# How to properly use disc brakes



## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

I would like to share on how I use my disc brakes because a lot of people here don't have any clue about this and just squeeze the brake levers until the rotors are red hot and brake fade occurs.

I am a recent convert to mechanical disc(I got a Shimano M416) and I've been practicing proper braking with some time now with research and this is my technique. It is better to rely on front brakes with some assistance of the rear(60/40) at the same time but be extra careful not locking the wheels. I copied it from a Honda motorcycle tutorial video and it worked so well. Long downhill descents require some feathering or tapping of the lever to cool down the rotor and reduce brake fade. A long hold on the brake will result of overheated rotors(glowing red hot) and brake fade. Also, never ever brake using only one brake, especially when going downhill. And lastly, it is important to clean the rotors with a clean cloth and Rubbing alcohol(70% isopropyl) to prevent them from squealing due to dirt.

Before I've bought my mechanical discs, many of the veteran bikers said that these things are dangerous cause they are unreliable but I've proven all them wrong. I have even been to the locations where their disc brakes failed and I successfully conquered them and not once my brakes overheat despite the fact that my brakes are 2-3x cheaper than theirs. It took me almost three weeks of practice and it paid off.

Bottom line is that your braking technique is far more important than buying a really expensive brakes. It is way too easy to destroy a high end brakes with the wrong technique. I hope this helps the newbies. If any disc brake veterans reading this, you are free to contribute your thoughts, techniques and skills.


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## borntoscore97 (Mar 19, 2012)

Thanks, thats great info


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## oldskoolbiker (Jun 2, 2005)

Mechanical discs work good, but they don't modulate as well as hydros, they are more on/off. Also hydros self adjust as pads wear down, and mechanicals don't.

Like you said, don't be afraid of the front brake, since that's where most of your braking power is. 

You will overheat your brakes if you ride the brakes for long periods of time while going fast. It's better to let completely off the brakes, and hit the brakes hard when you want to slow down.

Brake in straight lines as much as possible. Try to avoid braking in corners. If you do have to brake in a corner, use the rear brake as using the front brake in this scenario will cause the front wheel to wash out.

Never hit the brakes when the bike is in mid-air, this will cause the bike nose dive.

Setup your brake levers such that you get the most leverage. Usually this is to have the brake lever clamp an inch or so inboard of the edge of the grip. You should be able to brake with only your index finger.

Don't torque your brake levers too tight. Make them so they will rotate around the bars if you crash. To tight and you crash, you could very well break the lever.


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

I have never seen anyone get their MTB disc rotors glowing red. I've never done this myself, and I captain a FS tandem with a team weight of ~360lb and total weight over 400lb including the bike. 

Are there better ways to use disc brakes? Yes. Are they as fragile as you seem to indicate? No.

At the temps you're talking about with stainless steel glowing cherry red, you'd have long ago boiled the brake fluid, melted seals, etc.


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

Okayfine said:


> I have never seen anyone get their MTB disc rotors glowing red. I've never done this myself, and I captain a FS tandem with a team weight of ~360lb and total weight over 400lb including the bike.
> 
> Are there better ways to use disc brakes? Yes. Are they as fragile as you seem to indicate? No.
> 
> At the temps you're talking about with stainless steel glowing cherry red, you'd have long ago boiled the brake fluid, melted seals, etc.


A tandem bikes generally have heavy duty disc(SLX, XT and XTR) which have larger rotors 180 mm or more, better cooling system and run downhill less than 10 minutes. It is not cherry but it is red. Yes, it will cook and boil your hydraulic fluid and cables and warp rotors. A ton of people in forums will testify to that not to mention I saw one for myself. No, disc are not fragile and they can go harder and faster than all V-brakes and they are almost bullet proof. Most people will never ever encounter an overheated disc brake. Brake fade is the first sign of overheat, then the smell and feel heat. Then it glows. You can only experience this if you brake in excess of 10 minutes or 5 km of steep downhill.

The fact that you are unaware of this phenomenon is the proof you never saw this thus you are skeptical about this. I fully understand your concerns because I was this skeptical up until I saw one for myself. Ask a seasoned downhill biker or anyone who traverse long descents for more horror stories.


