The most important factor to getting better braking is to remember that your front brake is by
far and away the most effective way to slow down.
Some people actually advocate using only the front brake for effectiveness, and the theory
is sound – you get the most effective braking just at the point at which your back wheel
starts to rise off the ground, when it can offer no braking force of its own.
Now, that’s all well and good, but there’s no reason not to use your back brake either.
For those moments when it is touching the ground, it will help you slow down, particularly
when you first apply your brakes and you’re gauging just how hard you can pull them on.
You should almost always apply both brakes together, although not necessarily with the
same force - the back brake requires much less.
In order to use your front brake safely, you need to adjust your weight distribution on
the bike to counter the forces of deceleration. The harder you brake, the more important it
is to get your body in the correct position.
When riding at speed I tend to ride on the drops, and one of the main reasons is the
extra control we have in this position when riding at higher speeds, and a lot of this
is due to braking.
Not only are your hands really secure in this position, because your body weight is lowered
you are able to cope much better with the increased braking forces. The main issue with
braking hard is going over the handlebars, but by straightening your arms and pushing
your backside behind the saddle you can counter that force of deceleration.
For gentle braking, it’s fine to hold onto the hoods. Your body is in its most upright
position here, and you have the weakest grip of the bars but for most situations in normal
riding, this is going to be absolutely fine, and I spend most of my riding time in this
position.
One of the most important tips to help with better braking is to develop the instinct
to release the levers if you feel either wheel start to skid. Often a skid can happen so
suddenly that you don’t feel like you have time to do anything about it, but in most
cases you do. Just as your car has anti-lock brakes to improve braking, you can do the
same on your bike.
You don’t have to release the brake entirely, just enough that the wheel regains traction
if it slips.
This action can take a long time to master, but it is really fundamental to taking your
riding ability to the next level. If you do any mountain biking you have to get this dialled
even more quickly, and riding off road can be a really good way of learning this skill
in a slightly safer environment.
Generally with braking it’s really important to practice the correct techniques so that
they become instinctive. When you need to brake in an emergency, you act on instinct,
so your conscious thought catches up later. It’s what makes braking technique so important.
It can really help to work specifically on it so don’t be afraid to practice these
skills and repeat them.
You can also help to dramatically improve your braking by making a couple of inexpensive
but incredibly important changes to your bike.
If you’re that way inclined you can get away with fudging quite a bit of bike maintenance,
but to brake effectively you need to have effective brakes. How expensive they are is
not the issue, we’re talking about function, and that means cables and pads.
Sticky, gritty cables at best ruin any feel you get from the brake, and at their worst
are just dangerous. It’s not just power that you lose, but also modulation. If you
have to pull hard at the lever to get any kind of response from the brake, you can’t
feel what the wheels are telling you.
It might cost you the price of about 5 cups of coffee, but replacing your brake cables
makes an incredible difference.
The second mechanical advantage you can get might not actually cost you anything. Make
sure your brake pads are well set up, so that they strike the rim in the correct place and
at the correct time. I’m not a big believer in expensive brake pads working better than
stock ones, just make the most of the ones you have.
Finally, where to brake is the last piece of the puzzle in improving your braking. Now
of course most of the time you won’t feel that you get to choose where to brake, but
small adjustments can make a big difference.
Cornering is the biggest example. Braking while cornering is something that should really
be avoided as it increases the forces on the tyres and is one of the biggest causes of
crashes. Too much braking in a corner can send either the front or the back ends out,
but usually the front. Try to get all your deceleration done in advance of the corner.
Generally if you need to keep your speed in check through corners it’s okay to do so,
but just scrub your brakes gently to moderate the speed, don’t actually try and slow down.
It’s also worth being aware of the surface underneath your tyres. Loose or broken roads
can dramatically reduce your braking ability, so if you can, look to choose a smooth patch
of road on which to brake. Avoid drain covers, white lines and especially gravel which can
collect in the middle and at the edges of roads.