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further up is better than too far down
why is that then? surely your fingers when untensed naturally point downwards which means that a lever that is set more horizontal to the bar is an unnatural position and therefore less comfortable? as i said, lever angle is probably more down to personal preference, but look at all the pro dh's bars and i pretty much guarantee that they are pointing more down than up.
Yes that's true. I reviewed my lever angle a while back based on my body position when descending. Raising the angle of the levers a bit has helped drop my chest and elbows comfortably to get lower over the bike.
i don't see how lever angle has such an impact on body position. may help you get a couple of cm lower if you really tried, but how low do you want/need to go?
I've actually gone back to two fingers, most of the time, gripping the bars ever more lightly. I used to use the middle finger because it left a wider grip with the other fingers. Control of the bike is much more about feet than hands - if your interface with the bike is good you don't need to hold the bars tight at all.
Also important, as mentioned by others, is to not have the levers pointing too far down - that tends to encourage you to roll forward over the front of the bike and cease riding primarily with your feet. So - levers at a natural angle so that relaxed forearms and dropped elbows leaves the brake finger(s) just resting there is what I suggest.
I also like to move my hands as far out as possible for faster bits - wider bars without fitting wider bars.
Yep. Middle finger.
just index fingers.
Control of the bike is much more about feet than hands
say [b]WHAT[/b] ?? Isn't it actually about your [b]weight[/b] and how you move it around? Your feet are completely constrained by the pedals, and apart from judicious application of power their only other importance is to keep the pedals clear of hitting things.
Isn't it actually about your weight and how you move it around?
Yes and the vast majority of your weight is on the pedals.
How would you pull a wheelie simonfbarnes?
Don't know what is so challenging about that, sfb. Clearly your weight needs to be in the right place in order to effect control of the bike via your feet - but the fact remains that the feet should be driving the bike (not talking about pedalling) and the hands should be relaxed.
If you think feet are only for pedalling and keeping the pedals away from the deck/objects I'm pretty sure you'll be taking occasional trips over the handlebars. Unless you're riding more with your feet than you realise.
How would you pull a wheelie simonfbarnes?
90% by shifting his weight back, 10% pulling on the bars.
Yes and the vast majority of your weight is on the pedals.
so what ? It's where it is relative to the bike that matters
How would you pull a wheelie simonfbarnes?
comes under: "judicious application of power" 🙂
I always break with 1 (well on on the frount brake and one on the back brake 🙂 )
i use:
Hope mono minis (or mini mono or what ever they are called) f183&r163,
Hope mono mini M4's f203&r183, and
Avid Jucie Ultimate F160&r140.
Plenty of stopping power.
bike sin no. 1: brake levers horizontal and butted up to the grips! ugh!
you know who you are!!
I have specced a set of hope 4 pots on my new bike. Any idea if they are more suited to one finger braking?
In my experience, no! I had to use two fingers when I owned Mono M4's (my first set of hydraulic brakes) and it was a revelation buying Shimano Saint and Avid Juicy 7's as I can quite happily use one finger with them.
I use one finger but my wife prefers two.
I use my middle finger only, and have done since v-brakes first came out! (although they required 2 fingers, or even 3 in the wet!). Don't use index finger 'cos that gives you a 'narrow' grip compared to using the middle finger if you see what i mean? (not sure even I do) 😆
Single finger braking for me too - Index finger mostly, but I do use middle finger on my big travel bike for some reason.
Index finger only (XT on bike 1 and Hayes Stroker on bike 2).
...oh and mounted as far inboard as I can get away with.
usually one but sometimes add the middle too if I need a bit more stopping power - ie.. if I'm doing last second braking and need to pull up extremely quickly, which I like 😆
Kev
😆 @ mudshark
I found the matchmaker combo really helped getting the levers in the right place for 1 finger braking for me, before it was a compromise
I use my thumb and my left earlobe for optimum power and control
if I need to stop really quickly I tend to use my shoulder and a tree
I do. Mind you, I have fairly large fingers
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I use Hope M4s and use 2 fingers on the rear and 1 finger on the front...don't know why, it's just how I ride and I'm happy with it...doesn't feel like i have more control with one than the other either.
I run my mini's like this for them to feel comfy with one finger braking. Made the difference for me.
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Sometimes 1, mostly 2. Can't say it makes a lot of difference. I only really know cos I've seen photos. Oh and one bike has a Dual-Control (front brake) so one finger isn't possible as can't move the lever far enough in - and as someone said earlier the lever hits my knuckle before any power is applied.
One and mainly index, but lever far enough in to allow switch to middle every so often - like when I have just been tensing up 'coz I'm a wus goin down slippy stuff...
Never use more then one finger for braking.
