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> The coaster brake also can be prone to locking up the wheels and causing the tire to skid. For kids this is an advantage, since they enjoy putting bikes into

by deepsun 15d ago

> The coaster brake also can be prone to locking up the wheels and causing the tire to skid. For kids this is an advantage, since they enjoy putting bikes into a sideways skid. Damn well it was! I remember we used to play tag on bikes. But when we switched to hand brakes, it became impossible, as you need a free hand and speed control at the same time.

kqr 15d ago
> But when we switched to hand brakes, it became impossible, as you need a free hand and speed control at the same Did y'all have only one hand?
- usrnm 15d ago
  Breaking with just the front wheel break is a very bad idea, so you always need the rear wheel hand to break
  - kqr 15d ago
    What makes the front wheel brake a bad idea? I almost exclusively use the front brake, because that's the one that'll actually stop me. (Source: when I used rim brakes I had to replace the front brake pad three times for every time I replaced the rear brake pad.) I know some people use the rear wheel locking up as a way to sense when they have applied enough front brake, but that's not necessary. It's also possible to learn to sense that directly.
    - usrnm 15d ago
      When going at a high speed, breaking hard with the front wheel alone can force the bike to rotate around it and the rider might enjoy a very short but very thrilling flight. Which I learned the hard way many years ago
      - davkan 14d ago
        You can wrench on the front brake at speed, you just can’t do it from the saddle. Gotta move your center of mass back and down.
- deepsun 14d ago
  We thought it too! But it really didn't work with hand brakes, dunno why. Maybe because with tag you always either full accelerate or full brake with turning at the same time. And if your opponent is on the right, you are left with only front wheel brake that works very bad in turns. Maybe some pro could pull that off, but we sadly abandoned tag.
SoftTalker 15d ago
Yep I wore holes in several tires doing skids on my Schwinn when I was a young boy. My father got somewhat annoyed at it but used it as an opportunity to teach me how to change a tire and threatened to withold from my allowance the costs of any more tire replacements. I can't remember if that actually ever happened.
deleted 15d ago
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by deepsun 15d ago

kqr 15d ago

> But when we switched to hand brakes, it became impossible, as you need a free hand and speed control at the same Did y'all have only one hand?

usrnm 15d ago
Breaking with just the front wheel break is a very bad idea, so you always need the rear wheel hand to break
- kqr 15d ago
  What makes the front wheel brake a bad idea? I almost exclusively use the front brake, because that's the one that'll actually stop me. (Source: when I used rim brakes I had to replace the front brake pad three times for every time I replaced the rear brake pad.) I know some people use the rear wheel locking up as a way to sense when they have applied enough front brake, but that's not necessary. It's also possible to learn to sense that directly.
  - usrnm 15d ago
    When going at a high speed, breaking hard with the front wheel alone can force the bike to rotate around it and the rider might enjoy a very short but very thrilling flight. Which I learned the hard way many years ago
    - davkan 14d ago
      You can wrench on the front brake at speed, you just can’t do it from the saddle. Gotta move your center of mass back and down.
deepsun 14d ago
We thought it too! But it really didn't work with hand brakes, dunno why. Maybe because with tag you always either full accelerate or full brake with turning at the same time. And if your opponent is on the right, you are left with only front wheel brake that works very bad in turns. Maybe some pro could pull that off, but we sadly abandoned tag.

SoftTalker 15d ago

Yep I wore holes in several tires doing skids on my Schwinn when I was a young boy. My father got somewhat annoyed at it but used it as an opportunity to teach me how to change a tire and threatened to withold from my allowance the costs of any more tire replacements. I can't remember if that actually ever happened.

deleted 15d ago

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