Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site hou2h.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!harpo!eagle!hou5h!hou5a!hou5d!hogpc!houxm!hou2h!an From: an@hou2h.UUCP Newsgroups: net.cycle Subject: Countersteering and braking Message-ID: <280@hou2h.UUCP> Date: Thu, 2-Feb-84 20:28:44 EST Article-I.D.: hou2h.280 Posted: Thu Feb 2 20:28:44 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 8-Feb-84 01:55:13 EST Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 24 Yeah, daddy Perlow is right, kids! :-) Push left go left, push right go right, remember. A "jerk" might be a bit strong, but a good firm push should be fine. As an aside, this countersteering can help you corner with a lot more confidence, too. Re: braking. I don't use the rear brake AT ALL. I know it can give me an extra 5 or 10% more braking force, but the risk of locking the rear wheel in serious gonzo STOPPING is kinda distracting! On dry clean pavement, it's nearly impossible to lock the front wheel, and that myth about "going over the handlebars" is an old wife's tale! On wet roads or in a corner it's a different story however. I use the front brake less forcefully, with some rear brake. On wet roads you can't use the front brake heavily without locking the front end, so there is less weight transfer to the front, hence more weight on the rear and more meaningful braking power. In corners, there is centrifugal force loading both ends more evenly so the rear end can do more braking, plus extreme forward weight transfer can change the bike's steering geometry, making the bike unstable in mid corner. Au Nguyen