downhill trails cause the rear wheel to skid more rapidly, the reason is that skidding causes resistance between the tire and the ground surface, sometimes the brakes will stuck and lock, and sometimes the rider is confused, he/she pulls the levers of brakes on the exact corner of the trail which results in an emergency and serious problem, the right decision is that you can pull the levers 2 to 3 feet before the corner and leave the levers at the exact twisted place which saves you and your bike from downhill accidents.
Front and rear brakes are used to slow down the high-speed bikes and cause skidding, there are also preventive measures for skidding like avoiding braking on wet trails, wet and twisted trails cause the front tire to skid while front braking and leaning too much on one side also cause skidding. If you are a beginner then never try skidding on a new set of tires, because the tires will rub badly on the trails, you can install old used tires and learn about skidding on downhill twisted trails, tire difference also affects skidding, there are some brands and types of bike tires which are not recommended for skidding.
While riding twisted and corner trails, when your bike is at high speed, slightly pull the brake levers in a standing position and back your upper body from the saddle to maintain the grip and avoid skidding of the front tire. it’s for mountain biking but for gravel biking, the process is a little bit different, you cannot stand from the saddle and in a sitting position apply brakes, it has also an advantage because your weight totally lies on the rear wheel while sitting and it helps to slow the speed of bike on twisted trails. there are a thousand riders who are pro and well experienced and know the rules of skidding on single terrains, these riders will control the speed of the bike through skidding.
Do Bike Front Brake Cause Skid?
The front brake is not recommended for skidding and drifting also it does not cause skidding when you are at high speed, the main purpose of the front brake is that slightly pull the levers to reduce bike speed, and if you do it in the right way holding your body position in the back from the saddle or sitting on the saddle pushing force on the saddle in the downward direction, it plays a major role in stopping the high-speed bike.
Front brakes usually are in contact with the handlebar and you have to grip thoroughly while front braking to avoid falling, that’s the reason front brake is not responsible for bike skidding. front brakes are in direct contact with the weight of the rider and it is a more sensitive brake for single trails, if you have never done it in the right way, it will cause bad circumstances for you.
Bike Rear Brake for skid:
Rear brakes are accurately made for skidding but do not pull too much the brake levers because it causes the rear brake to lock with the rim which is risky on downhill trails, apply both front and rear brakes according to the recommended brake ratio on the trails before reaching the corner place. the contact surfaces of the rim and disc brakes become hot and warm if you are using a single brake for skidding which is not good for brakes and bike rim.
Both rim and disc brakes perform differently for skidding on the twisted single trails, if rim brakes are installed in your bike then while pulling the rear brake levers, make your body in a standing position from the saddle and bend your backbone parallel with the handlebar for safe skidding and if your bike has disc brakes then apply rear brakes in sitting position on the saddle rear wheel will perform safe skidding.
If your rear wheel is skidding too much then you can mount the pads of your brakes a little bit far from the wheel and also change the dimension and place of the levers of the rear brake if it’s directly parallel with the grips of the bar then lower the position of the rear brake lever from the grip and bar so that your fingers would hardly reach on the brake levers, this is a usual method which would not allow more skidding on every time when you want to stop the rear wheel when braking.
Ratio Of Front And Rear Brakes for Skidding on dry and wet trails:
On dry surfaces, the front tire does not cause slipping and sliding and the ratio of the front brake is higher as compared to the rear brake which is 75% and the rear brake is 25%. the main purpose of the higher front brake ratio is that you have to control the speed of your bike.
If the trails have wet muddy water then the brake ratio is different for skidding, the front ratio is 5o% and the rear brake ratio is also 50%.
But if there are sliding trails, even if the situation is enough bad from the wet, then the ratio of the front brake is 0% and the rear brake is 100% while riding on twisted trails.
Brake RatioFor beginners:
The ratio of front brake is difficult and hard for beginners because if you are new to cycling and single trail riding, on dry trails the ratio of front and rear brake is (50:50), for wet trails the ratio of front braking is 30% and the rear brake is 70% and for slippery and sliding trails the ratio of front brake is 0% and the rear brake is 100% for the beginner riders.
Rear Tire Pressure For Skidding:
Maintain lower psi pressure for the rear tire and higher psi pressure for the front tire for skidding because the rear tire has to maintain the grip with the ground to sit and dig into the ground when braking and the sidewalls of the rear tire would sit when braking and skidding which is usual and maintains a weight of the bike and the rider for better performing on the trails, the ratio of tire pressure is 30psi to 40psi for the rear tire and 50 psi to 70psi for the front tire.
How To Avoid rear Tire Lock When Braking And Skidding?
When you pull the levers of your front brake then try to bring your body forward towards the handlebar so that your both toes should be on both pedals with a high grip to avoid falling, this will helps to bring the load of the rider’s weight on the front tire and the rear tire unloads which prevents locking.
Steering Position When braking For Skidding:
Turn the steering in the direction of the trail after cornering when braking and never turn the steering to the opposite side of the trail and corner, never bend the body position on one side when steering because all of your weight comes downward, which causes risk of falling.
How To Deal With Brakes For Safe Skidding?
if your bike is at high speed, firstly slow the speed of your bike by applying the front brake because it is a recommended brake for lowering high-speed bikes, and when you reach the corner and twist apply the rear brake and turn the handlebar toward the trail, never pull the front brake on the exact corner, never pull the rear brake for a long time it is also risky you may fall off the ground if you are still pulling the levers of the rear brake when the bike is skidding on the corner.
Never pull hard on the rear brake because the rear brake locks and for a few seconds it will not flex to normal which is dangerous on the hard trails and the front braking is pulled hard on every single trail, it is usually done by the pro and experienced riders, not a beginner. Rear Brakes help in decreasing bike speed, especially on the corner trails, and are not dangerous for a rider.
Riders have installed sharp and less sharp brakes in their bikes which can also affect much more on the trails for skidding, if your bike has sharp brakes(both front and rear) and you are new because you have used less sharp brakes before, then it is a misguidance and it affects and distracts you from the trail and this wrong setup will not help you to skid and control the bike speed.
The riders have installed front brakes on the right side of the bar and some bikes have on the left side of the bar, you can install front and rear brakes on any side of the bar, it mostly depends on the experience level and handling skills of brakes on any side.
Left and right for brake levers do not matter, the main thing which matters the most are brake cables and the length of the cable for skidding should be specific and short as compared to the normal cable lengths and if your cables are old and rough in condition then wash them thoroughly so that the inner side of the cable would not be stuck when you pull the levers for braking.