Good bicycle riding is about efficiency. Body position, gear selection, pedaling mechanics, nutrition, and even breathing are main factors of good overall performance on the road. One aspect of efficiency that is often overlooked is slowing down. Learning how to brake skillfully will not only help you avoid accidents but also boost your riding efficiency and save your energy for the moments when you need it the most. Take a look at the following tips and guidelines on how to brake and other riding techniques.
1. Get your fingers always ready.
Anytime there’s another vehicle in front of you, make sure you rest your fingers on your brake levers. This will enable you to brake quickly and minor slow downs will not turn into emergency-stop situations while your hands look for the brake levers.
2. Keep the pressure equal.
In almost all braking situations, you would want to apply even pressure to each of your brake lever, so both of your tires share the load. This will help you remain in control of your bike and maintain its stability. Practice on a grassy field, riding at a relatively high speed and then slowing down as fast as you can without skidding. You will have to modulate your finger pressure on each brake lever to stop your tires from skidding.
3. Always make a smart turn.
Always apply brakes before executing a turn. As you ride near a curve, apply equal pressure to your brakes to reach a manageable speed. Then release your brake levers before you make a turn. This is to let your speed carry you through. Applying your brakes when turning can wreak havoc on momentum, but if you really need to brake for safety, use your rear brake only. If you use your front brake abruptly, your front tire will skid, resulting to a crash. Skidding your rear wheel may make you feel a bit nervous, but it will allow you to steer and gain back control of your bike.
4. Learn to stop hard.
When you already know how to stop efficiently and safely during an emergency, your overall stopping confidence will surely increase, knowing that the skill is there when you need it. Put your hands in the drops for more braking power. And to increase stability, shift your weight back behind your saddle, moving your butt and straightening your arms. Practice this technique on a grassy field, avoiding skidding. Take note: brake pads in great condition largely increase stopping performance. Make sure you replace them regularly. Consider a bike with disc brakes, so you won’t have to get new pads every now and then.
After you master how to brake efficiently and safely, you will be able to anticipate things before they even happen, thus avoiding a potential crash. This is a skill every biker, from a novice to a champion cyclist should have. For instance, when you anticipate that the rider in front of you is going to swerve any moment or you need to avoid something immediately in front of you, you can avoid overreacting and frantically pressing on your brakes. Generally, continuing to pedal while lightly applying the brakes will get you out of trouble. This technique will help you avoid being like a yo-yo, braking very hard, then accelerating to gain momentum again but wastes energy in the process.