Rear Brake Only?

[LostInTheCarolinas]

Dear experienced riders:

I wonder if any of you have switched over to using the rear brake almost exclusively.

I have a rare muscle disorder and my hands tire quickly. For example, my wife and I rode to Mount Mitchel yesterday. Lots of switchbacks and elevation changes. My throttle/brake hand got tired and recovered several times till I was nearly home. Then it became very weak and slow.

A lot of that is from holding the throttle, but it is also from using the front brakes. I have cruise control, but that won’t work on country roads and mountain switchbacks. I have a throttle rockers, but using it means I can’t push on the bars as well, especially on left turns. So, my next idea is to stop using the front brakes and try using just the rear brakes. I am no racer and mostly ride pretty close to the speed limit.

Feedback? Suggestions? Stories?

Thanks.

 

[rhino 2]

Most of the stoping power comes from the front brake...70%...Even though you don't drive fast..Going at 35 MPH and someone makes a lefthand turn right in front of you' Will need that front brake....If you get in the habit of Not using the front in an emergency you won't be able to get to the front brake in time...I ride when in traffic with two fingers covering the front brake...So i can apply the front brake without having to think about it....

 

[LadyonaMission]

Most of the stoping power comes from the front brake...70%...Even though you don't drive fast..Going at 35 MPH and someone makes a lefthand turn right in front of you' Will need that front brake....If you get in the habit of Not using the front in an emergency you won't be able to get to the front brake in time...I ride when in traffic with two fingers covering the front brake...So i can apply the front brake without having to think about it....

I ride with both the clutch and front brake covered in traffic. Friends turned me on to a great product making the reach so much easier for both hands.

https://softbrake.com/

 

[MDO]

View attachment 91232

Dear experienced riders:

I wonder if any of you have switched over to using the rear brake almost exclusively.

I have a rare muscle disorder and my hands tire quickly. For example, my wife and I rode to Mount Mitchel yesterday. Lots of switchbacks and elevation changes. My throttle/brake hand got tired and recovered several times till I was nearly home. Then it became very weak and slow.

A lot of that is from holding the throttle, but it is also from using the front brakes. I have cruise control, but that won’t work on country roads and mountain switchbacks. I have a throttle rockers, but using it means I can’t push on the bars as well, especially on left turns. So, my next idea is to stop using the front brakes and try using just the rear brakes. I am no racer and mostly ride pretty close to the speed limit.

Feedback? Suggestions? Stories?

Thanks.

Why not discuss with local places about getting your brakes linked. Our Freewheelers are like that applying the rear brake/foot pedal also applies the center piston of both front brake calibers.

 

[Jack Klarich]

I ride with both the clutch and front brake covered in traffic. Friends turned me on to a great product making the reach so much easier for both hands.

https://softbrake.com/

Your riding technique CC CB ( cover clutch, cover brake) is the way my wife learned when she took the riders course 30 years ago. IMO it is a very good way when riding in traffic:clapping:

 

[Jack Klarich]

Hi Rodney and Welcome to Trike Talk

You need to find a good shop in your local area that has experience with splitting the brakes. It is not a hard job for a good tech.

 

[LostInTheCarolinas]

I ride a Roadsmith Gold Wing. I came with linked brakes from Honda. They had to split the brakes when they installed the trike kit. I don’t think they can be linked back up. I wish.

I am going to get out to an empty parking lot, and some back roads and see what the trike will do rear-brake only. I will report back after that.

 

[Marc H]

My understanding is that Roadsmith has made kits both linked and not. If you yours isn't it would be worth some phone calls to both Roadsmith and some reputable Trike shops. Also keep in mind only part of the pistons are applied when using the rear pedal. The rest with the lever.

 

[LostInTheCarolinas]

I have been riding for more than two weeks using rear brakes ONLY. I still cover the front brakes and sometimes use them to hold the bike at a stop. However, I am using the rear brakes almost exclusively.

This technique works freaking GREAT!

No issues at all. Plenty of braking power. Zero brake fade. Excellent brake feedback and feel. When I brake hard with the back brakes, then add the front brakes hard, there is virtually no difference in stopping power. Would I use them ALL in an emergency? Sure. Why not? My hand is right there anyway, so what the heck?

Now, I started this because I was losing strength in my hands on long rides. Not now! Not at all. So, in that sense, this technique is way WAY better and safer FOR ME.

I am very pleased, see no downside and will continue to ride this way.

:clapping:

 

[nucseal]

I have been riding for more than two weeks using rear brakes ONLY. I still cover the front brakes and sometimes use them to hold the bike at a stop. However, I am using the rear brakes almost exclusively.

This technique works freaking GREAT!

No issues at all. Plenty of braking power. Zero brake fade. Excellent brake feedback and feel. When I brake hard with the back brakes, then add the front brakes hard, there is virtually no difference in stopping power. Would I use them ALL in an emergency? Sure. Why not? My hand is right there anyway, so what the heck?

Now, I started this because I was losing strength in my hands on long rides. Not now! Not at all. So, in that sense, this technique is way WAY better and safer FOR ME.

I am very pleased, see no downside and will continue to ride this way.

:clapping:

Using a throttle boss would help your tired hand. Where as you are using the bottom part of your palm and not having to grip the the throttle to apply gas.

https://www.amazon.com/Kuryakyn-6212-Handlebar-Standard-Throttle/dp/B000HS4QA0

or

https://www.jpcycles.com/product/50...qHCzyZ3r8TYWWrZtzcTxvX8zw32LPfJxoCHeoQAvD_BwE

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I ride with both the clutch and front brake covered in traffic. Friends turned me on to a great product making the reach so much easier for both hands.

https://softbrake.com/

Covering the brake and clutch when ever there are risks is just good common sense. It eliminates the slight amount time it takes to get there. Half seconds could make all the difference. I extend covering the brake and clutch to curves where I can't readily see what's around them. Never know when there will be a cow or deer in the road.

I think if I was the OP, I would look into having the brakes linked. As Rhino stated, the bulk of the stopping power is in the front brake. Linking the brakes would get more stopping power onto the rear pedal. Doesn't seem like it would be all that hard to do, linked brakes have been around awhile. Should just be a matter of finding a set of calipers that have linked pistons (two different inputs to braking power) and replumbing the brake lines. If it's an abs system things would get much trickier, but, I don't think impossible.