Mountain Bike Braking Mistakes | How To Brake Better On Your MTB

Here are some common MTB braking mistakes that, when avoided, will help you find more traction and carry more speed down the trail 🤘

Have you made any of these mistakes?

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[spn]

The front brake still provides most of the braking power, even on a mountainbike. That's not a myth. The rear brake will lock up and skid far too easily, no matter how far back on the bike you position yourself.
The only problem is that your front tire also generates most of the grip, and since you can't have both grip and breaking traction at the same time, you need to know when to use the front brake and when not. I.e. don't use it on a loose, steep corner where you need all the grip you can get.

[sebfont]

Nice one, - although physics doesn’t lie, and in fact front brakes have more breaking power than rear brakes - even if indeed your changing position can have an impact and increase rear braking - it doesn’t change the fact that the weight will shift forward, hence the front will take most of the braking beating...

[Spookerboi]

my favourite tip is using your front brake when approaching a corner extremely fast

[ColoursCapello]

I often use "terrain braking" which stops you really quick.

[craigj]

Biggest mistake having a blast on a mates bike and forgetting they use them opposite to you. It soon Engages superman mode

[chiccorocker]

Totally agree about the importance of the rear when braking. I found out I actually have more fading on the back brake compared to the front when doing down hill single tracks. So I put a rotor with ICE technology and semi metallic pads. It works wonderfully. On the front I can keep the resin. Having more modulation is not bad at all for the front and it doesn't wear out as quickly as the rear. When the front wears out I'll get a better one, but until then it's totally fine.

[jasonphillips]

Always apply the front brake when your in a straight line and never mid bend. You'll only make that mistake once 🤕

[spn]

My biggest mistake regarding braking is too often confusing braking and breaking. 😅
Right after that is braking while in a corner though.

[sumitkid]

I ride my bike as if the breaks are the same as my motorcycle, 70%front 30%rear as far as power output. I adjust pressure for locking up as needed for rear on downhill sections on any trail. DH or XC

[.William]

#askgmbntech Often overlooked or not understood is that static friction (IE tires not skidding during deceleration) is greater than kinetic friction (tires skidding during deceleration) Your greatest stopping power is right before you skid.

[lfsiuvagacwoi]

If you want to know which brake has more braking power, go really fast and slam only the back brake, then repeat with the front brake afterwards. You’ll learn very quickly what is and isn’t a myth;)

[jesseheim]

I have contaminated my rear brake so many times. The best thing to do is to sand the pads just a little and clean the rotor.

[TheCharillz]

My 2021 giant stance1 29er... the rotors will get so hot I get brake fade.. very similar to dot3 brake fluid in a street bike when the fluid boils

[monicaausnit]

Good tips for a beginner like me. Cheers from Flagstaff, Arizona. 🙂

[graysoncockett]

Couple of myths in here, and some old school thoughts on leaning back to brake... Just as in a car, front brakes do most of the stopping, and rider position doesn't change that. The best you can hope for when leaning back to brake is a front wheel wash out and a trip over the bars! Keep your weight low, centered and your arms bent!

[charliemtbaustralia]

I find something I always do is either no breaks or lock it up because hydraulic shimano really isn’t much room in between

[shafhamid]

Why are front brakes usually bigger than the rear? You often hear 203mm front 180mm rear. Wouldn't this suggest that the front has more braking power and does more braking than the rear? Also isn't this what we don't want in a mountain bike, i.e. relying the front for more braking power especially when going steep downhill sections?

Another thing is I always try and position my body as far back as possible when I'm going down some rough and steep stuff and try avoiding using the front brake because when you press on it even a little bit, there's a high chance you're going to roll over the bar and fall. How do you avoid this? I'm trying to build my confidence going down hill on the rough steep stuff

[mikol]

Can you make a maintenace or how to service video of the sram levers? I sometimes encounter after a few hours of riding that my brake levers do not return fully when braking.

[lezarderose]

To me, I mainly use the front brake to stop, along with rear brake but just enough, just before the skid point.
In a corner that’s different ;)

Make a test in a descent challenge. Start with no brakes, béguin the braking at the same point each time with front, rear, front plus rear, different body position. You’ll see the difference

[camwells]

Back pads always wear out much faster for me, almost to the ratio of 2-1, which shows how much more I use the back without thinking about it