Brake & clutch Levers.
Unless you're riding a 1940's bone-shaker with
drum brakes, you should ideally be using 2 fingers
(usually index and middle) for clutch and brake
operation. This gives you more grip and control on
the bars in my opinion.
Loosen off the clamps and move the controls
inwards on the handle bars so you grip the lever
near the very end of it with these 2 fingers. This will
give you more "leverage" and therefore more
power. Who doesn't want more braking power on a
heavy bike ??? It also reduces fatigue on your clutch
hand in traffic. Foam lever cushions are also nice as
they reduce the sharp force on your fingers. Rotate
the lever controls until you can grab them in a hurry
without having to move your wrist off the bars.
Rear Brake pedal
Usually almost always forgotten about ! Is your back
brake rubbish ? Do you find yourself wondering why
your new pads and clean disc still doesn't stop
you ??
Adjust the pedal using the rear master cylinder nut.
Raise the lever so your foot (with the boots you ride
in) just sits on-top of the lever. You should be able
to just rotate your foot left and right and feel drag
on the sole of your boot from the pedal. Many
people have their pedal too low, reducing the
effective distance they can push the pedal in stiff
riding boots and in effect, giving them little
stopping power.
If you find it difficult to almost lock your back wheel
with a fast, hard stomp on the pedal, it's not right !!
(please don't try this on a wet road, fully loaded )
If you're pushing the pedal all the time while
cruising, this is called "dragging" and will
prematurely wear your disc and pads It will also
cause poor braking as the disc is always hot.
Remember to adjust the rear brake switch to match
the pedal if necessary. If this is sounding ‘technical’
to you then you need a friend who knows about
bikes or have the bike adjusted at your local
garage – don’t screw around with your brakes if you
don’t know what you’re doing.
Enjoy the ups and
downs of exploring
without the wrist
ache