Few minutes into my ride today my rear pads wore to the plate and rendered the back brake useless. Undeterred I carried on smashing some local trails using just the front brake when necessary.

Made me realise how I’d got into the bad habit of feathering the rear brake on corners and how of course that is completely unessesary.

Good thing to do once in a while to remind you to trust your tyres and hold on.

smash it

I did this on the beast at CYB a few years ago, popped a piston on my rear,some times it was terrifying others it was awsome.

My commuter has only ever had front brake, never had a problem

Just got in from 2 hour ride with exactly the same issue. Had to stop using back brake after about 20 mins. Interesting to realise no much you use it without thinking as you say!

I’d be on my arse very quickly without my rear brake!

Hopefully podge’y, you were smashing that commute.

I use to have weak left wrist so I didn’t touch the rear brake for years.

I was suprised how much more I’m using it now. The lever went to the bar on a ride and I missed it.

Me too but one of my Karate Monkey’s is fixed gear……………

don’t you carry a spare set of pads?

I rode Mr Toad’s Wild Ride above Lake Tahoe with just a rear brake. 😯

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QfMGsWKsnk[/video]

Sometimes it’s nice to set out with no spares, no food, no phone, no STUFF of any kind, and just rag round your local trails until you can’t peddle any more. (Managed 4 hours in the end)
Bike broke a bit so just adapted and carried on.

Other days, I’ve got spares, tools, changes of clothes, gps, ipod, phone, food, gels, spare drinks, money…

This morning I couldn’t be arsed. Cup of coffee, peanut butter and jam sandwich and out the door before sunrise.

Yep I thought my squealing like a banshee rear SLX was fixed but no, lever was nearly going to the bars and when it did grab it screamed away, (new pads in as well), few miles later and lever is all the way to bar and no rear brake…..Managed though,,,

Really hope a new caliper will sort out my horrendous squeal out….

Ha, I’ve ridden a trail (albeit short ~30min) with no front brake, well actually a front brake with about 5% its normally stopping ability, hose was leaking fluid along with air in the line.

Made me a more fearless rider, (no choice but to take the fast line haha) upside of only bailing twice with no significant injury

done this on a night ride. generally fine until I used too much front brake instead on a steppy descent. had to vault the bars, bike somersaulted past me and broke a lot more than the rear brake.

Did you smash it though?

Since a couple of coaching sessions in the summer, one of my little goals has been to pretty much use only the front brake as I was relying heavily on my rear brake for ‘comfort’.

Finally got to the stage now where my brain has accepted the new program and my left finger now only flicks out when I REALLY need to stop sharpish.

Not sure I’m any faster but I am smoother, and I no longer have the bad habit of braking in the middle of corners etc.

Front brake is your main brake!

I’ve just smashed my tea – using a fork without a knife !

I went a while with no rear brake, I’d much rather have gone without the front, it might be more powerful on a flat grippy road, but it’s fekin useless heading towards a that gate at the end of Bradwell Edge, useless and painfull when the softest thing you can find to stop (the drystone wall, the 1in3 rutted slope under your wheels and gate being unappealing alternatives) in is the hawthorn bush on the right.

I rode all of the Innerleithen XC descent (finishes on a DH route) on just a front brake back in the glory days of Superstar brake pads, when my pads disintegrated at the top.

Last Wednesday at Glentress I rode the red route with a big air bubble in my rear brake after a poor bleed, so spent most of the time pumping the lever to get some pressure up when I did need to stop. I didn’t die.