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

oldskoolbiker said:


> Mechanical discs work good, but they don't modulate as well as hydros, they are more on/off. Also hydros self adjust as pads wear down, and mechanicals don't.


Hydraulic brakes are better in modulation and stopping power due to twin calipers. Great info and thanks.


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## Mr.Fahrenheit (Mar 15, 2012)

thanks for the insight


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## Scott300RUM (Mar 18, 2012)

Thanks for the info. I've always had a mountain bike growing up but I've never been a serious rider. But I find myself wanting to get more serious about it and can use all the help I can get. Thanks again.


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## huffster (Nov 14, 2011)

I remember taking my road test as a 16 year old. I passed, but the administrator made a comment as we pulled back to the curb. He said: "You don't like to use the brake much do you?"

Why do I share this?

I think the big message here is "Don't ride the brake for too long. Give it an opportunity to cool. So, when you can coast and let off, do so. When feathering will work, do so."


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

chunky1x said:


> I would like to share on how I use my disc brakes because a lot of people here don't have any clue about this and just squeeze the brake levers until the rotors are red hot and brake fade occurs.Brake fade occurs when the rotors become blue hot
> 
> I am a recent convert to mechanical disc(I got a Shimano M416) and I've been practicing proper braking with some time now with research and this is my technique. It is better to rely on front brakes with some assistance of the rear(60/40) at the same time but be extra careful not locking the wheels. I copied it from a Honda motorcycle tutorial video and it worked so well. Long downhill descents require some featheringfeathering increases the heat build up or tapping of the lever to cool down the rotor and reduce brake fade.On off braking reduces heat build up A long hold on the brake will result of overheated rotors(glowing red hot)not on a bicycle and brake fade. Also, never ever brake using only one brake, especially when going downhill.Not at all true And lastly, it is important to clean the rotors with a clean cloth and Rubbing alcohol(70% isopropyl) to prevent them from squealing due to dirt.Squealing is no normally a function oif dirt, rather water increases squealing
> 
> ...


The one rule that is true here is on/off braking will reduce overheating.

Often on steep/slow downhills almost all of the braking effort must be on the rear brake.

Even after rotors are overheated once cooled they work fine.....don't spray water on a hot brake rotor.

Soap and water work fine for cleaning brakes unless lube oil has been gotton on the surfaces.


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## Lucidor (Mar 16, 2012)

good info in here, Thanks


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## oldskoolbiker (Jun 2, 2005)

jeffscott said:


> Often on steep/slow downhills almost all of the braking effort must be on the rear brake.


On steep hills rear brake has almost no affect. Rear wheel locks up and you skid out of control very easily. You really need use the front brake which will have a massive amount of traction compared to rear.


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

Yes MTB tandems use larger rotors to accomodate the extra weight involved. We're still some of the most extreme users of MTB disc brake systems, and if we don't have issues (and we don't, generally) then 99.99% of MTBers won't either.



chunky1x said:


> The fact that you are unaware of this phenomenon is the proof you never saw this thus you are skeptical about this. I fully understand your concerns because I was this skeptical up until I saw one for myself. Ask a seasoned downhill biker or anyone who traverse long descents for more horror stories.


I understand brake fade. There's little difference between MTB discs and car disc brake systems. The heat required to change stainless to a glowing color will have long-ago rendered the braking capacity of the system useless, so you'd never get a rotor to glow because the system would have failed first.

Good tips. Less hyperbole. Visible red stainless is ~1000°F.


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## jtorlando25 (Mar 1, 2011)

I cook Clif bars on my red hot glowing rotors, then I pee on them to cool them down.


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

The one rule that is true here is on/off braking will reduce overheating.



jeffscott said:


> Often on steep/slow downhills almost all of the braking effort must be on the rear brake.
> 
> Even after rotors are overheated once cooled they work fine.....don't spray water on a hot brake rotor.
> 
> Soap and water work fine for cleaning brakes unless lube oil has been gotton on the surfaces.


