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Do You Keep Your Levers Covered?


cg125
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Do you ride with a finger covering each lever all the time? Or only when you actually need to?

I reckon that ideally you'd have them covered all the time so your not changing grip. What's best?

i would reacomend that you have them covered but not always the front brake, thats how i ride anyway ! :beer:

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Funny you should mention this. I suddenly noticed that I was riding up the big hill climb last week with one finger covering the front brake!

Second lap I tried to hold on to the lever with all my fingers and it felt really weird... never noticed me doing that before!

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My first trials teacher used to tell me to cover the clutch lever always but not always the front brake, particularly when you're going up hill or over a big step. Then you can have more control over the bars..(particularly on a step)...Not sure how 'correct' that would be with the real big time pro riders, but I think its helped me.

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I keep both levers covered ALL the time. Keeping them covered allows you to finesse them, just a little, or a lot when ever you need it for more precise control.

For years I've watched guys ride and realized that the guys who keep them covered have much more finesse control of the bike. The guys who don't keep them covered often seem to be banging through the sections. Feathering the clutch and brake become second nature, like breathing when they are covered.

You'd be amazed at the difference in time it takes to unwrap your fingers from the grips and then try to grab a lever vrs having a finger covering it all the time. With today's brakes and hydraulic clutches, one finger can easily do the job.

Keeping the levers covered also helps keep you from "death gripping" the bars too, allowing the bike to move more freely beneath you. Feels absolutely weird now if I don't cover them, like I have no control at all.

I keep them covered on my road bike and quad too. I like the instant control. The fraction of a second that it takes to get the fingers off the grip and onto the lever can mean the difference between braking and crashing.

Edited by Ridgrunr
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i keep both levers covered. it's natural feeling and i only put the brake finger on the bars when doing big steps or splatters. your second finger is stronger for holding on than the 1st or index, just ask rock climbers. you only need the 4 to hang on it just takes time to develope the lever position to get comfy and then it's second nature.

rob

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i keep both levers covered. it's natural feeling and i only put the brake finger on the bars when doing big steps or splatters. your second finger is stronger for holding on than the 1st or index, just ask rock climbers. you only need the 4 to hang on it just takes time to develope the lever position to get comfy and then it's second nature.

rob

Rob,

You keep one finger over the front brake when doing big steps or splatters??!!

Jeezas you must be strong..next time I can't get the lid off the jam I'm bringing it to your house!! :shutup:

Oh,update..just looked and saw what bike you ride..that explains it :rolleyes:

Edited by HAM2
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maybe i don't write english well or maybe you didn't read what i said.

(i only put the brake finger on the bars when doing big steps or splatters.) that means i take my finger off the brake lever and PUT IT ON THE BARS. also why does it take more strenght to keep a finger on the brake then it does to keep a finger on the clutch? you do keep a finger on the clutch for splatters right? if not how do you operate the clutch?

why does what type of bike i ride make any difference to this conversation? i don't judge all riders of different bike brands by people like you.......... i hope your not representitive of the bike brand you ride

i've never meet a jar lid i couldn't open yet.................

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Yep,Nowt wrong with your writing,time for some new glasses,I thought you mean't on the lever (not on the bars). :rolleyes:

As for the bike reference I seem to recall the 270 has so much wallop it can pop up steps and splat on a whiff of throttle therefore you could cover the brake more easily????

I was being a little flippant.

And no I'm not part of the ''my bike's better than your bike club'',the more brands you can cadge a ride on the better as far as I'm concerned( I find when it comes to trials bikes..like chips..other people's seem better).

Got to go now,the toasters popped and I'm looking for something to spread on it. :shutup:

Wayne

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Clutch always front brake not on steps or up hills don't want to brake going up a step, splatters I'm to old to splatter.

Up until a few months ago I would have totally agreed with your post then someone showed me that a splatter can be a safer!? way to tackle an obstacle.

I'm no expert.

It is one of those ''leap of faith'' techniques but it does feel very satisfying when you pull it off( ooh err).

I'm 40 by the way...Taurus..good sense of humour..looking for----oops! wrong web-site.

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