me wrote:Anyone have any good tips for riding in the rain?
I heard somewhere not to use the front brake as much on wet surfaces, so I let the rear brake do most of the work and ended up locking it, then surfing the bike while having several heart attacks as I skidded toward the deer. Miraculously the rear re-aligned and I gently released it without high-siding.
Yep, you listened TOO WELL to the cautionary advice, and overdid it using the rear. This happens to lots of people when they recieve new information. They over emphasize what they learned.
Invariably every bike on the market can use MORE front than rear most of the time. This is why most have larger front brakes, and twin discs with much more than twice the stopping power. Simple science and the manufacturers are telling you something. Use more FRONT. Only when you have VERY VERY VERY little traction, like really thick loose gravel, do you want to use 90% rear brake, which is also because it is harder to steer with the front in these conditions. The rest of the time the Front to rear bias is almost always above 50/50... usually more like 65/35 on a cruiser, and above that on a sportbike (like 70/30 to 95/5 and even 100% if you are hamfisted on the front) due to wheelbase, center of gravity and weight bias front to rear, etc.)
It's VERY IMPORTANT *WHEN* and *HOW* YOU APPLY THE BRAKES, because once you grab a mitt full of front brake you have lost some ability to use the rear as well, due to weight transfer to the front. You need to apply brakes firmly, smoothly, and fast... start with smoothly and firmly. When you are moving faster you should always remeber thatn you can apply much more brake and do that sooner rather than later. Bleed off LOTS of speed sooner, because as you slow it is more likely to lock up (more braking power, less speed to stop, thus easier to overdo it).
Often I apply the rear just SLIGHTLY before the front... i start to apply the rear and just as i move the rear pedal i follow up with hard on the front brake. The rear brake will pull the rear of the bike down which sets you up for a better more optimum weight transfer when the front is applied. Try it, at low speeds, and to tighten up sharp turns (i.e. in a parking lot, try to drag a little rear brake while you are turning, and yes, that's with the throttle applied. Counter intuitive some would say, but try it. Shaft drive bikes do not respond quite as well because the shaft effect of turning on the throttle actually lifts the bike a little).
another tidbit... On a bike with a long wheel-base (cruisers and large touring bikes) with more weight on the rear, you can genearlly use more rear brake than you would on a typical sportbike. Howecer generally you still want to use much more front brake than rear.
The best practices are smooth application of the brakes, to load up the suspension and allow for weight transfer. A good method is to apply both front and rear brake at about the same time. It's easier for your brain to do this too. This will HUNKER the bike down and help stablize it, then you work both brakes applying much more front than rear. If either start to lock, you simply release smoothly to regain traction. When you are hamfisted on the brakes (an use too many fingers losing feel, and adrenaline is pumping) it's tougher to accurate gauge the traction. Some bikes give excellent feedback (varying vibration) through the brake lever, handlebars and chassis. It take experience to know.
Keep weight on the footpegs rather than the seat when executing manuevers or recovering from hard braking. This will give you better control, although it's tough with cruisers and touring bikes due to seating position.
You should generally release the front brake faster upon feeling it starting to lock (takes practice) (some people say immediately, but in my experience, everything is realitive, and what once seemed "instant" later becomes more measurable when you are smooth and focused on the feedback the the tire gives you) to keep the front wheel spinning, as the bike will lose balance due to loss of gyroscopic procession.. and poof you fall over. The rear tire can be "dragged" behind the front, and will right itself as you ease off the brake. Often for beginners if your speed is low they recommend keeping the rear locked because beginners often release the rear brake too abruptly and get bounced back to center just as the rear tire is pulled back to center very fast, trailing behind the front.
Take riding courses: Find one that does wet braking. Or quite simply go out in the rain in a safe smooth area that you have prescouted for pavement irregularity work you way up to decent speeds, and brake progressively harder, alternating the amount of front and rear applied, etc... and brake to a stop... repeat lots. I used to do this lots when i was riding places... just gotta get used to bike, tires, brakes...
Be smooth in applying controls and have good tires, set with proper inflation pressuers. Newer tires with sharper tread edges are a bit better for throwing water.
anyway.. practice... that explanation was a bit convoluted and hodgepodge... i am off to bed. i could clarify more later. To be succint i would say "learn the bike" -- just go out and apply brakes, shift your weight alittle and feel what is going on. Do it in the dry, and do it in the wet... practice braking. Using both brakes at maximum takes a lot of time to learn, but using them at a much higher level than someone who isn;t well practiced doesnt take too much time to move yourself up the learning curve. Also, practice steering with brakes applied... front and rear to different things to the chassis... learn it, ratther than me telling you just go do some turning with each brake applied slightly, and get better at it... then learn how to smoothlytransition from brakes and steering to brakes but no steering and steering with no brakes.. it's all about learning the degrees of application of each control. It takes some work, but is very rewarding in many experiences, like accident avoidance.
i can clarify some of this some other time...
//monkey
"Zounds! Zorched by Zarches, Spaceman Spiff's crippled craft crashes on planet Plootarg!"
For Sale: Ninja 600 with parts bike, needs minor work, $30, no title... (GEE THAT DOESNT RING ANY WARNING BELLS DOES IT?)
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).... they are actually vermin, more closely related to rats and mice and locusts. And worse, they will gladly sacrifice themselves if it means they can take out some poor fool on a bike........ guess that makes them Terrorist Vermin.... the worst kind!
Hope this helps, besides I am a chromasexual anyway.
