Braking and Crashes

★ As cycling enthusiasts, safety should always come first. As unexpected incidents in cycling, braking and crashes play significant roles. The last time I saw someone fall was about a month ago—the look of pain on their face and their fresh injuries left me shaken, but within minutes they had bounced back, shaking their head and perking up before setting off again. Later, during an evening drinking session, he revealed the truth: “I braked in time and managed to stay calm…” So here, Zhiqu introduces some basic techniques on braking and handling crashes—not to encourage stylish tumbles, but to help green-horn cyclists quickly regain control in emergencies and prevent mishaps before they happen.

Since bicycles are often traveling at high speeds, the braking system must meet the following requirements:

Timely braking refers to safe and effective stopping—using both the front and rear brakes simultaneously. Remember, this is a lesson learned from countless falls and is the fundamental principle of stopping. If you only brake with the rear brake, the bike and rider will skid sideways, and locking the wheel can cause fishtailing. Conversely, if you only use the front brake, inertia may flip the rear wheel upward, potentially causing a front somersault.

Also, the rule that “left hand controls the front brake, right hand the rear” is something we need to correct. For safety reasons, this guideline applies primarily to right-handed people—the opposite is true for left-handed riders. Here’s why: when braking at high speed (on flat ground or downhill), due to physiological factors, right-handed riders will instinctively engage the rear brake with their right hand first, then the front brake with the left—slightly delayed. This delivers stable and effective braking. On the other hand, hitting the front brake suddenly at high speed can easily cause a crash, which is very unsafe. Zhiqu believes it’s better to slide than to flip. Since most branded bikes come factory-set with “front right, rear left,” the first thing any normal (non-left-handed) rider should do is switch the brake settings.

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Huo Liuxing asked:

At high speed, especially downhill, the rear wheel tends to lock up easily, while the front wheel can handle much more. Personally, I usually brake with the front wheel first—it feels more effective and I’ve never had issues with the front locking up. So even though I’ve read countless tips advising rear-first braking, I haven’t really adopted that approach.

Zhiqu replied:

Riding a bike is like mastering martial arts—you don’t have to stick rigidly to set formulas or secret manuals. Sudden downhill descents can indeed cause sliding, so it’s recommended to use both brakes together. If you’re used to squeezing the front brake first, avoid braking before entering a turn.

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Now let’s discuss preventing wheel lock-up—an equally important issue. When wheels lock, the bike becomes extremely hard to control. So how can you prevent lock-up? First, here are the key factors that lead to locked wheels:

A. Braking technique (human factor) B. Rim C. Brake pads

When braking, use a technique called “pulsing” or “feathering” the brakes—apply them briefly and then release, then reapply. Think of car ABS (anti-lock braking systems)—this method shortens braking distance and avoids lock-up. It takes practice and experience. In short: pulsing isn’t about repeatedly yanking the brake levers in a mechanical way—it should be done swiftly (within one second) with light force.

Some rims feature special coatings that slightly reduce friction when dry but offer increased grip when wet, enhancing safety. As for brake pads, they should be made of hard yet flexible (elastic) rubber to minimize heat impact during braking and ensure user comfort.

Anyone who rides regularly knows they’ll encounter rain—and especially downhill riding in the rain makes the braking distance noticeably longer, increasing danger. Debris caught between the pads and rim during braking also causes wear and tear. I once had an all-ceramic V-brake pad that was completely ruined in one rainy descent. So in wet weather, always allow extra braking distance—when going 30 km/h, start braking at least 15 meters sooner than usual. Also, Zhiqu’s personal take: use both brakes together in the rain. If you can’t, I’d rather engage the front brake earlier—because on slippery surfaces, the risk of side-slipping is higher, and rolling over the rear wheel is more dangerous.

According to 《Bicycle Journal》, for road and mountain bike brakes (Shimano), excluding hydraulic systems, the ideal gap is 1mm—this ensures no rubbing when the rim is properly round and true. This value is the basis for brake system design, along with the lever travel distance. Personally, I prefer a slightly smaller gap—around 0.7mm.

