Quantcast

Front Brake or No Front Brake

Dirt Jumper

Chimp
Sep 6, 2005
87
0
Colorado Springs, CO
This is the question. I need some help on making the decision of either keeping the front brake, or taking it off.

I have an 8" rotor on a fork that doesn't have a thru-axle, so it clangs and rings a lot on the caliper pads when I jump since the rim and fork aren't totally play-free.

I use my front brake a fair amount with doing little endos and whatnot, so I'm still not sure.

Any advantages/disadvantages to having a front brake? Think I should take 'er off?

The help of fellow DJMonkies is greatly appreciated :love:
 

motomike

Turbo Monkey
Jan 19, 2005
4,584
0
North Carolina
I've taken mine off before and keep putting it back on. I just hate, HATE skidding my tire on the ground at the jumps when I only have one brake. Maybe you could just get a smaller rotor and adapter so it won't ping and make noise anymore...
 

black noise

Turbo Monkey
Dec 31, 2004
1,032
0
Santa Cruz
I just took my front brake off (I don't know why, so I could feel cooler maybe) and I'll be putting it back on soon. I personally hate skidding on jumps and I don't do a lot of barspins, so I want my front brake back.
 

scurban

Turbo Monkey
Jul 11, 2004
1,052
0
SC
Disc brakes are even any over kill for jumping. I say ditch the front brake if jumping is all you use the bike for, and get a 6" rotor in the rear.

What kind of bike are you running?
 

Dirt Jumper

Chimp
Sep 6, 2005
87
0
Colorado Springs, CO
Oh, I can barspin just fine, my cables don't interfere. I put my 6" rotors back on. I won a set of Hayes' El Caminos from a contest Hayes was doing about a month or so ago, and they came with 8" rotors, so I put them on. Now I've got the hydros still, but with 6" rotors. Perfecto!

Also, you can check out my bike here
 

Palilla

Monkey
Jul 20, 2004
102
0
I haven't been running a front brake for almost a year now. I like it. You can still do endo's or better yet nose-picks...just learn how to jam your foot between the tire and the fork arch.:thumb:
 

Mr Tiles

I'm a beer snob
Nov 10, 2003
3,469
0
L-town ya'll
I've been front brakeless for a couple years now. I tried one time to put it back on the front and I hated it, seemed cumbersome and all in the way. Foot jams are fun. I use this bike for primarily street so it works good.
 

Stoked

Turbo Monkey
Nov 28, 2004
1,809
1
LI, NY
ive been getting used to no front brake. foot jams work well especially with manitou reverse arch forks. got the bike down to 30lbs.

 

Dirt Jumper

Chimp
Sep 6, 2005
87
0
Colorado Springs, CO
Here's a bigger pic of my bike, but it's a little outdated. I have the El Camino hydraulics (with same rotors though) the Maxxis Holy Roller tires, and a new seat since that picture was taken. Hopefully I'll get a newer pic soon.

 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,644
1,214
Nilbog
Palilla said:
I haven't been running a front brake for almost a year now. I like it. You can still do endo's or better yet nose-picks...just learn how to jam your foot between the tire and the fork arch.:thumb:
listen to the man, i was a dedicated front brake rider for a loooooong time, then i took it off (because i had bleeding issues) went up to Rays indoor park and rode pretty much everything without it. IMO the only reason to have a front brake on a dj/park setup is if you do alot of trials type moves, or use the bike as an all arounder where you get into steepish woods riding.
 

tyrown shuz

Chimp
Nov 14, 2005
6
0
what about skidding all over the place? you do that, your jack up the trail... skidding up the face(lip). boo!
i'd say wait till you get used to commiting. unless you're alredy throwing barspins or your lever is getting caught up in your cargos when you're bustin those turndowns.
:nopity:
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,644
1,214
Nilbog
tyrown shuz said:
what about skidding all over the place? you do that, your jack up the trail... skidding up the face(lip). boo!
i'd say wait till you get used to commiting. unless you're alredy throwing barspins or your lever is getting caught up in your cargos when you're bustin those turndowns.
:nopity:
bmx guys have been doing it forever, it isnt that hard esp with disks...just what you are used to.
 
No front brake, unless you absolutely cant live without it. take a look at most BMX bikes...they dont even have bosses on the forks most of the time. its someting to get used to, but think of it as its one less thing to rely on when riding. Personally, for skateparks & street etc, i usually prefer to ride brakeless, as long as it isnt overly crowded. Alot of people argue that its stupid, but after trying it for awile, its not that bad at all, and you learn (quickly) how to adjust speed to not overshoot and crash horrifically. Trails, though, id rather have the rear brake.
 

ryan/kona29

Monkey
Dec 2, 2005
691
0
bonney lake washington
Dirt Jumper said:
Oh, I can barspin just fine, my cables don't interfere. I put my 6" rotors back on. I won a set of Hayes' El Caminos from a contest Hayes was doing about a month or so ago, and they came with 8" rotors, so I put them on. Now I've got the hydros still, but with 6" rotors. Perfecto!

Also, you can check out my bike here
nice bike(what did you pay for that frame)? I'd have to agree on the 6'' rotors also.:blah:
 

ioscope

Turbo Monkey
Jul 3, 2004
2,002
0
Vashon, WA
Can you backwheelhop? Do you want to? Do you do urban or park on this bike too? If you answered no to all of these, then just run a front brake and no back. Sure it's unique, but it's smarter too.
 
Nov 12, 2004
40
0
I personally like running front brakeless, just because it is less to deal with and it teaches you to be a better rider. It also isnt really neccicary for street/dj