While we’ve talked quite a bit about braking in mountain biking (and literally wrote the book on it), the nuances of braking on road bikes have never been explored—until now.
MTB riders get it; braking is literally everything for riders who want to get faster on downhills (i.e. 90% of riders).
Tom Pidcock gets it - smarter braking is free speedWith so much emphasis on power meters and aero everything, riders have completely forgotten about the other side of road cycling - getting down the mountain with control and speed.
And it all comes down to how they use their brakes - something they are in complete control of.
Overbraking or braking in the wrong place is just wasted watts and lost speed. In fact, improper braking accounts for an insane amount of lost watts:
In the study discussed below, we found that braking cost a rider 63W on a 5-minute downhill!
Safety: Effective braking can prevent accidents and ensure control during high-speed descents and sudden stops.
Performance: Optimizing braking techniques can lead to better speed conservation and improved overall performance.
Equipment Development: For manufacturers, precise braking data can inform the design of superior braking systems, enhancing the market appeal of their bikes.
Quality indeed.The idea of measuring braking on road bikes started with some work we did with a big brand, and went from there.
After all these years of studying braking on MTB and watching results of good braking technique in the Tour de France, we wanted to dig in further.
To do this, we set up a “road bike” with our wireless BrakeAce PF2 brake sensors.
This was our road bike used for brake testing. Yeah the geometry wasn't road, but we didn't pedal down the hills...Key Findings from Brake TestingUsing the BrakeAce PF2 sensor, we conducted several tests to gather detailed insights into road bike braking. Here are some highlights:
Higher Torque Values: Road bike braking torque values when stopping exceed those measured while riding expert MTB trails.
Front vs. Rear Brake Use: The front brake on a road bike is used more compared to the rear brake. Most MTBers rely more on the rear brake than the front.
Braking Patterns: Road cycling involves relatively little braking during descending and city riding compared with MTB, but when riders are braking, they brake HARD.
Read on brakeace.com