Because Zhiqu finds that at the moment of braking, finger strength starts strong and weakens over time. Also, from a mechanical perspective, the initial braking lever arm is longer, helping increase resistance.—But Zhiqu’s preference stays close to optimal settings and depends on good rim shape—uneven or easily warped rims aren’t suitable for “narrow-gap pad setups.” Friends, adjust based on your bike and braking habits.

Additionally, if the rim is uneven, slightly increase the gap. In muddy conditions, increase the gap to reduce mud and debris buildup. Ergonomics suggest the ideal adjustment allows you to apply max finger force when the pad presses hardest against the rim. At that point, your middle knuckle is roughly at a right angle—where leverage feels strongest.

Case 1: Zhiqu’s Sidewalk Wipeout on the Second Ring Road

“Why does this always happen to me? After a beer, I usually ride fast—zooming down the fairly wide bike path along the Second Ring Road. Suddenly, an electric tricycle darted out from under a bridge on the left. Instinctively, I squeezed both brakes, but my speed was too high and I ended up doing another front somersault—this was my second this year. Dazed from the backward tumble, I got sat on by a woman who fell nearby… I was about to shout when I saw the elderly electric tricycle driver, nearly 60 years old and full of apologies—I just went home, injured but speechless.”

Case 2: Xiao Dao’s High-Speed Tumble and Flying Bag

“When I first started cycling, I was young and reckless, riding way too fast. One winter night around 8 PM, on a barely lit road, I was going about 30–35 km/h—since I knew the route well, I pushed the speed. I forgot there was a pothole ahead and flew right off. My reflexes were decent—I landed on my right shoulder, my head hit the ground from the impact, but my padded jacket saved me. I was fine. Lots of elderly folks were out walking, many stopped to watch. I scrambled up, only to find my bike missing. Looking ahead, about 7–8 meters away, I saw it—no idea how it ended up there. I picked it up, hopped on, and rode off. Thought the bike was fine until I shifted gears and found the left derailleur lever snapped. Don’t know how that happened. That’s when I finally bought a helmet.”

Case 3: Jacky’s Close Call

“Yesterday, I was passing by a car parked on the roadside when it suddenly opened its left door. It scared the hell out of me. I quickly dodged, barely avoiding it. Otherwise, it would’ve been a total disaster—car totaled, me dead. The speed was 35 km/h. From now on, I’ll ride my old SPEED to work, hehe, and save the good bike for weekend rides in the suburbs. The Jingshun Road is great—I bet I could ride with my eyes closed and still not hit anything. Last week, I went to Miyun, 190 kilometers round trip. Felt way better than the city—no need to stress over all those vehicles.

The three negative examples above show that most of the time, pedestrians and vehicles are the root causes of traffic accidents.

Fellow cyclists, riding a bike can be really dangerous. There are factors related to your own skills, as well as complex external ones, so you must take full safety precautions. I’d rather fall on the inner lane than swerve to the outer one, because the outer lane might have an oncoming car—and even worse, a car behind you (cars usually swerve to the outer lane since the inner lane has pedestrians, and drivers won’t risk hitting someone). In that case, it’s not just a fall; it’s a life-threatening situation. Better safe than sorry. When cycling, especially in a straight line and when you’re unsure of what’s behind you or when there’s someone ahead, prefer to fall rather than swerve to the outer lane to avoid something.

If you swerve to the outer lane, cars in the fast lane might not have enough time to avoid you and could hit you. Just like, if you’re the driver, your sense of morality might make you swerve to avoid someone crossing the road (I would too, otherwise I’d kill them), but the result is often a head-on collision between two vehicles. To stay safe, you need to anticipate deceleration and stay alert to erratic movements from vehicles and pedestrians. If you’re really forced to brake hard, it all comes down to your ability to stay calm and clear-headed.

