fritzz@sdcc3.UUCP (fritzz the Zebra) (10/19/84)
<No Thrashing> Most mountain bikes sold today have the handle bar gear set up for a nice ride to the store. As an example of what I mean, take a look at the picture on the cover of the Sept/Oct Issue of _Bicycling_ magazine. For those of you that haven't seen it, it is a picture of some guy coming off of a rather steep hill and into a creek. His brake levers are set up the way the way most dealers build them: on the outside of the shift levers, and slanted down between a 30 and 45 degree angle. This is really nice for street riding, and anything that doesn't count as rough ground, because it causes the hands to be at the same angle as the arms are, so there is no unneccessary bending of the wrist. This is not how they should be during rough riding. The guy on the cover has his wrists angled back so that the tops of his hands are parrallel to the ground. He is not using his brakes at all, but if he had any desire to he would have to rotate his hands forward so that his fingers could reach the levers.(Now to the point): After some counseling by a friend of mine that has done some serious MX racing, I have reangled the brake levers so that they are parrallel to the ground. This seemed uncomfortable for about 15 minutes, but now I am so used to it that I have trouble riding bikes with them any other way. The difference is especially noticable on steep downhills, where not only do you have apply a lot of pressure to the brakes, but you have to support a lot of your weight on your hands. This arrangement lets you get your thumbs way underneath the grips, so they are less likely to be jarred loose. (If you don't think this matters, try it sometime.=) The other problem is that, with the way the levers are built, the center of the brake mount would be about 1/2 in. to the inside of the shifters if one wanted to comfortably use the first two fingers to do the braking. The way I have seen most people ride them is with using either their middle two , or the outer two fingers. This works OK, but does not quite afford the control for uncoordinated people like me that the first two fingers have. By moving them to the inside of the shifters, I get better control, although it is difficult to get the positioning right because on one side you can't reach the levers (obviously a stupid move,) and on the other you get stabbed in the sensitive area between the thumb and the index finger by the shifter. This article has gone on long enough... so to finish off: I hope I didn't sound to snobby, or to confused. I just tried to relate a simple change that has made a marked difference in my riding style and offroad ability. I hope that it helps someone else too. Have a happy day- -- ihnp4--\ fritzz the Zebra decvax--\ Now, for $15,000, name a akgua----\ small sea animal: dcdwest---\ Shrimp cocktail. kgbvax-----\ ucbvax-------- sdcsvax -- sdcc3 -- fritzz
isiw@druri.UUCP (WattIS) (10/22/84)
Alright! Finally, some practical discussion amidst all the brouhaha.
I've noticed the same problem with brake lever setup that you did -
the hard way. Mine are set up about 5 degrees less than parallel,
more a matter of personal preference. As to the positioning along
the handlebars, I find I have much more control if I use my
*inside* two fingers on the lever, and have adjusted my levers
accordingly (further in). Most people have greater strength
with their index and middle finger, and with this setup you can
still maintain control with all of your palm, your thumb, and
the last two fingers - and in extreme cases (or "yeehaw!" hills),
you can just use one finger on the brake, your index finger.
Another bit of gear I've seen is a sort of ratchet brake designed
for long downhills and tandem mountain bikes (they do exist - go
to Crested Butte). The brake stays put once you set it, and to
disengage it, you slap it with the back of your hand. I'm sure
it's expensive, though.
Davis Tucker
AT&T Information Systems
Denver, CO
P.S. - "Shrimp Cocktail", eh? Here's another obscure NatLamp...
"About his or her physiognomy, it suffices to say, that
since it occupies a position on the front of his or her
head, it must be a face."