6 replies to this topic

[benwall]

Engine breaking or rear break or both?

So when going down hills difrent pepole have told me to difrent things, ok so you use the front break, but some pepole have told me to use the rear break which i normaly use (ends up with me coverd in mud ocasionly ) but some pepole say they use engine breaking. So which one do you use? and which one is best?

Thanks

[zerorev3rev4]

if you got 4 stroke use engine braking if 2 stroke only use engine for short distance and blip throttle as engine is baking with hi revs and no fuel coming in to lubricate

[axulsuv]

And every downhill is different ...

[paul w]

use whats needed to slow you down to the pace that you can control the bike at.
having ridden for may years i rely on the back brake as years ago trials bikes didnt have great front brakes, in fact they were more hub warmers than brakes!

[0007]

I use the engine to keep me from locking the rear brake
You don't need to let rpm build high, you just need to keep the tire from locking
Seems like trials likes to teach pulling the clutch in and skidding the tire but the old dirt biker in me can't do it

[2/4]

axulsuv, on 16 December 2011 - 02:47 PM, said:

And every downhill is different ...

Exactly. It was years before I could bring myself to use the clutch but nowadays I do and use the brakes in whatever ratio is suited to what I am doing but mainly the front. But it depends on circumstance, for instance what lies at the bottom of the hill? If it is a hop over a log from a very slow pace then you want the forks compressed by front brake use. Or do you want to slide the back a bit? As Scottie said, "Ye cannae beat the Laws o' Physics Cap'n".

[Steve_E]

Hi, if your riding a 2 stroke its very likely you will stall it trying to engine break. As the others have said rear brake is important but, depending on conditions, ie how slippy it is, you will notice you use front brake just as much when your brake control gets better. The trick on steep hills is to be able to hold the front brake just before the point of locking and be able to control the front sliding for a split second as the grip alters.

So get familliar with what happens when either wheel locks and learn to control it.