How to Brake on a Mountain Bike

Lots of people enjoy taking their mountain bikes out for an afternoon ride during the week. Bicycling has very rapidly grown into a nationwide appreciated form of exercise. Most people enjoy biking because it offers a great cardio workout. Many also enjoy the freedom and exhilaration of feeling the wind blowing past them as they experience the great outdoors while burning some calories. Braking properly on a mountain bike is another story. Brake safely each time by following this guide.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Identify where your brakes are and how they work. All mountain bikes come equipped with 2 break levers on the handlebars; the left side is for the front tire; the right side is for the back tire. The harder you depress each lever, the more force that your brakes will apply to the tires.

2. Know how much pressure to apply and when. The best way to get accustomed to how your brakes work is by trying them out softly while you are not moving. Watch how the more firmly you press the levers, the more that the brakes will grab the tire.

3. Slowly depress the brake levers. Gain some speed and then very slowly depress the levers evenly. Try to figure out the amount of pressure that you will need to apply in order to stop evenly and safely.

4. Come to a safe halt. The key to braking safely on a mountain bike is to apply even pressure to both brake levers slowly. If you depress only the front lever you could stall your front tire and do a forward flip onto the asphalt. The same goes with rear braking; break softly and evenly to come to a safe stop.

Tips & Warnings

• Try adjusting the force of your brakes if you feel they are too powerful.
• Braking too hard can throw you off your bike.

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