Front brakes are the main brakes and should be applied in tandem with rear to prevent the rear from overheating except in fast cornering. Front brakes are a liability when you lock the front wheels. Many if not all overheated rotors will warp to some degree. If you are using a low end rotors, they are not temper thus warp easily. Dirt, oil,brake dust and warp disc will make the brake scream. Wrong technique will destroy expensive high end brakes much quicker than you though. I have seen a lot of XTR, Saint, XX and X0 go bye bye in less 100 km. Team Specialized lost a podium finished because of this last year and it is on YouTube. I've been doing front and rear braking(60/40) since 2001 with V-brakes and they are ultra reliable even in fast downhill runs. The only thing new for disc is tapping and feathering in discs. Aside from tapping(on and off) you also need to feather in some situations. Feathering will not cool the brakes faster than tapping but give a more controlled descent. It will never generate heat faster than holding the brakes. Some rotors are made from tempered steel or low quality stainless steel which will resist warping than high quality stainless steel but rust with mud or soap.

I've been biking since 1989 and I admit that disc brakes are a little complicated than V-brakes. I am very familiar with overheated brakes and the fact that I've blown three tires in V-brakes or how many times I help someone who crashed due to overheated discs. I admit most people will find that front brakes are a little bit scary to a newbie but it is the main brake for the bikes and even cars. Most people will overheat the rear brakes. My local shops sells a lot of rear rotors because of that(ironically they are the first on who taught me how to brake properly with disc). The biggest hurdle to a newbie to disc is, to stop treating disc as V-brakes.


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

Okayfine said:


> Less hyperbole. Visible red stainless is ~1000°F.


You clearly underestimated how hard and hot it can go and still function. You should have seen it. It is beautiful at first and then this speech will happen "OH ****!". I've already seen 5 rotors with a hint of red and my friends said it can even go brighter. You can usually see this if your are going downhill for more than 30 minutes.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

chunky1x said:


> The one rule that is true here is on/off braking will reduce overheating.
> 
> Front brakes are the main brakes and should be applied in tandem with rear to prevent the rear from overheating except in fast cornering. Front brakes are a liability when you lock the front wheels. Many if not all overheated rotors will warp to some degree.No most do not If you are using a low end rotors, they are not temper thus warp easily.No they do not Dirt, oil,brake dust and warp disc will make the brake scream.No they do not Wrong technique will destroy expensive high end brakes much quicker than you though.No that doesn't happen I have seen a lot of XTR, Saint, XX and X0 go bye bye in less 100 km. Team Specialized lost a podium finished because of this last year and it is on YouTube. I've been doing front and rear braking(60/40) since 2001 with V-brakes and they are ultra reliable even in fast downhill runs.Most pro use Disk brakes cause the preform better The only thing new for disc is tapping and feathering in discs.On/Off works feathering overheats brakes Aside from tapping(on and off) you also need to feather in some situations. Feathering will not cool the brakes faster than tapping but give a more controlled descent.No not really when it is steep enough the brakes are on 100% It will never generate heat faster than holding the brakes. Some rotors are made from tempered steel or low quality stainless steel which will resist warping than high quality stainless steel but rust with mud or soap.No they do not
> 
> I've been biking since 1989 and I admit that disc brakes are a little complicated than V-brakes. I am very familiar with overheated brakes and the fact that I've blown three tires in V-brakes or how many times I help someone who crashed due to overheated discs. I admit most people will find that front brakes are a little bit scary to a newbie but it is the main brake for the bikes and even cars. Most people will overheat the rear brakes. My local shops sells a lot of rear rotors because of that(ironically they are the first on who taught me how to brake properly with disc).I have never had to replace a disck The biggest hurdle to a newbie to disc is, to stop treating disc as V-brakes.


Sorry you are missing some key points....

When disck brakes overheat they fade and the heat input falls then the cool a bit....On/off braking will help cool brakes, feathering will over heat brakes.

I road down Mauna Kea....17% grade on pavement for several miles...My brakes overheated and faded while going 75 plus kph.....I went to on/off braking and managed to stop...the brakes were smoking, after a minute the brakes were fine and I continued riding.

Disks are mostly bent when people crash or lean there bikes on them....not warped....unles someone unevenly cooled them by pouring water on them.

