Braking, the act of slowing down is not just a single action of pulling on your brake levers. There are a number of thoughts and actions that contribute to slowing your bike to the speed you need it to be. When riding alone, or in a cycling bunch with others, being able to slow your bike without pulling your brake levers helps you enjoy a smoother ride. The following are four simple but effective cycling tips to brake well and ride well.

Slow before you need to
Looking well up the road ahead of you will help anticipate any need to slow down. If you see traffic lights, an intersection or know there is sharp corner coming up, you can start to slow by stopping your pedalling action rather than pulling on your brake levers. If you are riding behind others you can edge your wheel into the wind to slow your speed. If you are riding on the drops of your handlebars or on the brake hoods, you can move your hands to the handlebar tops, to create extra wind resistance to slow you down.

Using your brake levers
Use your brake levers smoothly, gently squeezing them. Your front brake is your power brake and your back brake is less strong in slowing you down. Do not be scared of your front brake. Yes, if you rapidly squeeze only your front brake like the trigger of a gun it can flip you over the handlebars, but this is your strongest braking option so don’t be afraid to use it gently in conjunction with your rear brake.

Pulse brake
When riding in wet conditions always remember to pulse-brake. That is to pull both brake levers towards your handlebars for a few seconds and then release your grip on the levers, before pulling on them again. The first time pulling on the brake levers will not slow you down, but clears the water off the wheel rim so when you pull again, the brake pad will grab the newly dried rim.

Descending and cornering
When zooming down hills or through corners, it is preferable to brake before cornering. By doing this you will adjust your speed when still riding in a straight line, allowing you to naturally flow through the corner without the need for braking while actually cornering. If you brake while leaning your bike into the corner, this action will pull you away from your intended direction making cornering and descending difficult.

By following these four simple cycling tips you can effectively brake when riding by yourself or with others and enjoy a smooth ride.

Previous posts:
The art of coffee riding
For the house to appear, change has to happen