how many people use one finger braking?

I have tried to use one finger braking, in order to keep a greater grip on the bars, but always revert to two finger braking.

Would like to just use the one finger, any tips for adopting this method for braking?

Using XT brakes , so I have all the adjustability necessary to achieve this.

Why would you need more? Set it right and go for it get the fingers toughened up a bit

Are your brakes far enough in board? I only use one finger. Look at just about any photo of a decent biker and they are 1 fingerers

You may need to swap your brakes to the other side of your shifters so your index finger lands neatly on the end of the lever. If your index finger is only halfway along the lever then they won’t feel very powerful, you need the full leverage of the lever!

Will look at setting the brakes inboard a bit.

When I have tried on descents I can’t seem to forget about the different feel. When using two fingers I seem to have a better feel for the brake power.

One finger braking makes me over react a little, seems to be either on or off brake, as opposed to a gentler feel and feathering action.

As with all things, its down to practice. I used to use 2 fingers but after a few weeks of trying 1 finger it became natural. Keep going and it will happen

Hopeless on my old bike

Easy on the new one

Does it just depend on quality of the brakes?

Yes, just move them so you can only get one finger on them 🙂

Always. Makes a massive difference, keep with it.

Anyone using one finger but not the index finger?

I used to use my middle finger…now my index…move levers inboard so the very end is hooked by the finger and revel in the power and stopping ability of your single finger!

When I was a lad I severed my right index finger clean through the first joint with a penknife – the brand new blade cut right between the bones and sliced through both tendons, it was hanging on by a thread of skin. I was very lucky to have it reattached by a visiting specialist plastic surgeon who was teaching in the area, and he put it back together instead of just chopping it off, which is what most docs would have done at the time. It took over 6 months to heal properly and years for the nerves to heal fully, but it did eventually start to work ok.

It’s still wonky as **** and quite weak, and if I catch it on anything it hurts like hell. But with modern disc setups (I use Shimano XTs mostly) I can use it to control my front brake perfectly on its own. Keep trying, OP.

Oh and you probably want to run your brake levers flatter than you currently do, about 15-20 degrees from horizontal. Makes a huge difference, that does.

Most new Shimano brakes make it pretty hard to brake any other way with their shorter levers.

Keep trying it will come

I’ve been single finger braking since V brakes came about.

Maybe even when I use to set my canti’s up so they were as relaxed as possible and straddle was almost touching the tyre, squishy but they felt more powerful…

One finger here too and have done for ages (my old HFX levers had to be so far in board because the blades were so long). One fingers feels perfect on my current Zee’s and Deore’s. I also run my leverrs close to the bars so at full love they’re almost touching. Seems to feel comfy that way.

Definitely keep trying. I really struggled last year in the Alps using 2 fingers on the brakes as it meant far less control and power on the bars. I eventually moved my levers so far inboard that it is impossible to use 2 fingers and now have no issue whatsoever with 1 finger braking. I reckon it was the single most important step to taking my riding up a level. (however, when your base level was as low as mine that is not as impressive as it sounds lol)

One finger here. Shimano XT.

I can only reach the levers with one finger

Here too. Stick with it as assuming you’re on the more recent xt brakes, single finger fires the lever shape far better

XT for me too, single finger braking is easy, just train yourself by leaving your index finger on the brake all the time when your on commutes etc

Thanks,

Will move levers inboard and try it out tomorrow.

scotroutes – Member
Anyone using one finger but not the index finger?

Jones

He also Doddy-gurns

Depending on size of your hands you may only need around 15mm of bar showing between inside of grip and lever clamp (obvioulsy depends on grips too !)

All the time, for years.

Anyone using one finger but not the index finger?

*puts up finger hand*

One finger for 3 years now

Levers in a bit.
If I can stop lardy old me single fingered with Deore brakes it must work 😆

I recently managed to re-educate myself to use a single finger. I’m also on XT and found as well as the above advice to move leavers in along the bar it also helped to reduce the reach significantly. Only took a few rides like this to become second nature.

Anyone using one finger but not the index finger?

I use my middle fingers to brake purely because I have short index fingers.

One finger all the way…even on my Dahon folding bike with v brakes

“I use my middle fingers to brake purely because I have short index fingers”

Umm… What?

Everyone’s index fingers are shorter than the middle ones.

You can change the throw of the levers, you know.

Tape your three outer fingers together.

Single finger here, Avid Juicy/Code frankenbrake combination. Works all the time 100% of the time for me, even on horrid Les Gets braking bumps.

The thought of using more than one finger on mtb or road bike seems completely alien.

“I use my middle fingers to brake purely because I have short index fingers”

Umm… What?

Everyone’s index fingers are shorter than the middle ones.

You can change the throw of the levers, you know.
I know they’re shorter but my index fingers are weirdly short and the lever isn’t comfortable to use with them. I’d have to run the brakes way outward on the bars and it messes up the feel and position of the shifter. Much easier just to use the middle fingers instead.

I apologise – obviously you know your own hands better than I do 🙂

It’s just a bit hard to picture; I have really small hands for an adult male and have no issues.

I have the brakes a good distance in towards the stem leaving a small part of lever so can only use one finger, they need to be like that otherwise the end of the lever can hit other fingers when pulling right in.

Most importantly I set the lever as near to the bars as I can by screwing the adjuster all the way in.
The levers I have curve outwards quite a bit so the end is furthest away and I couldn’t catch it with one finger without bringing it right it.

I know they’re shorter but my index fingers are weirdly short and the lever isn’t comfortable

I know this will sound rude, but we all want to see your freaky hands now please 🙂

I moved my levers further towards the middle of the bar and can now brake with 1 finger. I used to 2 finger before that. Brakes are still immensely powerful with 1 finger (XT)

I use my middle finger to brake on my motorbike for a few reasons
– position of the levers, can’t move the inboard
– shape of the levers, index finger braking would compress them against my middle finger
– throttle blipping when braking and downshifting, need my index to help

Find it entirely straightforward to switch between the two

Just got back in from a ride around Whites Level at Afan.

I moved the brake levers inboard and could only brake with the index finger.

Felt a little strange at first, but the grip on the bars was a definite improvement.

Overall, an improvement, just need to get used to using one finger, I’m sure it will become the norm after a few more rides.
Regards

Denis