Jump to content

Amazing Brakes, Do We Need Them?


Simpson

Recommended Posts

Basically i ran a Double Disk bike for a few months and the brake was amazing, Had maggie set ups (Heatsink Reds, with a sharp grind) That literally broke your neck everytime you pulled the brake, and made it pretty uncomfortable.

BUT

Going back to maggie and having Koxx Greens on a dead grind and having it slip rather alot, but after going out on a ride today and pushing the brake even though it was slipping, i still had massive confidence on it.....

Best example i can think of is Steve-O, hes a massive rider but his brakes never ever work! Most of the time i ride the bike its barely enough to lock the wheel on pedal hops! But when he gets on the bike he uses technique to just make it work somehow....

So how much are massivly powerfull brakes really needed in trials if your technique is amazing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i see it this way, you need a decent brake to learn.. but seen as you are always learning and pushing your own boundaries i reacon you need to have a good brake when it goes a bit tits up. thats just my opnion people may see differently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah, you would like that... but you dont have to, its just easier with good brakes

you dont need brakes to tap lol, chain tension and land high

then manual out to your back lol

Yes is all i can say its sensible really.

i end up not holding the brake some times when i sidehop because i forget lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As someone who still has lots to learn about trials, I agree with what people say about needing a good brake to learn on, however I recently rode my friends BMX with crap U-brakes and guess what... I could still ride. If I can hop all over the place with U-brakes then there is absolutely no reason a better rider shouldn't be able to still ride well with slighlty worse pads, etc...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You need them to learn, you need them to do big stuff and push your boundaries.

Maybe it's just a coincidence but my experience with pro bikes is that none of them had good brakes. In fact, some had absolutely no hold at all.

I like riding with slipping brakes but only if I'm not pushing myself. It makes riding more fun, especially if you try doing things brakeless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

and simpson...steve's brakes are bloody mint nowadays (Y)

really? Im shocked!

Im not talking about really shit brakes

Just medium/Ok brakes

I understand the point about drop gaps though, looked at 1 today with my shit brake and didnt really fancy it...

Well i need my good brakes for when i do taps :S

How do you? And why say brakes.....

I dont even cover the front when i tap....

I can see how you use it if your tapping intending to go right over the top, but usually you should be hitting the top corner.... Pah maybe im talking shit

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do prefer a brake with superior hold when i can get it. It's also nice to have that bite from a maggy with a grind. It's all down to personal preference though. Some people like smooth rims and brakes that can be modulated. Coming back from a brakeless bmx world for many years i don't use the brake much for manuals but wouldn't mind a disk for learning fakie nose manuals as i've been on a vee.

So there isn't any real answer to your question i guess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do prefer a brake with superior hold when i can get it. It's also nice to have that bite from a maggy with a grind. It's all down to personal preference though. Some people like smooth rims and brakes that can be modulated. Coming back from a brakeless bmx world for many years i don't use the brake much for manuals but wouldn't mind a disk for learning fakie nose manuals as i've been on a vee.

So there isn't any real answer to your question i guess.

A well set up v-brake can quite easily match the power of any disc and can even stop you as well as a reasonably well set up maggie. I have a v front and maggie rear. I have the front maggie, I just prefer v brakes (would use v rear but not enough power with one finger for pedal kicks unless you use something like XT v-brakes).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

with very good brakes you can make some mistakes without kill yourself.

in taps, or sidehops to rear, you can finish hanging of a border.... ant a bad brake wont work.

if you do big big gaps, it's easyer to do them with better brakes, I'm afraid to do gaps with my brake like shit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On street, I find that I don't need amazing brakes, but on natty you often have to do moves and quite steep rocks, and then you need amazing brakes. :P

I dunno really, discs work perfect for me, I have no need to touch them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Think Rowan's the perfect example of not needing stupidly good brakes to be an awesome rider.

I guess good brakes will allow an average rider to keep stuff that probably they really shouldn't be able to, but a good rider can get past poor brakes while still making things. I like to have a solid brake that I know where it's going to bite, but I haven't had a harsh grind for years and hate loud magura's. The rear brake on my Inspired is really quite pants (Onza citrus pads on a very very worn grind) but I can still go up to back on stuff 50 odd inches high without a problem...

Edit: However, as Muel said, on natural it definitely helps to have a good, strong brake which you know will work in all conditions. Hence why I use double disc on my Monty :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah, you would like that... but you dont have to, its just easier with good brakes

you dont need brakes to tap lol, chain tension and land high

Technique does help a lot (see above).

For street, a decent brake for gaps and stuff but not for flowy stuff.

For natural, you don't always need a good brake (like when going up stuff) but I find it does inspire confidence especially if gapping/dropping and it does help a lot on sloping rocks - like most of the ones round Swansea are.

Although if you can ride without a good brake it does help especially when it rains.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...