Water causes silent brakes to squeal.....just about every time. I have never had my brakes squeal when dry...

Some brakes sqeal when wet or dry...they need tobe fixed.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

oldskoolbiker said:


> jeffscott said:
> 
> 
> > Often on steep/slow downhills almost all of the braking effort must be on the rear brake.
> ...


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

Rear for steer... this is when I use one brake like for control around tight turns, etc.

I apply more front brake for increased stopping power and yes it can get hot to the touch but I've never seen it glow. I have two sets of Avid hydros (Elixir CR's & Juicy 7's) and one set of BB7's. I don't notice a huge difference between the three other than the BB7's more "direct" feel.


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

jeffscott said:


> Sorry you are missing some key points....
> 
> When disck brakes overheat they fade and the heat input falls then the cool a bit....On/off braking will help cool brakes, feathering will over heat brakes.
> 
> ...


I do it in stages not in one constant motion. Feather, feather and release then repeat. Constant engagement of the pads will heat the rotor. There must be enough time for rotors to cool before you feather it again. I have seen rotors that are wrap beyond repair if they are operated beyond their operating temperatures even with normal air cooling. Heavy duty rotors can survive repeated overheating while low end usually last about less than 5 cycles. Water mixed with dirt or brake dust will make the rotor squeal.


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

chunky1x said:


> You clearly underestimated how hard and hot it can go and still function.


You clearly overestimate the boiling temperature of brake fluid.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

chunky1x said:


> I do it in stages not in one constant motion. Feather, feather and release then repeat. Constant engagement of the pads will heat the rotor. There must be enough time for rotors to cool before you feather it again.Well that won;t help much if the brakes are overheating I have seen rotors that are wrap beyond repair if they are operated beyond their operating temperatures even with normal air cooling.I havn't seen one rotor damaged if it was aircooled Heavy duty rotors can survive repeated overheating while low end usually last about less than 5 cycles. Water mixed with dirt or brake dust will make the rotor squeal.You mean mud


Stab the brake on say for about 1 sec...completely release let it cool for as long as possible then stab it on again...no feathering at all...this will help cool a brake that is overheated and fading...

The reason is the pad surface is exposed to more cooling in the air stream then when it is in contact with the rotor...even light contact.

Yeah and mud will bake a brake squeal as well.


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

Okayfine said:


> You clearly overestimate the boiling temperature of brake fluid.


Mineral oil boils at a lower temperature than DOT 4. Many high end rotors have ceramic calipers to shield it from heat. Cheap hydraulic brakes will bust oil seals first before becoming red. Mechanical brakes are almost immune to heat. Rotors itself cools immediately. It is very hard to see a glowing rotor since it last less 2 seconds when you stop to look at it. Plus it is a hint of red usually seen in high quality stainless steel rotors and even fainter in tempered stainless steel and very hard to spot in the middle of the day. I've heard stories that it can go brighter but I'll stick to what I've seen.

Like I told you. You'll never believe me if you don't see it. It took me 3 years to confirm this is true since I first heard it and all are by accident. Most likely you see busted oil seals rather than glowing rotors. You see a lot of glowing rotors in mechanical disc if you are lucky and if you are lucky.


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

chunky1x said:


> Mineral oil boils at a lower temperature than DOT 4. Many high end rotors have ceramic calipers to shield it from heat.


Either way, you're boiling fluid at the point your discs are red, which was my point.

Ceramic calipers? Do you have links to manufacturers that are making ceramic calipers?



chunky1x said:


> You see a lot of glowing rotors in mechanical disc if you are lucky and if you are lucky.


I have not and do not expect to. Again, that's .01% of MTBers that will ever see glowing rotors. Continuing to go on about the dangers of it is overstating the occurance of it.


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

Okayfine said:


> Either way, you're boiling fluid at the point your discs are red, which was my point.
> 
> Ceramic calipers? Do you have links to manufacturers that are making ceramic calipers?
> 
> I have not and do not expect to. Again, that's .01% of MTBers that will ever see glowing rotors. Continuing to go on about the dangers of it is overstating the occurance of it.


