Whether it is a mountain bike or a road bike, or even an urban leisure scooter, brakes are an indispensable part, and the role of the brake system is related to the safety of the entire riding process. The editor will bring you some basic common sense about bicycle braking system today, so that more novice riders who are new to bicycles can understand the importance of braking, so as to better achieve safe riding .

1. The role of brakes

Brakes are not only used to stop, but also to effectively control the speed of the vehicle, or to stop the vehicle in an emergency to reduce the risk of falling and crashing.

The position of the front and rear brakes

Bicycles on the market are usually equipped with two front and rear brake calipers. This is stipulated in the “bicycle safety requirements” in the “National Standard of the People’s Republic of China”. my country has a clear and unified standard for the braking system of bicycles: each A bicycle shall be equipped with two braking systems, one for the front wheel and one for the rear wheel.

The position of the brake lever that controls the front and rear calipers should be determined according to the actual use of the place where the bicycle is sold. In China, the left side controls the rear brake, and the right side controls the front brake. Therefore, for bicycles sold in China (including shared bicycles), the left brake lever brakes the rear wheel, and the right brake lever brakes the front wheel.

3. Front and rear brake control

Due to the influence of inertia, the friction between the road surface and the front wheels will increase when the front brake is braking, so the front brake has a better braking effect. Most people’s right hand reacts faster, presumably this is why the state stipulates the right hand brake to brake the front wheel. However, there are still a large number of riders who prefer to use the right hand to control the rear brake, so that they will switch the brake position after buying the bike.

At the same time, when going downhill or driving fast, you must carefully control the braking force of the front brake according to the situation. If the braking force of the front brake is too large, a front flip will occur. Usually, when decelerating, a certain braking force should be applied to the rear brake first, and then the front brake should be braked to effectively reduce the speed of the vehicle.

In the following special situations, first use the rear brake to control, the slippery and soft road can easily cause the wheels to slide or lock, but the rear wheels will be easier to restore balance and save the car in these situations.

Also on bumpy roads, the wheels are likely to jump off the ground. If you use the front brake at the moment of leaving the ground, the front wheel will lock, and the side slip may occur after landing, and the direction will not be grasped, causing the risk of falling.

If the front tire is suddenly punctured and the front brake is still used, there is a risk that the tire will come off the rim, resulting in damage to the rim.

4. Braking skills

When using the front brake, the person’s body should lean back to prevent the body from flying forward due to inertia. There is also the use of brakes when cornering, the center of gravity must be shifted inward, and the lean angle of the body must be greater than the lean angle of the bicycle to maintain balance.

On the road with strong adhesion and dryness, the front brake can be used as the main braking force, and the braking force applied to the front brake can be larger. If the road becomes more slippery, the rear brake should be the main, and the front brake should be supplemented.