Can you reach your brake levers...

[HLaB]

I don't think I'd cycle a bike in traffic where I couldn't immediately reach my levers, although 90% of the time I don't need them I like to have them covered.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

Hi to you all out there. This has got to be the nuttiest admission that I have come across since I fell off my first bike at the age 9yrs old (I didn't walk until I was 7yrs old).Riding a bike without the ability to apply the brakes without over-reaching or changing position is about as stupid as having to move your car seat forward to apply the brakes. I have always made absolutely sure that my brake levers are covered by my index & second fingers. The dropped bars that I used to ride were not the deep type,they are the ones that cause the problems.
My other bike, a Claud Butler hybrid road bike has the bars reduced in width and the levers positioned for rapid response to be able to avoid the Kamikaze Pedestrians.
I am of an age now (65) that riding on the hoods affords the best of comfort and yet still allows for a lower stance without the need to go onto the rack to straighten my back out after a run out. On the hoods gives a good position for climbing on or off the saddle and when on a descent the brake levers are where I need them,under my fingers NOT IN MY BACK POCKET.
The only time that I ever rode a bike that was not instantly stoppable, was my 1937 Hetchins Curly Track Bike. This was in the 60's at Bootle Stadium,Liverpool. The bike was also used on the road but with a single front brake fitted (The very early introduction to ELF & SAFETY).

 

[Melonfish]

my brakes/gears are setup so that i simply have to move my fingers, no hand moving required.
best way really.

in my yoof however, i must admit that i've not had it quite as well setup heh.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Only have a MTB and unless I am on the bar ends my hands always cover the brakes.

 

[lulubel]

I usually ride either on the hoods or the drops. I can reach the brakes (and stop) in both positions, but I'm more comfortable on the drops if I'm descending because I have better leverage and much more braking power there.

Occasionally, usually going slowly uphill, I sit back a bit and move my hands back to the bends, and I can't reach the brakes from there, but it would only take a fraction of a second to slide my hands forward again if I needed to.

 

[LabRatt]

I'm a n00b too but I don't find it scary. I don't drive my car with my foot covering the brake after all

That's 'cos you use the same foot for the accelerator and the brake, and it's easy (trivial/automatic) to move from one to the other.

For myself, I can always reach the brake at the moment, but I'm on the old MTB with flat bars. If I'm not gripping the bars tight for more force I'm covering the brakes. When I graduate to a road/cx bike I expect I'll be riding on the hoods most of the time, so the levers will be in easy reach then too.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

That's 'cos you use the same foot for the accelerator and the brake, and it's easy (trivial/automatic) to move from one to the other.

For myself, I can always reach the brake at the moment, but I'm on the old MTB with flat bars. If I'm not gripping the bars tight for more force I'm covering the brakes. When I graduate to a road/cx bike I expect I'll be riding on the hoods most of the time, so the levers will be in easy reach then too.

Hi LabRatt. Interesting point about the brake/accelerator. I have been driving automatics since 1964 (a Humber Hawk Estate,column change) was my first encounter,I was smitten. I only drove manual with a Austin A30 and with my car derived light commercial vans in the late 60's & early 70's.
I always cover my brake pedal with my left foot and apply both when needed in a hurry. The split second lag between the movement of the right foot from the 'Go Pedal to the Stop Pedal' is probably a couple of meters at 40mph. When driving in traffic, especially on the motorways and pulling the 26ft caravan the feathered brake pedal is a way of smoother driving. The initial tendency is to be a little heavy with the left foot but that very soon passes.

 

[gaz]

Distance traveled due to thinking distance and time taken to apply the brake is included in braking distance quotes. Obviously the faster you go the longer the reaction time and the further you travel in said time.
Which is why it is important to leave more space when driving at faster speeds. Something which many motorists seem to fail to grasp when using the motorways.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

I have three normal hand positions - on the hoods, on the drops and on the tops. I can reach my brakes in the first two positions, and that is where I have my hands when I think I might need to brake. If I'm on a quiet road, I might be in the third position. If my hands are in position 3 when I see a potential hazard or turn coming up, they automatically move to the hoods without me even thinking about it.

+1

In 35+ years of riding road bikes, never been a problem. Only time I would ride with fingers permanenetly hovering on/over the levers would be in heavy traffic/urban, which nowadays, thankfully, is pretty rare, or if "bit and bit" riding with a rider ahead who I don't know too well.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

Distance traveled due to thinking distance and time taken to apply the brake is included in braking distance quotes. Obviously the faster you go the longer the reaction time and the further you travel in said time.
Which is why it is important to leave more space when driving at faster speeds. Something which many motorists seem to fail to grasp when using the motorways.

Hi again & again gaz. Have you ever applied the 2second rule when driving?. It is/was used I believe by the Police. The two chevrons apart principle on the motorways is actually based upon that theory/notion and is geared up to 70mph. That is in the vain belief that we can all drive at 70mph in the lanes like elephants linking trunks with tails. The problems occur when there is a brake failure or the car behind has no ABS or the ABS it fails on a dodgy surface. Believe me the 2second rule works but not in the wet,it is best then doubled or even trebled. Spoken out twice or three times in the simulated distance.

 

[scouserinlondon]

Did my first long sunday ride in the peeing rain last week and was amazed by how shoot my koolstops were in a wet greasy road. At some points it was taking a good 25 metres to come to a stop. I think I need to strip and clean the brakes, re-align the pads and re-tension the cables this weekend.

What's the normal life you guys get out of Koolstops, I've done about 900 miles so they should have a lot of life left surely.

 

[Mad at urage]

Brakes not working in the wet? You do 'pump' them don't you?

On/off/on/off will stop you quicker than on..... oh shoot! (clears the water from under the pads)

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Hi again & again gaz. Have you ever applied the 2second rule when driving?. It is/was used I believe by the Police. The two chevrons apart principle on the motorways is actually based upon that theory/notion and is geared up to 70mph.

That's not actually true. At 70mph, you should be more like three chevrons back. I've found that two chevrons equates to two seconds at about 55mph.

 

[TheCyclingRooster]

That's not actually true. At 70mph, you should be more like three chevrons back. I've found that two chevrons equates to two seconds at about 55mph.

Hi Rythm Thief . Are you sure that the Chevrons were equidistant apart and not painted by a Friday afternoon pissed of road artist in a hurry to go home?. Ho Ho. Actually I do believe that your on the right tracks,I discovered that 2.5 apart is nearer at 70mph.

 

[scouserinlondon]

Brakes not working in the wet? You do 'pump' them don't you?

On/off/on/off will stop you quicker than on..... oh shoot! (clears the water from under the pads)

Not enough. I've only been riding the road bike a few months, before that I had discs!