Correction: Ceramic piston calipers. 2012 Shimano XTR and XT. I saw this red in 01:04 in this video: Hotting up the ASHIMA AIR ROTOR in the lab! - YouTube


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## kbutler1 (Mar 14, 2012)

Thanks for the info


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## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

This thread is full of very bad information. Jeffscott has if right, most of the other posts are full of misinformation and half truths that should be ignored.


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## thomllama (Oct 3, 2007)

mullen119 said:


> This thread is full of very bad information. Jeffscott has if right, most of the other posts are full of misinformation and half truths that should be ignored.


pretty much... braking all depends on terrain, rider position and type of bike..


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

mullen119 said:


> This thread is full of very bad information. Jeffscott has if right, most of the other posts are full of misinformation and half truths that should be ignored.


agreed.

The OP even states that he is new to disc brakes - yet he feels compelled to give out advice :skep:


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## SuperSlow35th (Jul 22, 2011)

On a lighter note, I pushed a little to hard through a flat turn yesterday and put my bike into a two wheel slide. I puckered a little. And that was without touching the brakes.


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

mullen119 said:


> This thread is full of very bad information. Jeffscott has if right, most of the other posts are full of misinformation and half truths that should be ignored.


What part of this is bad? 60/40(front and rear) is the very basic braking for all bikes(road and mountain) and motorcycles. Most of the braking occurs in the front while the back assist and stabilize. Hydraulic brakes are different that mechanical brakes in since brake modulation is harder in mechanicals. Techniques will be different. You feather the brakes for slowing and tapping(on/off) to cool. Even rotor size will affect the performance. I said downhill descents never downhill racing. Downhill racing require different skills and rear brakes more than the front. Some even opt not to use the front and brakes are way more powerful than most people can buy.

I have racked up more than 600km on my disc and I ride my bike everyday with very long climbs and downhills on a mix of pavement and offroad. My new bike like my old bike(12 years old) is a work horse not a weekend warrior thing. Cross-country ridding is different than downhill racing. If you ride downhill racing, I am very sure you have different technique so post it here. Many XC racers can't handle downhill racing while the opposite is true to downhill racers.

The more techniques the better and will benefit all of us. Downhill mountain bikers are more than welcome here so don't be shy and tell all.

P.S. Only and idiot will use a Shimano M416 for downhill racing. The rotors are well known to warp.


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## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

chunky1x said:


> What part of this is bad?


I would take the time to write out all the bad information, but Jeffscott has already covered most of it.

P.S. Bicycle rotors will not turn red hot. The amount of friction needed to get a rotor that hot can not be created by bicycle disc brakes.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*I agree*



thomllama said:


> pretty much... braking all depends on terrain, rider position and type of bike..


Yep.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*This*



mullen119 said:


> This thread is full of very bad information. Jeffscott has if right, most of the other posts are full of misinformation and half truths that should be ignored.


I agree.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Not this sh!t again.....*



chunky1x said:


> What part of this is bad? 60/40(front and rear) is the very basic braking for all bikes(road and mountain) and motorcycles. Most of the braking occurs in the front while the back assist and stabilize. Hydraulic brakes are different that mechanical brakes in since brake modulation is harder in mechanicals. Techniques will be different. You feather the brakes for slowing and tapping(on/off) to cool. Even rotor size will affect the performance. I said downhill descents never downhill racing. Downhill racing require different skills and rear brakes more than the front. Some even opt not to use the front and brakes are way more powerful than most people can buy.
> 
> I have racked up more than 600km on my disc and I ride my bike everyday with very long climbs and downhills on a mix of pavement and offroad. My new bike like my old bike(12 years old) is a work horse not a weekend warrior thing. Cross-country ridding is different than downhill racing. If you ride downhill racing, I am very sure you have different technique so post it here. Many XC racers can't handle downhill racing while the opposite is true to downhill racers.
> 
> ...


Jeff has already covered what's bad about your disc brake post.

Here's the bigger picture of what's bad: you're in the Beginner's Forum. You're presenting misinformed opinions as facts. About 70% of what you're saying is correct. But 30% isn't correct. And you're presenting this information to many people who don't know any better based on their lack of experience.

