Just read a post where someone commented on the OPs vid and noted heavy use of the rear brake, the comment suggested this was unusual or possibly poor technique. We had a magic ride yesterday taking in the local ‘steep, jumpy n fast stuff’ for the first time this year and I rode it faster than ever before with a bloody great grin on my face. It’s the first time I’ve ridden these trails on my new Five so I’d been looking forward to this for a while.

But this post has got me thinking… I’m pretty fast descending (read; allways push as fast as my confidence will allow) and I definitely favour the rear brake, especially when cornering, as I fear the front locking and skidding out. Do I need to work on my technique? I appreciate the front anchor provides the greatest amount of stopping power and I use it accordingly, but the rear offers more controlled braking does it not? By which I mean you can skid in a controlled manor if needed. Hmmmm???

you shouldnt be braking at all whilst cornering, it should all have been taken care of before you reach the corner.

Agreed. But on steep switchbacks I’m not letting go and sometimes you have to get on the brakes for various reasons, usually because of a mistake… But I digress. This is not a cornering / braking question but braking in general. Does it really matter if you favour one or the other? Or is just the case that as long as you have your speed correctly checked for corners who cares.

If you’re not skiding I can’t see there’s a practical difference.

Not something I’d worry about…you’re enjoying your riding, who cares?

Do Orange 5 rear suspention still have the tendancy to stop working properly when braking hard downhll? “Brakejacking” i think it was called or have they sorted that on single pivot bikes now?

I have noticed the rear ‘extending’ under extreme heavy braking probably once or twice, so they haven’t completey eradicated it. But I haven’t suffered any loss of suspension under normal braking even when hard on fast sections. Orange seem to have limited it pretty successfully but it’s a single pivot thing so will never go away completely.

Front to bleed speed. Rear to aid control.

Motorbike instructor went through the physics / mechanics of it. Back is very poor for slowing down. As you scrub off speed (using either brake) your weight and centre of gravity is moved forward. This is most apparent with the front brake and visible through the suspension loading up.

So front loads up – rear wheel lightens up / less load. The more you brake the more weight is taken off the rear wheel and the less grip is available, causing the rear wheel to lock. Extreme example is using the front to pull a stoppie. Rear has no braking input at all as it is off the ground.

All this makes the front very effective at slowing the bike. Weight moving forward increases the load on the front, which is why the front feels fiercer. There’s rarely any difference in the “power” of the braking system. Off course, uncontrolled you just overwhelm the front tyre and wash out the front or go OTB…

Bracing against the bars allows you to put more in to the front brake. Pushing back against the bars – hands arms shoulders, really brace and keep your weight back.

So, brake hard on front, in a straight line to scrub speed. Don’t even think about using the front in the corner, especially on wet or loose. Gently feather the rear though and it can help to tighten you turn

Of course, you probably know all this guff already 😉

Yep, that’s pretty much as I have it. Thought I’d ask the question anyway, always ears to a good tip or two. 🙂

Yes it does matter because the way you are doing it is not optimal. If you were braking better you’d be able to ride the trail faster and I assume you care about that. The front bake is much more efficient at slowing you down (which is the main point of braking is it not?) as per@rkk01 above. The right ratio 60/40 ? People fit larger front rotors for a reason, more braking power where it’s most efficient. Using the rear brake can be fun in a skiddy kind of way and I’m certainly guilty of rear brake dragging/comfort braking but it’s poor technique and on longer steeper trails can fade the rear out which is clearly not fast. I’ve ridden in the Alps with my old poor technique and you can really feel out of control as you cannot slow down, back wheel locked and bouncing, around bike unsettled as you approach an obstacle, not cool.

You shouldn’t be surprised to hear that whilst you see all the jumping pictures and videos at Jedi’s place he spends time on braking technique when working on the singletrack as its so important to basic riding.

I have noticed the rear ‘extending’ under extreme heavy braking probably once or twice

I suggest that’s just the rear of the bike unloading as the front loads up under braking.

Like you, I tend to feather/squeeze my back brake through slow, steep corners in the hope that the worst thing to happen will be it slides around quickly which is helpful.

You ride sounded fun; where was it?

Yes it does matter because the way you are doing it is not optimal

OK. To qualify what I’m personally referring too is fairly steep or technical decents that where carrying quite a bit of speed. Rocky gully’s and fast downhill sections etc… Not fire roads or singletrack etc.. Think decents where you get over the back wheel. I use the rear brake a lot to hold speed in check whilst feathering the front brake where necessary to add greater ‘slowing’ power. This is really where my question stems from.

As it happens I’m planning to a trip to see Jedi so I’m sure this will come out in the wash then.

@ask, enjoy your time with Jedi, you’ll see what we mean when you are done.

Ohhhhh, I like secrets 😀

Buzz, this was up on Gibbet Hill near the Devil’s Punch Bowl in Surrey. We deliberately rode all our favourite trails as it was nice and dry, there are some DH tracks if you know where to look. Nothing too gnar but hit them fast and it’s a whole lot of fun 😛 😛 😛

Jambalaya has it in one. I’m never going to be a DH monster (to old and too many responsibilities for that) but I’m on a mission to be the best I can whilst I’m fit. God it was fun yesterday. Afan later this month, all booked and hoping for good weather.