Author Topic: One brake or two?  (Read 11193 times)

Nelson Longflap

  • Riding a bike is meant to be easy ...
Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #50 on: 28 January, 2016, 05:44:31 pm »
Unless I'm missing something then you'll always stop faster from 25kph than 38kph because for the same weight of rider you'll have half the kinetic energy. Assuming riders of equal weight

Yep ... but starting at the same speed LWaB would always outbrake me, so I was giving myself half a chance to win (even though I would be starting with higher cadence)!

I think I'm right that the closer you can get to the skid threshold the stronger is the braking, but how one factors in the effects of gear ratio and cadence is beyond my applied mechanics, so it comes down to experimentation and experience.

Back on topic, nobody has mentioned risk compensation  :demon: I think I'm a little bit more cautious when riding front brake only ... mainly downhill when the back brake is safer as a drag to scrub off some speed.

But in reality if I'm out of town in flattish territory I can ride for weeks without touching the brake(s), and in these circumstances fixed wheel is a joy and I don't worry whether I'm running one brake or two. However two brakes will always be both safer and more versatile, so I'm sure Chris N has made the wise choice.
The worst thing you can do for your health is NOT ride a bike

Jonah

  • Audax Club Hackney
Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #51 on: 29 January, 2016, 11:13:18 pm »
For one brake: lever on the left or right?

Discuss

Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #52 on: 30 January, 2016, 08:27:35 am »
Don't. Just don't ;D

The same side as your front brake. Whichever side that is.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #53 on: 10 February, 2016, 11:54:06 am »
I am currently commuting on my older fixed, which has two brakes with continental cabling, unlike my S3X commuter or my posh fixed.  I have tried not to have to reset the pedals, but have once tried to reset a fully grounded rear wheel with a brake on :facepalm: :-[
Getting there...

Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #54 on: 10 February, 2016, 02:06:36 pm »
For one brake: lever on the left or right?

Discuss

I've always taken the continental approach to brake levers, goes all the way back to bmx racing with rear lever on right....

I got a front brake only fixed with lever on the left, which makes a lot of sense for right turns

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #55 on: 10 February, 2016, 03:38:44 pm »
Don't. Just don't ;D

The same side as your front brake. Whichever side that is.

Quite.  The best side for a brake is the side that you're expecting it to be.

Nelson Longflap

  • Riding a bike is meant to be easy ...
Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #56 on: 10 February, 2016, 11:14:13 pm »
For one brake: lever on the left or right?

Discuss

I've always taken the continental approach to brake levers, goes all the way back to bmx racing with rear lever on right....

I got a front brake only fixed with lever on the left, which makes a lot of sense for right turns
Makes a lot of sense for getting a nice smooth cable run as well, but I'm still sticking to the UK standard.
The worst thing you can do for your health is NOT ride a bike

Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #57 on: 11 February, 2016, 12:07:46 am »
No! No! Not this debate again :sick: ;D

Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #58 on: 12 February, 2016, 12:45:14 pm »
No! No! Not this debate again :sick: ;D

Sorry drossall, I'm new here, thought I should make my stance clear before never mentioning it again  ;)

Jonah

  • Audax Club Hackney
Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #59 on: 11 March, 2016, 08:39:33 pm »
The bloke behind the counter in Robert's Cycle's advised to stick with 'what's natural' as opposed to swapping a 'single-braked set up' lever from the right to the left for safety reasons.

I swapped my levers round when I started riding fixed for the same reasons.  Later on, I had to swap my 'double-braked' audax horses' brake levers around as I kept on skidding into the back of cars.

However, all of my BMXs have the single brake on the right and it just feels right.

Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #60 on: 13 March, 2016, 01:49:51 pm »
How about two brakes on the front? Redundancy in case of failure, but the emergency brake where it's needed... perhaps 1 disc + 1 rim brake. Also allows for turning to either left or right, and no need to remember which way round they are.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: One brake or two?
« Reply #61 on: 13 March, 2016, 01:56:43 pm »
How about two brakes on the front? Redundancy in case of failure

Not in the legal sense, unless it's a trike, IIRC.  Though fixed transmission means that's not a problem.


Quote
perhaps 1 disc + 1 rim brake. Also allows for turning to either left or right, and no need to remember which way round they are.

Unless it's raining, when the braking performance will be very different.  Probably better to fit two rim brakes in the trike style, or just use one brake and a cable combiner.