Rear brakes; vestigal appendix or essential organ?

[PurpleFrog]

The late great Sheldon Brown wrote:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html

Maximum braking occurs when the front brake is applied so hard that the rear wheel is just about to lift off. At that point, the slightest amount of rear brake will cause the rear wheel to skid.

..Skilled cyclists use the front brake alone probably 95% of the time.

..Generally I advise against using both brakes at the same time.

And I usually followed this advice. But yesterday I tried braking my Lava Dome with the rear brake only and the result was shockingly good - much better than I remember from any previous bike; there was no trace of a back wheel skid and the bike stopped fast.

I wondered what feelings are about this?

 

[hoegaardenadds1]

but how could you skid without a rear brake. skids and wheelies keep young.

 

[terryhfs]

I think Sheldon was referring to road cycling. Sole use of the front brake is not a brilliant idea off-road.

 

[PurpleFrog]

I think Sheldon was referring to road cycling. Sole use of the front brake is not a brilliant idea off-road.

Hm. I hadn't thought of that... According to SB's theory, the same should hold on and off road, surely? Because the back wheel will unweight and need its traction to keep out of a skid in either case.

The more I think of it, the more I doubt.

 

[utahdog2003]

Hm. I hadn't thought of that... According to SB's theory, the same should hold on and off road, surely? .

Not really, remember that the road surface is usually much more consistant for braking feel feedback, and (unless your roads are crazy rough) there usually isn't nearly the same level of rider body-weight shift occuring during riding a road bike. I certainly favor the front brake on road, but I'm a double fister off road, feathering each by feel regardless of any proposed bias from SB or anyone else. Off road, I'm holding levers, and my brain just does the rest, like breathing.

 

[suburbanreuben]

The rear brake can be used to set up a skid to help negotiate a corner. Try that with the front brake and you're toast.
THAT'S what they're good for.

 

[FairfaxPat]

In the dirt, a good rule of thumb is to use both brakes in a straight line, and the back brake only, when turning, although if you must , a little front brake in the turn is OK, you just don't want to lock it up and lose your steering. Also, using the front brake in a turn tends to straighten the bike up and messes with your turning line. And, as others have said, sometimes it is easier to negotiate tight turns by skidding the back wheel around them.

 

[PurpleFrog]

Hm. I hadn't thought of that... According to SB's theory, the same should hold on and off road, surely? .

Not really, remember that the road surface is usually much more consistant for braking feel feedback,

Why does that matter? SB was saying that using the front brake ALONE avoided the need for what he saw as the main cause of feedback - rear brake skidding.

and (unless your roads are crazy rough) there usually isn't nearly the same level of rider body-weight shift occuring during riding a road bike.

SB also wrote - or cited - an article saying the shifting body weight for braking as semi-pointless.

I certainly favor the front brake on road,

I favour the front brake - but SB said to use it ONLY!

but I'm a double fister off road, feathering each by feel regardless of any proposed bias from SB or anyone else. Off road, I'm holding levers, and my brain just does the rest, like breathing.

That's what I did on and off, until SB got into my head a year ago - I haven't ridden many miles since then and now I am riding every day again, I think he was wrong. I even think that rear brake might exert a torque that helps counter the bike's tendency to nose stand, increasing the effectiveness of the rear brake.

 

[suburbanreuben]

Er , no. The rear brake helps transfer weight to the front wheel, initially increasing it's grip, and helping slow you quicker than front alone, on any surface.
He doesn't think transferring body weight helps? He's talking out of his arse. I'm not familiar with sheldon brown, but if this is the sort of stuff he comes up with, I'm not missing much. :?

 

[FairfaxPat]

I think Sheldon was referring to road cycling. Sole use of the front brake is not a brilliant idea off-road.

I second this opinion.