Trail braking?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

I was kidding! I've been rear ended 3 times on a bike so....

heh, i joined that club recently

i tend to lightly ride the rear brake, especially in slower speed turns. seems to keep the front end a little more stable and helps tighten the line

[marko138]

Some of these repsonses are scaring me.

[shmike]

Originally Posted by marko138

Some of these repsonses are scaring me.

NO shit, right?

[Rsv1000R]

Originally Posted by The Chi

I am never at the speeds or intensity at which I NEED to use my front brakes, at least not on the street. I can easily and lightly apply my rear brakes for all the stopping power I need on the street unless its an emergency situation.

Rae, your bike is a sports bike right?
If it is this isn't a good practice for you to do. A lot of people here wouldn't really say anything if you didn't use your rear brake, I'm in the "Use both brakes all the time camp".
By using the rear brake most the time, you're building connections from your brain to your right foot. But you're not building them to your right hand at the same rate.
You have to use both brakes all the time to train your brain, until you get to the point where you don't have to think about braking, when your body memory can take over. That way when things aren't going great you have time to worry about the car or deer running in front of you and not trying to think your way through using the front brake because it is an emergency.

If your bike is a cruiser with a rearward weight bias, you do need more rear brake and less front. But you still need both to stop as short as possible with the most control.

[Trip]

yeah, not using the front is a good way to find yourself implanted into some car because you have no natural reaction to apply the front brakes that have most of the stopping power. Rear brake is jello, it has no stopping power.

[the chi]

Thanks for the input guys, I am well aware of the ramifications, how much stopping power is available from each brake, the repercussions of too much and too little, and the fear that using the rear brake causes most people. I am also aware of proper braking technique and I utilize it when/if necessary, both street and track. Think what you like of brain patterns, keeping in mind I am a woman and my brain doesnt work like yours does.

Call me stubborn, but I ride my own ride, not the ride everyone else tells me to do.

*also the reason I dont typically tell anyone else how to brake.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by The Chi

Thanks for the input guys, I am well aware of the ramifications, how much stopping power is available from each brake, the repercussions of too much and too little, and the fear that using the rear brake causes most people. I am also aware of proper braking technique and I utilize it when/if necessary, both street and track. Think what you like of brain patterns, keeping in mind I am a woman and my brain doesnt work like yours does.

Call me stubborn, but I ride my own ride, not the ride everyone else tells me to do.

*also the reason I dont typically tell anyone else how to brake.

A natural reaction has nothing to do with sex. It has all to do with how you have trained your brain to respond and it's natural tendency to do what it has been taught to do. Example: letting off the gas instead of throttle neutral or gasing it out in a slide is a basic noob response under crisis because it hasn't been taught to do that.

We aren't talking emotions here.

[Rsv1000R]

Originally Posted by The Chi

Think what you like of brain patterns, keeping in mind I am a woman and my brain doesnt work like yours does.

You are human right?

There's a reason learning involves practice.......

[HokieDNA01]

I rarely use the rear brake unless stopping hard or on gravel. My rear brake is VERY prone to locking up even on light pressure. I probably need to adjust my brake lever. I also prefer to adjust my speed before entering curves but will trail brake with the front if additional braking is necessary

[the chi]

Originally Posted by Trip

A natural reaction has nothing to do with sex. It has all to do with how you have trained your brain to respond and it's natural tendency to do what it has been taught to do. Example: letting off the gas instead of throttle neutral or gasing it out in a slide is a basic noob response under crisis because it hasn't been taught to do that.

We aren't talking emotions here.

Originally Posted by Rsv1000R

You are human right?

There's a reason learning involves practice.......

Bwahahaha, guys seriously, preach at someone else. I know how to brake. I know how to use both. Trip you saw that first hand at Suches. That was a controlled front and rear brake application for stopping when I passed the place.

Got that? FRONT AND REAR. I also use the front profusely at the track when riding at higher speeds and to attempt the techniques the Awesome referred to for proper braking. I've been over this with all of my instructors at the track and those CR's I have as personal friends and not a one of them has an issue with my use of brakes as I use them properly when needed and in emergency situations. My preference is simply that, my preference.