I once flipped during a brake test. Following the order from low speed to relatively high speed, I quickly tightened the front brake. At low speed, of course, there was no problem, but at a slightly higher speed, the rear wheel lifted slightly. In the end, I did a complete forward somersault. Fortunately, I was prepared, so both me and the bike were fine.

It’s worth mentioning:

① The critical speed at which a “forward somersault” occurs is greatly influenced by other conditions.

For example, body posture. When your center of gravity is forward, especially in a standing position, you can flip at just 10 km/h. Using a relatively “soft” fork with low preload makes it even easier to flip. When using a posture similar to DH (Downhill), I never flipped. Because the speed was higher later and more dangerous, I didn’t test flips above 30 km/h.

② Using a suspension fork makes flipping easier. A rigid fork is less likely to flip.

③ Tire condition doesn’t matter much. This includes tire width and tread patterns. Since you’re using the front brake, on dry roads, there’s rarely any sliding.

④ On slippery roads, a “forward flip” is almost impossible, but side falls are very likely.

In the end, how do you fall? It mostly depends on your own level of awareness. The simplest rule: use the widest, strongest part of your body to hit the ground or collide with obstacles.

You’ve definitely seen equestrian performances or horse racing movies. The riders always land on their backs when they fall, because the back is the widest, has the least pressure, and is the best cushion to support your body weight. But in reality? Everyone instinctively lands on their palms or knees. Oh my god, those most fragile joints can’t take any impact—minor sprains at best, fractures at worst. And these joints are used so much in daily life, making them very hard to recover. A seemingly small accident could end your cycling career. So, here’s hoping that fellow cycling enthusiasts take some time to practice side rolls and controlled falls on soft ground. Even if you can’t land on your back, at least learn to skillfully use your shoulders or the outer hips to dissipate the impact of a fall.

Secondly, cycling is different from skiing. Don’t apply the skiing advice of “relaxing your body and letting yourself slide forward” when you fall during a downhill turn. Experience shows that if you don’t brake early on a sharp downhill turn, you might end up braking suddenly. In such cases, there are two possible outcomes of a fall: First, crashing into a rocky mountain wall. No need to say more—if your body hits the rocks, you’ll likely break three ribs. Worse, your chest cavity could deform, and your internal organs could be crushed or punctured by your bones. Second, being flung sideways off the cliff. Given Beijing’s mountain terrain, falling off is unlikely, but sliding down is possible. If you grab at random bushes or brambles and manage to stop—well, that’s the best-case scenario. But most of the time, you’ll just slide down to a lower part of the mountain or crash into roadside obstacles like stone barriers or concrete walls. Last year, the tragic incident of Miss Xiaoye broke every cyclist’s heart, but it also serves as a warning: if you fall during a downhill turn, always push your bike forward to let it block whatever you might hit. After all, it’s metal—the bike’s cushioning might just save your life.

Encountering strong winds, heavy rain, fog, or muddy, wet conditions while cycling outside is unpredictable. Although Beijing doesn’t get many extreme weather events in a year, that’s exactly why our Green Field Light Cavalry has very little experience cycling in such conditions. Knowing how to handle bad weather and get back to the city safely is something every cyclist has to face. Here are a few tips:

1. Don’t overinflate your tires. Let the air out to about two-thirds of the normal amount to increase the contact area between the tires and the road, which helps prevent slipping.

2. Lower your saddle as much as possible. A lower center of gravity makes cycling more stable and makes it easier to control the bike in unexpected situations.

3. Keep at least 3 meters away from the vehicle in front of you to avoid being tripped by their fall.

4. Don’t brake suddenly, as it can cause the wheels to skid and lose balance. Ride a bit slower and get off the bike early if needed.

5. Avoid sharp turns as much as possible. Within the limits of the road, the larger the turning radius, the safer it is. Try to keep your center of gravity aligned vertically with the bike’s axis and the ground.

Here, I’d like to emphasize: notice bad weather as early as possible. If you encounter it, avoid it if you can.