You're making matters worse by defending your incorrect opinions, changing your answers and not accepting responsibility for your previous posts. And that's frustrating, trollish and generally not acceptable behavior in here.

Your 600km on disc brakes pales in comparison to many of us who have been riding discs since the first generation Hayes hit the market. I'd suggest deferring to more knowledgable people.


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

The least amount of time you spend braking the better your riding would be. Brake it like you mean it there's no need to scrub speed along the way. If it's too fast then shut it down and build your speed up again then repeat. 

The only few exceptions are when you go down some steep loose stuff you'd want to scrub speed before entering then let it roll. You may also want to use the rear brake to help tighten the line, or use both to set up your suspension balance before you enter the corner.

Jeffscott nailed it the first time. Mullen119 and Ken pretty much add to the content.

Chuncky I'm not sure where you learn the technique an get the info from but they are wrong


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

How to Brake Just Like the Pros

Free Speed Tip 1 - Front Braking

Proper Brake and Shifter Set-up

YMMV


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

chunky1x said:


> ...saw this red in 01:04 in this video: Hotting up the ASHIMA AIR ROTOR in the lab! - YouTube


In a LAB!! OMG! :eekster::eekster: - with a high-power motor driving that rotor.
and they said, "more heat than your bike or descent will ever reach!"

BTW, I think your ratio of 60:40 is a bit off I'd guess 75:25 - but that does depend on the situation of course - But, the ratio is usually not as close as you describe in most circumstances ... IMO :thumbsup:


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

Ken in KC said:


> Jeff has already covered what's bad about your disc brake post.
> 
> Here's the bigger picture of what's bad: you're in the Beginner's Forum. You're presenting misinformed opinions as facts. About 70% of what you're saying is correct. But 30% isn't correct. And you're presenting this information to many people who don't know any better based on their lack of experience.
> 
> ...


Okay. I agree and concede. I am a little bit confused. Where did I change my story? I will scrub them off with full acknowledge that I've made a mistake. I apologize.

P.S. If you are referring to 600 km, I did racked up that since I rode my new bike this January 16, 2012 minus ten days with 22-27 km a day.


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## chunky1x (Jan 20, 2012)

mitzikatzi said:


> How to Brake Just Like the Pros
> 
> Free Speed Tip 1 - Front Braking
> 
> ...


Thanks.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

a Beer for chunky :thumbsup:


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## heyyall (Nov 10, 2011)

Lots of interesting information here. Enough has been said, but i feel the urge to participate. 

My emergency brake is butt off the saddle, weight shifted back, low chest, and probably 80:20 front to back. The casual stop with butt on the saddle is probably 50:50. Actual riding is somewhere in between. And I find myself braking differently throughout the ride. Some of this is experimentation, some of it is in response to how the braking feels or sounds, and a small fraction is planning for what is to come next. As said above, brake like you mean it, but be careful if you have a person on your wheel. 

There are other tidbits to keep in mind to. It probably only takes a finger's force to stop you with discs. Not all brakes are the same. Switching between bikes with cantilevers and hydraulic discs: know the bike and while the ratio remains the same, cantilever force on a hydraulic system can have dramatic results.


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## ShoeboySCP (Mar 20, 2012)

really good advice here, love these forums


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

jtorlando25 said:


> I cook Clif bars on my red hot glowing rotors, then I pee on them to cool them down.


the clif bars, or the rotors?


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

Bill in Houston said:


> the clif bars, or the rotors?


Yeah, but he cooled it down afterward so it's ok in my book


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

If i need to scrub speed the whole way down a trail, im going to do it. The brakes are definitely there to stop you! Ive sized my rotors accordingly, and have never overheated my 203 front... my 185 front has come close I think. I cooked enough 160's to know better than to continue with them. 

Brakes are one thing I never want to worry about, no matter what. I need them to work so I can focus on riding. If yours are undersized enough that you really have to manipulate your technique, its time to upsize the rotor!


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## Cormac (Aug 6, 2011)

I always figured mech brakes were more reliable than hydros. To much can go wrong with hydros. Other than snapping a cable, which would be a neat trick, what can happen with mech brakes? At least without some sort of warning they are about to go out?


