what did I do wrong?

[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!

[Grog]

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!

It won't be hard at all!

It just takes an understanding of the basic physics of it, plus practice (in a safe environment) so you can feel the effect of physics!

You'll have good breaking habits for life after that.

Good luck!

[SalsaMTB]

Do you ever do trail riding? I found off road riding really makes you learn to use your front and rear brakes together. I recently took someone off road for the first time (she had done many rides on road, gravel, dirt road) and one of her first comments after going about a mile was she realized how important the front brake was. She never used it on the road, wasn't even used to having to grab it with her had, but off road, she just couldn't get the power from her rear brake going down hills. It really forced her to learn to use her front and rear brakes together. Try off road riding, it helps with handling and you'll quickly learn the importance of both brakes.

[light_sabe_r]

redrhodie... a VERY similar thing happened to me on the weekend! EGADS! back wheel skidded out ahead of the front, except cause I'm a newbie I applied both breaks.

I guess I'm gonna hafta learn FRONT breaking now too eh? thanks for bringing it up so I could learn from it. ^_^

[archibella]

I started the same way-- really only using my rear brake because I was afraid of an endo, plus I think on the road bike you naturally plan ahead more often for stopping distances, etc. I just recently started trail riding and also realized how absolutely necessary the front brake is!! and how important where you put your weight on the bike is! It also makes me laugh at myself because where I was worried before on the road bike, now I think how the trails are so much tougher for me, and the road seems so much safer! I find the worst habit I have when trailriding is to glue my butt to the saddle when something freaks me out, when I should be standing, butt out of the saddle, limbs ready to absorb shock, and ready to move my weight wherever it needs to go! I stood once while trying a rocky climb, didn't get enough weight on the rear wheel, and didn't go anywhere, lol! Friends tell me that's what I get for starting out roadie, but honestly, I like the road... lol