Bad braking technique is one of the biggest causes of crashes for both novice riders. Novices are far more prone to panic braking, harsh use of the brakes at the last minute or in an emergency, which causes one or both wheels to skid leading to loss of control of the bike.
As covered in the Beginners section, spotting a hazard early and therefore knowing when to brake is an important part of braking. It gives you plenty of time to slow down gently in a straight line without grabbing a handful of brake and loosing control. Keeping your brakes covered with at least one finger at all times allows instant smooth breaking rather than grabbing at the lever. Braking with only your index or index and forefinger allows the other fingers to maitain control of the handlebars.
We also talked about braking evenly with both brakes. This was because the rider was braking gently in the seated position riding on smooth, grippy trails using relatively gentle braking force.
In the Fundamentals section will be looking at braking when riding in the standing ‘attack’ position which allows a much greater braking force to be safely applied and covers progressive braking, using the front and rear brakes independantly, bracing against braking forces and braking on loose or slippy surfaces.
Tips
- Always keep at least one finger on each brake.
- Stop quicker by applying the brake slower to get some weight on the front wheel before braking fully.
- Try to do your braking in a staright line on firmer sections of trail.
- Your brakes have a lever NOT a switch. Use the extra control it gives you.
- If a wheel starts to skid under braking, release the brake then re-apply with a little less pressure.
- Brake less with the front as the trail gets loose.
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