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

Not much can go wrong with hydros.. mine are 4 years old and I havent even bled them (I probably should ) They just work. I was constantly adjusting or messing with my cable brakes. No thanks.


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## dunlop2540 (Mar 26, 2012)

I have never had my disc's glowing red


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## dyenation (Mar 20, 2012)

Great info for a beginner. Thanks!


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## 5-0-what (Mar 18, 2012)

thank you for this post


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

anyone else think there are far too many "thanks for the insight" posts from users who just joined this month?


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

NateHawk said:


> anyone else think there are far too many "thanks for the insight" posts from users who just joined this month?


Yeah - I was thinking the same thing
Sock Puppets?
Idiots who don't even read the truthful rebuttals?


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## Reverend_Maynard (Mar 16, 2012)

I don't know about this particular post, but I personally posted 5 completely useless thank you posts in order to earn the right to start my own thread to have a hope of having the question I wanted to ask answered. It looks like a lot of others do the same. 

Shouldn't there be at least one forum where you can start a thread without a certain post count? Like, say, the beginner forum?


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## Reverend_Maynard (Mar 16, 2012)

thomllama said:


> It's a SPAM stopper... well help to stopper anyway... keeps them from starting a mess of SPAM threads the Mod's would have a hard time monitoring and deleting... Personally I think using a Honey Pot would work better but this place is kinda big so they might want to avoid blocking people who aren't really spammers ...? :skep:


I understand why. Though, this is the only board I've seen that has instituted that particular method of spam stopping. Instead of actual spam, they get spam-like activity from every new member who wants to start a thread. Seems they should just tighten up the registration process.

ETA: This is also the only board I've seen where the reply so often goes before the original post. What's up with that?


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## thomllama (Oct 3, 2007)

Reverend_Maynard said:


> I don't know about this particular post, but I personally posted 5 completely useless thank you posts in order to earn the right to start my own thread to have a hope of having the question I wanted to ask answered. It looks like a lot of others do the same.
> 
> Shouldn't there be at least one forum where you can start a thread without a certain post count? Like, say, the beginner forum?


It's a SPAM stopper... well help to stopper anyway... keeps them from starting a mess of SPAM threads the Mod's would have a hard time monitoring and deleting... Personally I think using a Honey Pot would work better but this place is kinda big so they might want to avoid blocking people who aren't really spammers ...? :skep:


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

highdelll said:


> Yeah - I was thinking the same thing
> Sock Puppets?
> Idiots who don't even read the truthful rebuttals?


at first I was wondering sock puppets of the OP, but then I remembered the post count limit to start new threads and then I was just thinking that they're idiots who are just trying to get their posts counts up. couldn't they even be bothered to read the discussion before commenting?


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## SuperSlow35th (Jul 22, 2011)

I just went to the post pics of your bike threads and posted "nice bike!" every so often to get my post count up. Constructive and complimenting at the same time. Thats how I roll.


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## vk45de (Feb 1, 2009)

I like to use rear brake bias when going downhill. Then the fronts will be there when you need them.


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## ls1geezer (Jun 4, 2008)

Here's a tip I learned from motor-sport to help reduce discs warping I'm pretty certain it would apply to bikes as well.If you have been braking hard to come to a complete stop,once you have made that stop release the brakes immediately. If you continue to keep the brakes on the rotors will not cool evenly, you will have a hot spot where the pads are still gripping which can lead to warping the rotors.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

ls1geezer said:


> Here's a tip I learned from motor-sport to help reduce discs warping I'm pretty certain it would apply to bikes as well.If you have been braking hard to come to a complete stop,once you have made that stop release the brakes immediately. If you continue to keep the brakes on the rotors will not cool evenly, you will have a hot spot where the pads are still gripping which can lead to warping the rotors.


from motorsport you would learn not to come to a complete stop until the brakes have had time to cool some. keep rolling at a low speed until they cool off, so that the discs cool more evenly.


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## jtorlando25 (Mar 1, 2011)

Bill in Houston said:


> the clif bars, or the rotors?


depends on my mood


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## njmark84 (Apr 1, 2012)

I always apply about 60/40. 

