Front brakes , what are they good for ?

[Andy_R]

I think you'll find the law says otherwise.

OP did say he uses canal paths, not the road. But if at any point he has to use the road then the law comes into effect.

 

[derrick]

I was pondering the other day that in the last ten years I can't ever think of ever using my front brake, I've never even fitted a new brake pad, my rear brake stops me fine at any speed and if I used a front at any kind of speed I would go head first over the handle bars. The only use for it I can see on a normal commuting or leisure bike is if the rear brake cable snaps, something that has never happened to me. I can't speak for competitive mountain bike or stunt riders because I don't do that.

I have a 6 mile commute once a week along the flat canal towpath and the bike I use has no front brake ( or front mech ) I just don't need them.

Possibly doubling up the cable to the rear brake would give you a safety fall back and eliminate the front brake entirely ?

You obviously don't go very fast. Or you have never needed to stop quickly.

 

[raleighnut]

If memory serves me correctly some motor bikes had a linked system that applied the front brake before the rear.i never had m/b with this system.I was taught to apply the front brake before the rear.Carried this over to cycling when needing to brake hard.

Moto Guzzi had a linked system where the pedal brake operated both the rear brake and 1 of the front discs with the hand lever operating the other front disc.

Harley had a system where neither brake did very much towards slowing the bike down

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Moto Guzzi had a linked system where the pedal brake operated both the rear brake and 1 of the front discs with the hand lever operating the other front disc.

Harley had a system where neither brake did very much towards slowing the bike down

You are right about the Guzzi. The 850 Le Mans III was my ride for a while.
However, I'm sure you have your facts mixed up with the Harley. I heard that it had a crude, complicated, noisy engine that doesn't do much towards speeding the bike up. Maybe I heard wrong.

 

[MontyVeda]

I use the front brake all the time.
Endos only happen under braking if:
Your riding position is very upright.
You don't adjust your weight distribution during heavy braking.
You dont brace against the bars.
You apply the front brake suddenly at full power and dont release power when you feel the tyre breaking away from the road surface.

I have never experienced an endo through braking.
I have slid sideways during rear braking. If you are quick it is recoverable.

I know three people who've gone over the bars and damaged themselves quite badly... two 'accidentally' hit the front instead of the back and didn't realise just how sharp V brakes were, they also broke their collar bones. The other wasn't going very fast but another rider cut in front of him whilst he only had one hand on the bars and had to 'slam' on his front brake. Face planted. He wasn't a pretty sight for a while.

My back brake may be less efficient but it doesn't send me over the bars.

 

[Dogtrousers]

When I was a wee lad with a paper round and a penchant for fettling bikes, one day I serviced my brakes. Then I tested them.

Early risers looking out of their bedroom windows may have been surprised to see the paper boy riding serenely down the road suddenly, and for no reason, launch himself over the handlebars.

 

[Sharky]

If you feel that front braking will send you over, I would suggest that the brake isn't set up right. You should be able to apply pressure gently for gentle stopping and should be able to increase pressure to increase the stopping need without feeling that the front wheel is going to lock and send you over.

If you apply force to the rear, it is quite easy to lock the rear wheel and you will just skid and even start to jack knife.

Some fixie riders, without any brakes actually lock their rear wheels and force a skid to stop. Highly illegal and not a safe way of stopping.

However, if you are stopping ok at the speeds you are riding, then no need to change.

 

[wisdom]

I probably do about 80% of braking with my front brake, although I use both brakes pretty much every time I stop. About the only time I don't favour the front is on slippery surfaces.

Same here.

 

[pawl]

Moto Guzzi had a linked system where the pedal brake operated both the rear brake and 1 of the front discs with the hand lever operating the other front disc.

Harley had a system where neither brake did very much towards slowing the bike down

Thanks for that Couldn’t remember the make.I assume it wasn’t taken up by other makes.
I haven’t ridden.a motorcycle for many years.

 

[raleighnut]

You are right about the Guzzi. The 850 Le Mans III was my ride for a while.
However, I'm sure you have your facts mixed up with the Harley. I heard that it had a crude, complicated, noisy engine that doesn't do much towards speeding the bike up. Maybe I heard wrong.

Nah you're right but the engine makes more braking power than acceleration (and more noise than either)

 

[raleighnut]

Thanks for that Couldn’t remember the make.I assume it wasn’t taken up by other makes.
I haven’t ridden.a motorcycle for many years.

I think Honda may have tried it on their shoppingarcade Aspencade for a while too.

 

[snorri]

If my memory serves me right, long before 'cycle training', I was told when first learning to use a bicycle never to use the front brake as I would be in danger of going over the handlebars. That was probably quite good advice for someone too young to understand the theories of weight transfer or front and rear wheel skids.
By the time I had mastered the balancing thing and other basic skills I suppose I had discovered for myself the benefits and risks of back and front brake usage.

 

[Smudge]

Thanks for that Couldn’t remember the make.I assume it wasn’t taken up by other makes.
I haven’t ridden.a motorcycle for many years.

Many motorcycles over the years have had linked braking systems, i've had it on at least 3 bikes. Honda Blackbird and Honda Varadero. It was also on my Yam Super Tenere 1200.

 

[keithmac]

If memory serves me correctly some motor bikes had a linked system that applied the front brake before the rear.i never had m/b with this system.I was taught to apply the front brake before the rear.Carried this over to cycling when needing to brake hard.

Honda's CBS (Combined Braking System) uses the middle piston on the front calipers to apply front braking when you press the rear pedal.

There's a reason why all cars have significantly bigger brakes on the front and bias to the front, same with Motorcycles (big twin front disks, little single rear disk).

I brake with the front and rear together on my pushbike, emergency stop is the most you can apply to the front while feeling for grip with the back wheel!. Back back only would be a skid and more than likey an impact of some sort!.

 

[Illaveago]

If memory serves me correctly some motor bikes had a linked system that applied the front brake before the rear.i never had m/b with this system.I was taught to apply the front brake before the rear.Carried this over to cycling when needing to brake hard.

Moto Guzzi had a linked system.