Do I really need my rear brake?

[tri boy]

I can push the pistons in with the help of a screw driver to use as a lever. Sorry Tri Boy, I'm not sure what you mean, would you beable to discribe what you mean more indepth?

Cheers.

There is an adjustment thread on the mastercylinder rod that allows you to take/give freeplay to the footlever. You need about 2-3mm of freeplay.
If you can slightly depress your foot lever, and the mastercylinder rod doesnt move, then you have free play.
If your not 100% sure how to do this, get a bike mechanic to check it. Its an important adjustment, and wrongly adjusted, it can cause trouble.

[Pancakes]

Im gonna have to test this.

Most would have tested full power braking by now, do test and practice it so you don't die. Also, can I ride your bike before you write it off.

Your right, 100% of the power comes from your front brake/wheel ONCE THE REAR HAS LEFT THE GROUND. This also missaligns the centre of gravity and point of contact (front wheel) even further and means you can't stop as quickly. I'd pay money to see you do a wet weather stoppie with random greasy patches thrown in cos you'd normally find these around too.

I have had to emergency brake numerous times in my lane-splitting career and have locked the back up a bit. Better that than the front a? heheheh. Then you get the most stopping from the back (pulse braking not a big skid) and no front wash-out which is not really an option.

Best to have the rear if you can but you can still ride without one. Obviously fix it asap, who knows whats around the corner?

[Pancakes]

I think you'll find that 95-100% of breaking is done with a high-side on the track.

Braking however...

Rep for you, funny is the cleverest form of humour

[Pancakes]

Also pays to use hand and foot everytime your braking. You don't have to use the rear once your foot's there but it is there a few mm away if you need it v.s foot on the lever and start braking if you need it (front fails etc.....). Just my opinion but I use both all the time, have ridden bicycles for thousands and thousands of k's including 2 and a half years cycle couriering in AK and more recently 3 years commuting from Whenuapai to the CBD daily, way more than motorbikes and you might think that it's not comparable but I disagree. Especially when it comes to mid-corner braking, seems like everyone is picturing a dry, faultless raod and that we can all calculate our braking perfectly. GP riders vary in their ability to do this so how good are you? Sometimes it's too slippery to stoppie/100% brake w/ the front alone and the rear also does help "snug the bike in" mid-corner. I'd say if you haven't tried it have a play with gentle braking when you find yourself in suitable practice situations.

[90s]

Also pays to use hand and foot everytime your braking. You don't have to use the rear once your foot's there but it is there a few mm away if you need it v.s foot on the lever and start braking if you need it (front fails etc.....). Just my opinion but I use both all the time, have ridden bicycles for thousands and thousands of k's including 2 and a half years cycle couriering in AK and more recently 3 years commuting from Whenuapai to the CBD daily, way more than motorbikes and you might think that it's not comparable but I disagree. Especially when it comes to mid-corner braking, seems like everyone is picturing a dry, faultless raod and that we can all calculate our braking perfectly. GP riders vary in their ability to do this so how good are you? Sometimes it's too slippery to stoppie/100% brake w/ the front alone and the rear also does help "snug the bike in" mid-corner. I'd say if you haven't tried it have a play with gentle braking when you find yourself in suitable practice situations.

You used the footbrake on your bikecycle?

I have to agree with you about the fact that you can learn a lot about riding on bicycles - esp. as like you I have spent 5 yrs. commuting and couriering through London and 4 years daily from scenic drive into the CBD here.
But I have to disagree on the brakes. On my bicycle in all those years on road never once (well, almost) did I use the rear brake, and in general it would have been bad form to use it on the road. (front brake hope xc4 disc).
Any fear about going over the front is the result of bad riding. 100% of braking from the front wheel once the rear has left the ground, and in emergency braking it should. The rear will lock easily, just like a motorbike as the weight comes up. Contrary to what people seem to be implying on this thread, there is absoltely no problem on a bicycle or motorbike in locking and sliding the front wheel on a straight as long as you look up and forward (yes I have tried it extensively in 'life' and at the RRRS course). But you will go down if you panic, or are steering sharply, esp. if the wheel hits oil on the turn.
Aside from bicyles I have years commuting etc in both London and 1 yr in Auckland on motorbike daily. Lanesplitting daily I would also not use the rear brake usually. But in relation to this thread and your point about being prepred I would not ride without it in perfect working order either.
Now off-road riding and racing xc on both dirtbikes (in my younger days) and mountain bikes I would use the rear brake a lot - but that's another story, and one more related to steering, gravel and mud and hooning.

