purdy Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I just popped into Millhouses Park for a coffee. There were scores of kids on bikes, but many of their bikes appear to have nothing more than 1 brake and that is on the back wheel. From my cycling days I seem to remember putting on the back brake on a wet road just resulted in a locked wheel as you skidded along hardly slowing down. Surely this is just a fashion statement and can't be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Whereas a skidding front wheel results in what happening? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megalithic Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Most of the bmx kids have no brakes. They use their foot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truman Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Whereas a skidding front wheel results in what happening? Wouldn't having no front brake induce a back wheel skid? As you brake all the weight goes to the front and lessens the load on the rear wheel,giving it less traction and as there are no brakes on the front then the braking is compromised....whereas if you had brakes on both wheels then both would assist in stopping...? A skidding wheel is no good for braking.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purdy Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 Whereas a skidding front wheel results in what happening? Best disconnect the front brakes on your car then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddycoffee Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 As any motorcyclist knows, the front brake is the main brake. If you jump down on the back brake you might come off as when you slow, all the weight goes to the front and the back becomes light and locks the wheel easily. The front is the safest brake to use in the dry, the wet, if there is ice and pretty much any time unless you are going very slow or stopped. For the same reasons car brakes are much bigger on the front because when braking the front of the car dives, compresses the front springs and pushes the front weight into the ground while the back becomes light. The weight is where the tyres have the most grip, and therefore the place where you need the brakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivanava Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I just popped into Millhouses Park for a coffee. There were scores of kids on bikes, but many of their bikes appear to have nothing more than 1 brake and that is on the back wheel. From my cycling days I seem to remember putting on the back brake on a wet road just resulted in a locked wheel as you skidded along hardly slowing down. Surely this is just a fashion statement and can't be safe. Better than only having a front brake, did you ever try to stop your bike with just the front brake and then find yourselves being thrown over the handlebars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilypiglet Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 It's perfectly safe, lots of pro-bmxers ride with only one brake, it's about the style of riding and how you adapt. http://www.instructables.com/answers/Should-I-use-the-front-or-back-brake-for-my-bmx-bi/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halibut Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Best disconnect the front brakes on your car then. Cars and bicycles, in case you weren't aware, are different vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purdy Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 Cars and bicycles, in case you weren't aware, are different vehicles. That must be why so many folk get killed riding bicycles. Do you think motorbikes should just have a rear brake then? ---------- Post added 11-03-2014 at 20:13 ---------- It's perfectly safe, lots of pro-bmxers ride with only one brake, it's about the style of riding and how you adapt. http://www.instructables.com/answers/Should-I-use-the-front-or-back-brake-for-my-bmx-bi/ So if you are riding along a wet road on a bike with no front brake, and the car in front stops suddenly which brake do you apply to ensure you don't go straight into the back of it? Oh hang on, there is only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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