[Podc]

Hi. Looking for some brake advice.

My son has a Whyte 603 and managed to launch himself over the handlebars when he panic braked recently. The brakes do seem to be way more powerful than those on my mountain bike. Is there any way to soften them a bit (other than oiling the pads and disks… 8} )?

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[hsiaolc]

Podc wrote:Cheers Mike. I’ll

Podc wrote:

Cheers Mike. I’ll look into the pad change.

No offence taken hsiaolc as you are totally right! His panic braking was due to following me too closely and not expecting me to stop at a junction.

As we ride in the city we will have to preemptive everything to avoid an accident that involves experience and think what others might do. If comes to an junction then it is sensible to know that one might need to stop. Personally in the city I only follow someone very close when there are nothing in front that can make the ride in front to stop.

I am glad you didn’t take offense in what I said. I am not ashamed to say that I myself fell once over the bar at Regents park when I was going very fast and coming to the bend I was probably half as asleep and suddenly saw the red light and I didn’t have much distant to brake so I panicked and went over my bar. Luckily I was not hospitalized but it was an expensive mistake and experience learned. I was not on disc brake then but I am now and with disc brake the control over the brake is even better.

[Podc]

Cheers Mike. I’ll look into
Cheers Mike. I’ll look into the pad change.

No offence taken hsiaolc as you are totally right! His panic braking was due to following me too closely and not expecting me to stop at a junction.

[hsiaolc]

No offense but he probably
No offense but he probably needs to learn how to ride a bike properly. Even if you panic brake with rim brakes you will go over the handle bar too.

[mike the bike]

I guess it’s fitted with
I guess it’s fitted with Tektro hydraulic brakes, possibly the Auriga? They are reputed to be very powerful, if lacking a little modulation. I reckon when he felt himself tipping forward over the bars he automatically tightened his grip on the levers, which simply made things even worse. But proper braking technique has to be learned and it may not be intuitive.

Firstly, your son should try braking using only two fingers. Most riders can easily exert enough pressure for rapid stops without using a fistful of muscle and this will make another take-off much less likely.

Secondly, if the brakes are fitted with Organic pads, he might try Sintered. They generally operate a little less suddenly. And they last longer too.

Best of luck.

[Author]

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