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Applying sudden or excessive
stopping force with the front-wheel
brake may cause the rear wheel to lift
off the ground, or the front wheel to
slip out from under you, which can
cause you to lose control and fall.
Apply both brakes at the same time,
and shift your weight backwards on
the bike while braking.
Riding instructions
Use your brakes carefully
Always keep a safe stopping distance between you and other vehicles or objects.
Adjust stopping distances and braking forces to suit riding conditions.
If your bike has two hand brakes, apply both brakes at the same time. Over-use, or
mis-use, of a front-wheel brake, such as using only the front-wheel brake in an
emergency, could cause the rear wheel to lift from the ground
which could cause you to lose control (Figure 10).
Bicycles are normally manufactured
with the left brake lever controlling the front-wheel brake. To
change so that the right lever controls the front-wheel brake,
see Chapter 3.
Many models of modern brakes are very powerful; they are
designed to stop a bike in wet or muddy conditions. If you feel
your brakes are too powerful for your riding needs, take your
bike to your dealer for adjustment or replacement of the
braking system.
Use good shifting techniques
Shifting gears allows you to choose the gear
combination most comfortable for riding
conditions, one that allows you to maintain a
constant rate of pedaling. Shifting systems are
of two types: derailleur
(external) and internal.
Shifting a bike with a derailleur
The left-hand shifter controls the front
derailleur and the right-hand shifter controls the
rear derailleur. Use only one shifter at a time.
Shift gears only when the pedals and chain are moving forward. When you shift,
reduce the force on the pedals to provide quicker and smoother shifting, to help avoid
excessive chain and gear wear, and to help avoid bent chains, derailleurs, and
chainrings. Avoid shifting when going over bumps; the chain may not shift properly or
may fall off.
With modern indexed shifting systems, a movement of the shifter from one position to
the next (or movement of the shifter to the "shift" position) should promptly move the
chain from one gear to the next. However, bikes equipped STI road shifters and triple
chainrings may shift better, particularly
when shifting from the smallest chainring to the middle, if you “hold” the lever for a
moment before letting go of the shifter.
