'll learn to use your brakes to help with cornering, etc.
Start by emphasizing rear. When you get faster and more zippy, use the front more, but only after you are comfortable and know the limits. It'll come.

[Grog]

She's talking performance. Your LBS and I are talking ease and safety.

I am definitely talking about safety.

Unless you jam the brakes at some speed, you won't go over the handlebars. If you use the rear brake with any force, you'll make your rear wheel skid, endangering both yourself and any cyclist that may be on your side (which is often the case when stopping at intersections in a city).

Plus, I repeat, only the front brake actually STOPS the bike. The rear brake only makes your rear wheel drag on the pavement. So stop promptly, efficiently, and above all safely, you have to learn to use the front brake.

This is why I strongly suggest trying different ways of braking in a parking lot, where you can set yourself a spot for braking (I want to stop my wheel right at this line - not beyond it). You can experiment with one brake or the other, with both brakes, with different speeds too.

When braking, you should be using only the front or both brakes depending on the situation (if going at high speed you may indeed want to start feathering the rear brake to slow yourself down before you hit the front brake) and transfering your weight to the rear of the bike (moving to the rear of your saddle).

I invite anyone who doubts this to consult great references like Effective Cycling, Sheldon Brown's braking page (http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html), or any cycling book.

I KNOW everyone is scared to fly over the handlebars, but because of this fear of a situation that may happen only exceptionally, they endanger themselves in ALL other normal riding/commuting situations by not using their brakes properly.

Please, please, please, learn to use your front and rear brakes adequately.

[fatbottomedgurl]

One important thing is when you have the chain on the smallest ring in front, you should not have it on the smallest ones in the back. This will make the chain diagonal and you might drop it or even break it.