Most mountain bikers don’t think of braking as one of the skills they need to practice and learn. You pull the lever and you stop, right?

It’s a lot more complicated than that. Proper braking can give you more control and actually make you faster if you learn how to do it.

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Make sure your brake levers are in the right position

It is very important for your brake levers to be in the right position before learning how to brake properly. In the attack position your wrists should be line up with your forearms, your hands, and your brake levers. Your wrist shouldn’t bend awkwardly; it should be straight and natural.

Be sure to use both brakes

The majority of beginning mountain bikers probably had an unfortunate incident when they slammed down hard on the front brake and flipped over the bars. Because of this, they no longer use the front brake and only use the rear brake to control their speed.

However, avoiding the front brake is the worst thing you can do. During descents, most of the rider’s weight is on the front of the bike, and gravity pulls the bike and rider down the hill, creating a lot of force on the front wheel. Therefore, 70% of total braking power comes from the front brake and 30% from the rear brake.

For maximum stopping power, use both brakes. If you use just the front brake, you’re in for disaster, but if you use the rear brake along with the front brake, with practice, you’ll find the rear brake balances out the front, resulting in extremely controlled braking.

Modulate your braking power to avoid skidding

Skidding is the second biggest mistake new riders tend to make. Most newbies think skidding is the fastest way to stop a bike, but skidding is about the worst thing you can do. Using only the rear brake is the worst, but it usually devolves into a skid anyway when riders just use the rear brake.

There are several reasons why skidding is bad:

1. You don’t stop as fast

When you skid, the whole wheel rotation stops, locking up and dragging in the dirt. Using this method actually takes longer to stop than maintaining a controlled braking process.

2. It’s harder to control

When the wheel locks up and you start to slide, it’s extremely hard to maintain control. In place of traveling in a straight, controlled path, you instead wash side-to-side and bounce over trail obstacles.

3. Trail erosion

The third point has less to do with performance, but more to urge you to try to leave no trace when mountain biking.

Use one finger to brake

In the days of weak rim brakes that got gunked up with mud and slick with water, two-finger braking was the norm. The stopping power of those old brakes was a fraction of what modern hydraulic disc brakes are capable of. The power of modern mechanical disk brakes is significantly greater than that of old Y or canti brakes.

Even basic disc brakes can offer respectable stopping power, so you should really only use one finger on the brake lever (your forefinger or middle finger). Adjust your brake levers so that your prefered finger lands in the crook on the end of the lever when you’re in the attack position. It will keep from sliding around and provide the greatest advantage for maximum power and control if your finger is out on the end.

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Don’t brake in the corners, but before them

The main reason for this is that braking in corners reduces bike control, especially if the wheels wash out. Try braking before the corner instead of while cornering. To navigate the corner without braking, reduce your speed before entering the corner; your tires will have the maximum amount of traction and you will be able to focus on cornering technique.

One of the few times when you shouldn’t use your front brake is if you accidentally enter a corner at high speed. When you use your front brake in the corner, your front tire will wash out and slide. It is very difficult to control and recover from front tire slides, so avoid them at all costs. Use your rear brake instead if you must brake in a corner; it’s easier to control your rear tire slide than a front tire slide.

Be careful not to overbrake

Last but not least, don’t overuse your brakes. Most riders don’t have a problem staying off the brakes when the trail is smooth, but when it gets rough, many inexperienced riders grab a handful of brakes and slow down.

Speed is your friend when riding technical terrain. As your wheels spin faster, the spokes generate more gyroscopic force. Slow-spinning wheels are easier to tip over than fast-spinning wheels.

On singletrack, the same principles apply. You are much more likely to be knocked off balance if you are moving slowly down a technical trail littered with rocks, roots, and drops, than if you are moving quickly.

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