I use my index fingers and it's never been a problem, suppose whatever works for you and your setup but Steve Peat, Sam Hill & Brian Lopes all seem to use index finger braking.
I use 2 I think. I tried to train myself to use my middle finger, but that really didn't suit. Might have a go with the index.
I use one finger, my index finger. Not to brake with, but as a sign to everybody who thinks one finger braking is cool.
Just use what feels right. 🙂
so much more control 1 finger braking...
I use 2 because I prefer it, my brakes work just fine. I don't see how it affects control.
[i]Steve Peat, Sam Hill & Brian Lopes all seem to use index finger braking[/i]
I'm not a professional downhill or 4Xer. Are you then?
I do - adjusting the brake levers and set up helps
Steve Peat, Sam Hill & Brian Lopes all seem to use index finger brakingI'm not a professional downhill or 4Xer. Are you then?
Perhaps you ride the type of stuff they ride at the pace they ride it at. I don't.
Sheesh 🙄 , can think of bigger things too worry about other than which finger......like can I stop!! 😯
BOT - middle finger depending on speed/surface/circumstances etc etc
HA HA, I said it depends what and where, just noticed this pic I am using 1 for the front 2 for the rear.. Skill or what.
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"i don't see how lever angle has such an impact on body position"
So Imagine I point the levers down a bit too much. I'm in a friendly upright position i.e. pedalling or pootling along. So to reach them I'm arching my wrists down which feels nasty on wrists and tendons in hands. So I angle them up a bit, allowing my wrists to be straight.
Now imagine the attack position - I drop my chest/shoulders low, stick my elbows out, stand on pedals and maybe shuffle back a bit when needed - more like how I'm positioned when downhilling and will need my brakes. Again, I'm arching my wrists a bit to reach the levers. So I angle the levers up a bit more making my wrists straight again.
Returning to the upright position, the levers look oddly raised BUT I'm not really using my brakes when I'm in that position so it dunt matter.
I played around with lever angles and this approach is comfortable for me.
Steve Peat, Sam Hill & Brian Lopes all seem to use index finger brakingI'm not a professional downhill or 4Xer. Are you then?
Err no, just highlighting the fact that some of the best riders use index finger braking so if it's good enough for them then.........
I also stated whatever "whatever works for you and your setup"
Although I did once show them all how to freewheel backwards with your eyes closed down Fort bill.
They were very impressed
Middle finger one finger braking here - using hope minis. If your minis aren't powerful enough they aren't working properly. Easy lock of eithere wheel with one finger on teh brakes
Buzzlightyear - Member
So Imagine I point the levers down a bit too much. I'm in a friendly upright position i.e. pedalling or pootling along. So to reach them I'm arching my wrists down which feels nasty on wrists and tendons in hands.
no. they're angled down so that they are comfortable and within easy reach.
Now imagine the attack position - I drop my chest/shoulders low, stick my elbows out, stand on pedals and maybe shuffle back a bit when needed - more like how I'm positioned when downhilling and will need my brakes. Again, I'm arching my wrists a bit to reach the levers. So I angle the levers up a bit more making my wrists straight again.
wrong again. a correctly wound in brake at the right angle completely quashes this argument. if the bite point is just a bit off the bar it's and pointing more down than horizontal when you are in the 'attack' position it will be perfectly placed for great fingertip precision.
I played around with lever angles and this approach is comfortable for me.
i guess your brakes aren't as near horizontal as some of the ones i am talking about.
Hope DH4 front - single finger actually pulls (middle) but both rest on lever. Not sure why. But I can lock up the front with 1 on most surfaces and in the worse situations (with most traction) I can switch to the power of two rapidly. Rear I have a mini - I dont find it anywhere near as powerful as the DH4, but don't tend to brake much with the rear anyway so 1 finger there too.
I think index/middle braking depends on your hand. My middle finger is significantly longer than my index.
I do it all the time, no idea what the 85 posts in between are about cos I CBA reading them.
I'm amazed by the person stating that hope 4 pots are not powerful enough. Have the Monos gone downhill since the DH4s? My DH4 is like a boat anchor - I often worry that I'm going to snap my stanchions with the amount they flex under the loads I can generate when braking. I weigh 105kg and even with my weight way forward I can still lock the front wheel with 1 finger, and they have an instantaneous bite followed by good modulation. I've never found that on other discs, most other discs seem to come in wimpily and not get much better.
i do except in the wet when i'm partial to a bit of 2 or maybe three action... 😉
Great thread, actualy makes realise that disc brakes are an ugrade
Every other disc brake thread seems to be about problems
I'm using 2 fingers on v-brakes
I must move on....
Having webbed hands, threads like this make me feel uncomfortable
I try and use 1 finger but mostly I use my face against the ground to slow down! 8)