Reducing braking distance to pure minimum.

[Mazay]

While driving on rushy city center at middle of people you always wish to have better brakes. I have been thinking ways to improve time needed to stop to pure minimum.

I am currently driving quite heavy mountain bike. Brakes or wheels newer skid but I have always to reduce my braking because of back wheel keeps rising in air.

I have been thinking of improving my braking technique, installing SABS - abs brakes, adding weights to very rear of bike, downforce spoilers?, 1kw electric fan to keep bike down, increasing length of front fork...

Still not sure what is the best way to go so I am asking for any experience or ideas to make bike stop in no time.

 

[alfeng]

To accommodate the rear wheel lifting & losing traction under hard braking, you can (need to!!!) ...

• either, straighten your arms & move your butt off the saddle & your body weight to the rear ...

• or, lock the front brake & let the rear of the bike swing/("drift") forward ...

YOUR bike handling skills will determine whether you should plant the now-rearward foot on the pavement/ground or if you can maintain both feet on their respective pedals ...

 

[Volnix]

Whilst braking putting your whole weight on the pedals and saddle should reduce rear wheel skid.

If you move your self behind the saddle and push your whole weight on the pedals should reduce the rear wheel skid too.

At least it seems that it does anyway. Depends on the road surface, weather etc too.

Needless to say that you should practice caution whilst trying braking techniques to ensure balance and avoid spills - crashes - slips etc.

 

[danfoz]

Some good ideas above but while there are different academic venues to slow a bike effectively, without practice it's a moot point.

Individual A could study the finest texts day in and day out on the various forms of martial arts, but I would put my money on individual B who had no formal study but had been fighting day in and day out.

Whatever braking strategy you employ, practice it until it becomes second nature. Emergency situations require unconscious thought, needing to think under such situations implies one will likely depart the game in a manner not of their choosing.

 

[maydog]

Driving a bike in a city center with many people and doing stoppies ... perhaps you should just slow a bit and get a bell.

 

[Mazay]

I like both Alfeng's suggestions and will give them try in safe place. It's true emergency braking can't be tricky thing to do or you're likely to not do it anyway. I Usually just hit full brakes without thinking much.

Probably I should really slow down a bit.

There is always unexceptable cases like: someone runs behind hard corner, someone opens car door in front of you, car quickly turns and stops illegally in middle of bicycle road etc... To be double sure I want perfect braking skills.

All of my stopping is to blame bad city planning. City center where I bicycle through is not made at all bicyclers in mind.

Bell is good idea, but I might not very often use it. I prefer slow down my bike instead of scaring people with bell. Still when someones are unthoughfully blocking all road it might be good idea.