[imdying]

Phear my foot brakes!

[Reckless]

Re: braking- Funny? but just watched the last moto GP and Rossi was using the rear brake to steady the bike and keep the back in line, leaving the odd faint black line on the track. I wonder if it would be a good idea to copy him. even on the road.

Secondly if you don't know what your doing, don't shag with the brakes. They are pretty simple but leaking cylinder putting brake fluid over the rear wheel etc will fuck your day completly. And if your asking these type of questions not bleeding them properly will still stuff your day. And leaving them binding will stuff your brake disc (up to $300), and cook your seals and pads.

Get a mate or mechanic who can fix them for you. Even a car mechanic can redo bike brakes for very little money. Watch and learn what is done for next time. Good luck with it.

[90s]

Phear my foot brakes!

Wow! Reminds me of my first raliegh grifter (except sram parts which work ... ).

Living out in titirangi I'll stay with my sram PG980 and 27 speeds thanks, plus hope discs. (bit hilly out here and I'm a wuss)

erm, actually I throw in the towel totally and I'll take the 80bhp from my 6-speed ...

[90s]

Re: braking- Funny? but just watched the last moto GP and Rossi was using the rear brake to steady the bike and keep the back in line, leaving the odd faint black line on the track. I wonder if it would be a good idea to copy him. even on the road.

I remember watching nigel mansell spin on a straight in the wet in the mid '80s, before pulling a 360 deg spin over a curb and carrying on. Fantastic driving.

Maybe I should copy that in my cage on the road.

As many people with a lot of track riding experience (I am not one) have said on this site, track riding is not road riding. But steadying the back with the rear is a good skill - but not a necessary one for "everyday speeds". Its important for racing ... so if racing on public roads is what you want then you are correct.

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

I never use my back brake on the track but I might start using it to "back it in" on turn in.

how do you like to ride? controlled? then use front brake only. loose? then use heaps of back brake

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

Re: braking- Funny? but just watched the last moto GP and Rossi was using the rear brake to steady the bike and keep the back in line, leaving the odd faint black line on the track. I wonder if it would be a good idea to copy him. even on the road.

maybe useful advice if you ride a 220+ hp motogp bike and have a problem keeping the front down and wheel spin problems, otherwise terrible advice.

[Ocean1]

I always cover the back brake, think it's a good habit to learn. If I didn't do it every time then when I wanted it for any reason I wouldn't get onto it fast enough. My brain's busy working on other things right then, if my right foot's already there I don't have to think about it, just squeze. My reactions are all dirt learned, and bikes and tyres have changes a lot since I figured out how to ride them. Even so I find the number of times I do tap the rear going into a corner is quite high, even on a good road surface. It's usually more to do with stability or attitude than scrubbing speed but in some situations / surfaces it can add stopping power. What does it cost to cover the back brake? Nothing, and it sometimes comes in bloody handy. Not using it when you don't need to is basically ignoring a potentially usefull skill. Lazy'll get you hurt one day.

[Reckless]

Isn't a std 1000 sports bike puting out 180+ HP off the shop floor and a 1400 200hp not to far off. So the technique must be similar??
But I will admit I have never track raced a bike so I defer to your greater experience. I looked quite closely at the tape and he is definatly shifting his foot to the brake and using it.
So are you and some of the other posts saying on the track you never touch the rear brake even lightly to steady the bike or maybe a bit harder to bring the backround a bit?? If you use the right pressure it shouldn't chatter or skip. When I'm going for a blast even if its 98% front 2% rear I always use a touch of rear. Keeps the tail in behind doesn't it. Maybe I should post this to the race thread as its dragging this one off topic.

[90s]

Isn't a std 1000 sports bike puting out 180+ HP off the shop floor and a 1400 200hp not to far off. So the technique must be similar?? ... So are you and some of the other posts saying on the track you never touch the rear brake even lightly to steady the bike or maybe a bit harder to bring the backround a bit??

The point is one about riding style. You can keep the back in line as you suggest, and on the track it is an important skill.

But it is a racing technique (it is a useful technique like all skills, but this is where it becomes important.) If you have large sports bike you need skills to tame these bikes.

Riding 'normally' on roads however this is not a major aspect to braking.

[Reckless]

Just testing the water! Cause even at 200k+ I still trail the rear brake a fraction. Never liked the thought of the front stepping out without a fraction of rear on. Just that some of the posts here seemed to say they use none at all?? And that didn't make sense. Each to his own I suppose!