Also, the more front brake you apply, the more your bike will stand up straight. If you need to scrub speed for a turn, use both before the turn. If you are still going too fast, lean in a little bit or if absolutely necessary, you can use the rear brake, but you may low slide.

If I'm on my brakes a lot going down hill, I'll hit them a little harder to scrub a lot of speed then release so they can cool. It's always good to ride a bit on flat surface before coming to a complete stop to help get some airflow to cool the rotors.

Never pour water on them when they are hot. I know sometimes its hard when you're going over a creek as the rotors may get wet depending how deep it is.


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## danpass (Apr 1, 2012)

I had my bike built with the front brake where it belongs ............. on the right hand lever :arf:



I ride motorcycles too and used to race a CBR600F3 rice rocket so I wanted muscle memory to be the same since the front brake is where the real braking power is at.

Like the op I use front/rear the way he does, maybe leaning more towards 70/30.


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## FLMike (Sep 28, 2008)

chunky1x said:


> What part of this is bad? 60/40(front and rear) is the very basic braking for all bikes(road and mountain) and motorcycles.


Go post that 60/40 junk on a motorcycle forum and see how long you last...


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## zephxiii (Aug 12, 2011)

I don't really pay attention to the actual balance....I just squeeze enough to get the most without locking up (assuming I need to brake that hard in the first place)....usually you can feel when you get pretty close.


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## Reverend_Maynard (Mar 16, 2012)

nm...


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

"Sock-puppets can give negative rep back" - another sack-less troll

haha - but they have no neg power! :idea:


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

oldskoolbiker said:


> On steep hills rear brake has almost no affect. *Rear wheel locks up and you skid out of control very easily.* You really need use the front brake which will have a massive amount of traction compared to rear.


I use the rear brake skid to help turn and/or position the bike (more so in higher speed situations)
but I think this may come from my motorbike backgound


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

cmg71 said:


> I use the rear brake skid to help turn and/or position the bike (more so in higher speed situations)
> but I think this may come from my motorbike backgound


:nono:


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

cmg71 said:


> I use the rear brake skid to help turn and/or position the bike (more so in higher speed situations)
> but I think this may come from my motorbike backgound


that should be reserved for race conditions and emergency situations.

There proves the dilemma for novice riders though. - 'how to skid-steer' effectively and properly...


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## Dummyrunner (May 25, 2011)

danpass said:


> I had my bike built with the front brake where it belongs ............. on the right hand lever :arf:
> 
> I ride motorcycles too and used to race a CBR600F3 rice rocket so I wanted muscle memory to be the same since the front brake is where the real braking power is at.
> 
> Like the op I use front/rear the way he does, maybe leaning more towards 70/30.


At the risk of sounding ignorant, I thought all bikes had the front brake on the right or is that a regional thing? Seems to make sense with motorcyles being built that way.

When I was being taught to ride a motorcycle (road) I was told 'when you need to stop, use the lot'. Ive brought that over to mountainbiking but do use the rear brake to help get the back end around steepish downhill switchbacks where I'm not so confident to use the high speed burns.


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## mitzikatzi (Sep 9, 2008)

Dummyrunner said:


> At the risk of sounding ignorant, I thought all bikes had the front brake on the right or is that a regional thing? Seems to make sense with motorcyles being built that way.
> .


In countries that drive on the left of the road, bikes have the front brake on the right. The idea is that when doing a right turn across traffic (ie right arm hand signal) you are then braking with your left hand with the weaker rear brake. The powers that be seem to think it is dangerous to front brake because you may go over the bars.


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

mitzikatzi said:


> :nono:


that's* exactly *why we do them


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## leiito (Mar 14, 2012)

danpass said:


> I had my bike built with the front brake where it belongs ............. on the right hand lever :arf:
> 
> I ride motorcycles too and used to race a CBR600F3 rice rocket so I wanted muscle memory to be the same since the front brake is where the real braking power is at.
> 
> Like the op I use front/rear the way he does, maybe leaning more towards 70/30.


This makes sense... I've ridden motocross/enduro for the last 15 years and recently moved to Mexico and left my bikes back in the states :/ Anyway, MTB is pretty big down here so I picked it up.. still find it weird that my front brake is on the left


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