Why do my triban's brakes lock too much?

[outlash]

I'm inclined to agree with the post above, anticipation is a skill that's a lot more necessary on a bike than in a car. I don't have a huge problem with the brakes on mine although I'm sure a new set of blocks front & back would make a big difference.


Tony.

 

[NickJ95GB]

Have you thought about braking a little earlier and with less force? If you are regularly planning on stopping so quickly that you are locking wheels, then what have you got left in reserve for when things are not quite what they seemed? Perhaps you need to rethink the way you plan your riding....

there seems to be a hard to find sweet spot - they either don't work at all or lock, so gradual braking does little

 

[NickJ95GB]

I have found with the 2 T3's we have that you don't need to release the brakes to get the wheels off, there is enough clearance on the 'stock 23mm tyre. It's a bit tighter with a 25mm tyre and brake blocks are a couple of mm from the rims.
My bike has had new pads and braking is much improved, my OH find the OEM ones fine.
We have both had issues with the wheels (front and rear) going out of true as well, but we have those nasty sleeping policemen (tarmac lumps) across the entire width of our single track lane which also do not allow you to go around them on a bike, and negotiating 8 of those each way was what I had put our wheels continually going out of true down to.

yeah, my route involves about 10 of those policemen, i get out of the saddle, and they're quite flat so it's ok. and i would get more 700 x 23c tyres, too.

 

[Lanzecki]

The Triban 3's brakes and tyres are not great, but a new set of blocks correctly fitted will make a massive difference.

It's worth remembering the road bike brakes are poor compared to a mountain bikes (not sure if you've migrated from one). They will never been as good.

Xpc3 and Outlash are correct anticipate.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Yes my experience is that my Triban wheels quickly lost their trueness. A quick ping of the spokes reveals which spokes are too slack or too tight and it didnt take long to set them straight again.

 

[Dan B]

Have you thought about braking a little earlier and with less force?

Where's the fun in that?

 

[NickJ95GB]

The Triban 3's brakes and tyres are not great, but a new set of blocks correctly fitted will make a massive difference.

It's worth remembering the road bike brakes are poor compared to a mountain bikes (not sure if you've migrated from one). They will never been as good.

Xpc3 and Outlash are correct anticipate.

migrated from a 17.5kg mountain bike yes, despite being heavy, the thing really stopped.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

yeah, my route involves about 10 of those policemen, i get out of the saddle, and they're quite flat so it's ok. and i would get more 700 x 23c tyres, too.

I also get out of the saddle, but ours are the old fashioned n shaped things that even taking at 10pmh in a car gives you a jolt and there is no going around them. they are also that high that they naturally get highlighted after rain because the entire road on either side will be flooded completely across the road with a tiny 'island' of tarmac to hit in the middle of said flooding/puddles. Just that section of flattish road will easily knock 0.5mph of my overall average simply because of how slow you have to go to not kill the wheels. On the brighter side, you get to sprint inbetween each and every one (if you want to) and also get to test your brakes and know they are working well before you get out onto the country lanes and this part of cheshire is anything but flat, so I suppose they serve some useful function, but I have to confess to feeling the desire for a touch of graffiti from a spray paint can, the speed bumps are exactly the same tarmac as the road and do not stand out at all unless it has rained!

 

[boydj]

A change to better quality brake pads would help considerably when you need to brake heavily. As others have said, anticipation and thinking ahead so that you don't need to be braking hard is the key to good riding.

 

[NickJ95GB]

A change to better quality brake pads would help considerably when you need to brake heavily. As others have said, anticipation and thinking ahead so that you don't need to be braking hard is the key to good riding.

i've come to a conclusion now that if the brakes are locking, they can slow the bike down, if they're locking it shows that the grip on the brakes surpasses the grip from the tyres - get a good set of tyres and the grip will surpass that of the brakes - allowing me to brake harder without locking.

 

[NickJ95GB]

I also get out of the saddle, but ours are the old fashioned n shaped things that even taking at 10pmh in a car gives you a jolt and there is no going around them. they are also that high that they naturally get highlighted after rain because the entire road on either side will be flooded completely across the road with a tiny 'island' of tarmac to hit in the middle of said flooding/puddles. Just that section of flattish road will easily knock 0.5mph of my overall average simply because of how slow you have to go to not kill the wheels. On the brighter side, you get to sprint inbetween each and every one (if you want to) and also get to test your brakes and know they are working well before you get out onto the country lanes and this part of cheshire is anything but flat, so I suppose they serve some useful function, but I have to confess to feeling the desire for a touch of graffiti from a spray paint can, the speed bumps are exactly the same tarmac as the road and do not stand out at all unless it has rained!

i'd take the path for that bit if i were you... is there a suitable path to take? they're too narrow and full here to use

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

i've come to a conclusion now that if the brakes are locking, they can slow the bike down, if they're locking it shows that the grip on the brakes surpasses the grip from the tyres - get a good set of tyres and the grip will surpass that of the brakes - allowing me to brake harder without locking.

In the wet there can be a delay while the brake pads are wiping excess water off the rim surface. I'm wondering whether this delay is what's catching you out - not enough braking and then too much. Sometimes it's wise to feather the brakes in advance of when you might need to stop.

I was in Decathlon this afternoon and had a look at their stock tyres. Though they felt better than the tyres on the T3's immediate predecessor, the difference was marginal. I know from experience (more embarrassing than painful) just how little traction you can get from them in the wet.

 

[NickJ95GB]

In the wet there can be a delay while the brake pads are wiping excess water off the rim surface. I'm wondering whether this delay is what's catching you out - not enough braking and then too much. Sometimes it's wise to feather the brakes in advance of when you might need to stop.

I was in Decathlon this afternoon and had a look at their stock tyres. Though they felt better than the tyres on the T3's immediate predecessor, the difference was marginal. I know from experience (more embarrassing than painful) just how little traction you can get from them in the wet.

it was exceptionally wet last ride, pouring with rain for all of it, and they were sqeaking by the end of it - will give it some WD-40, but even in dry conditions stopping distances are sub-par.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

i'd take the path for that bit if i were you... is there a suitable path to take? they're too narrow and full here to use

no, nope paths, it is a country lane and any grass verges as such as just deep mud with a large rock put there to stop vehicles trying the "get one set of wheels around the speed bump" move. Won't even consider taking my car off road, let alone anything on 23mm or 25mm tyres.

... will give it some WD-40, but even in dry conditions stopping distances are sub-par.

I'm just curious, but how will coating your brakes/rims in a layer of grease aid braking?
I switched to a new set of brake blocks which made a huge improvement costing £24. If they grip better in wet conditions, then you don't need to use them as hard, so you are not going to lock up and you can stop in much shorter distances.

 

[Stonepark]

As you suspect, if your wheels are locking up, brake blocks may be adequate and it sounds like tyre grip that is the concern to maximising braking potential, a change of tyre may help.

But like most wheels, they will all lock up at a certain point, try some braking test next to someone else in co-ordinated brake race and see who locks up first as you may be expecting too much from your tyre/brake combination.