Using the front brake...

[Matt]

I've been riding bikes for 20 years (gosh I feel old!), but only had a road bike for the last year and I'm really struggling to use the front brake enough - most of the time I'm adjusting my speed using both brakes but when it comes to an emergency (like the pratt in an Astra who pulled out on me this morning in Petone) I'm locking up the back pretty quickly - still in control but definitely not stopping as quick as I could!

I guess it comes from riding trials bikes so much (you'd go over the bars if you squeezed the front brake as hard as you need to on a road bike), but I'm half tempted to disconnect the back brake to make me use the front!

So, how do you force yourself to use the front brake? Guess it's just a case of practicing in an empty car-park? (but there's a big difference between doing it on purpose and then doing it in a panic!)

Matt

[degrom]

Practice... Go for a slow ride on the Rimataka's and concentrate on using your front brake more than your back one.

The best braking method is to use both brakes but with a 60/40 ratio with the front brakes being used 60% or more...

[MSTRS:Me]

Yep. Practice. Then practice some more. You need to retrain your brain to use that front brake automatically.

[ManDownUnder]

Practice straight line stopping... clear piece of tarmac, straight line, squeeze on the front brake (use both...) and when you get to the point of the rear lifting off or drifting slightly from a lack of weight you know you're getting there.

Best done under an experienced eye (no insult - I recognise the 20 years expereince) but I'd hate you to try too hard and hurt yourself/ destroy valuable machinery

[Coldrider]

Put the ball of your feet on the footpegs where they should be anyway, you then have to shift your foot forward to get to the brake lever, and it is lazier then not to use it at all.

[avgas]

Run ya back tyre bald - it teaches you alot of riding skills.
(before people flame me - try it, i shit you not)
It teaches you the following:
rear wheel steering
expect the unexpected
front brake usage
mantaining a loose back under power
weight loading etc

[James Deuce]

80-90% of your maximum potential braking power is coming from the front brakes of your ER6.

Practice just using the front until you get comfortable with it.

Then add the rear in, remembering that as the weight transfer to the front increases as you slow, you'll need to let the rear off.

Blackbird posted a really good braking article I was involved in writing almost 20 years ago. It discusses breaking your braking, especially using the front, into 4 stages.

1. Initial application
2. A progressive squeeze to bring you to a halt. Normal brake use to come to a stop at an intersection for instance.
3. A harder, quicker squeeze to decrease your stopping distance in the event that someone squeezes in front of you at the head of a queue.
4. As hard as you can squeeze.

All braking should follow the progression: On, Squeeze, Squeeze harder, Jam lever against grip. It avoids yanking the brakes on and losing the front and the progression can be as quick or slow as you like.

But you need to practice.

[Coldrider]

I did a ride school run by Freddy Merkle & Brian Bernard a few years ago, we had the front wheels smoking and the rears up in the air, the back wheel cannot do much elevated and takes your concentration away from the front.

[Sparky Bills]

Go find a road where your not going to bother anybody.

Then practise braking hard. Using only the front brake, then using only the rear brake. Think about how much difference between the 2.

Then find a mark on the road. Speed up to a comfy speed, when you get to your mark start braking as hard as you can! (Using only the front brake)
You will be surprised how hard you can actually brake. Just squeeze the lever in smoothly, dont jam it on, squeeze.

Give it a go.
If you do it right, the rear will probably lift off the ground a bit.

[sAsLEX]

I have the opposite problem..... I tend to use only the front.

Stops it just fine, but learning to use the rear could help settle the bike a bit more, if I started pushing my riding a bit more......

[07fatboy]

I find on the later model bikes they have a dial setting on the front brake lever,might pay to check it out,dial settings 1-5. I've had a bit of a play on my in-laws bike you can set it so you can sqeeze as hard as you like and not lock the bike up from a set speed...Personally i like full power in the brakes and always use front brakes 90/10 compared to the rear...Practice,practice,practice this will come naturally ,Expect the unexpected at all times,Keep your eyes peeled but most of all enjoy your ride....Stay safe

[Sparky Bills]

I find on the later model bikes they have a dial setting on the front brake lever,might pay to check it out,dial settings 1-5. I've had a bit of a play on my in-laws bike you can set it so you can sqeeze as hard as you like and not lock the bike up from a set speed.

Mate.....
Thats not what that is for!!

[James Deuce]

I find on the later model bikes they have a dial setting on the front brake lever,might pay to check it out,dial settings 1-5. I've had a bit of a play on my in-laws bike you can set it so you can sqeeze as hard as you like and not lock the bike up from a set speed...Personally i like full power in the brakes and always use front brakes 90/10 compared to the rear...

Umm, that's a span adjuster. It's for adjusting how close the lever is to the grip. You know, depending on whether or not you are a Dwarf or a Giant.

[Griff]

The Rear Brake pedal is Factory Set-Up to be Horizontal to the floor. This allows you to place shit-loads of pressure on it and lock your rear wheel up, due to the amount of travel in your ankle joint.

Try adjusting the brake pedal so that it is pointing SLIGHTLY Lower than horizontal. That way it should NEVER lock up.

BUT do the adjusting in small decrements and check that your rear brake light comes on (and off) when it should.

[kevfromcoro]

Iam a bit the same.dont like using the front brake.
I have been riding for a few years..and remeber the old shitters we used to ride
.BSA ,,MATCHY.TRIUMPH, shit hitting the front brake was a diaster,
Also done a lot of offroading ,,were dont use the front brake much,,(well dont use brakes at all)
LIKE others have said in here..60% front and 40% rear.
well it does add up.still gives me the shits grabbing a right handfull
Practise more i suppose