I could tell the front wheel was working very hard to stop the bike, yet not so hard it would skid. When I pulled really hard on the brake lever I could get the rear wheel to lock up, but not the front. This is the result I do believe the crew at Slidepad had in mind. No matter how hard I tried (on many surfaces and during turning too), I could not get the front wheel to skid or lose traction. Here is the testing results I came up with. I like that part of the Slidepad system just fine. Using just the one handle to brake becomes second nature very quickly and actually feels incredibly natural. If you ride many different bikes (like I do) you may have to quickly reacquaint yourself with this feature every time you climb aboard, but that shouldn’t be a problem at all. I found using just one brake handle only took a few tries to get used to. You can see here how the front brake cable comes from the rear brake instead of the brake handle. My point here is as long as you are used to it, it doesn’t really matter which hand runs which brake. Some bicycle riders who also ride motorcycles switch the cables (to opposite of the U.S. And if you are used to riding a motorcycle then using your right hand to actuate the front brake is what you are accustomed to. I have had to switch the cables from one side to the other on many test bikes I am supplied because of this fact. The reason I did it this way on my E-bike is because the left lever has the safety motor cutoff switch in it (which I didn’t want to disable), and the throttle mechanism is on the right side.Īs I try not to confuse you, I want to note that bikes in some other countries often have the front and rear brakes hooked-up opposite of the way we are used to them here in the states. I did just the opposite and it still works just fine. Slidepad recommends removing your front (left side) brake lever and using the rear (right side) brake lever to run the system. When I put the Slidepad system on my 6 year-old eZip (electric-assist bike) I didn’t follow the directions to the letter (of course not, for some reason everything I seem to do bucks the norm). In fact the Slidepad system is respected enough to be standard equipment on the Jamis Hudson Sport (more bikes coming soon I understand). The system can also be installed by your local bike mechanic if it seems too daunting. In addition to the needed parts, it comes with a complete set of quality brake pads to round out the package. If you can do your own basic bike maintenance, then installing and adjusting the Slidepad system won’t take long. Slidepad has a complete installation video on their website. It also acts like a anti-skid device, something that is seen on all kinds of modern vehicles today. In reality it is so simple it’s hard to image that no one has come up with this before. This way the front brake will never be over-powered and cause a stability issue. What we have here is a rear brake pad that has a sliding mechanism, as it slides from the pressure and movement on the rear rim, it transfers that movement to actuate the front brake. Now that I have it installed on my old-school E-bike, I am more impressed than ever.Įvery part you need for the installation (except tools and a bike) are included in the box. As you look a little closer and get the info on the workings, you begin to see why it makes so much sense. Even with the short time on board, I was impressed with the way it worked and the cool technology involved. I got to try it out at Interbike (although inside the hall on the carpeting). I first learned of this innovative product earlier during the year. Although at first thought and glance it can seem complicated, in reality it is quite simple. With the Slidepad system, one brake lever is all you need to grab hold of, with the system doing the rest. Too much front brake and your stability can be compromised (especially while turning or on a slippery surface), too much rear brake doesn’t slow you in a timely fashion. Why is braking tricky you ask? Most know that the quickest and most controlled braking on your bike requires a fairly precise input on the two brake levers. It’s quick to do, not too pricey and I found it to work in the best of ways. Converting your bike’s brakes with a Slidepad up-grade can do just that. On top of that, everyone can appreciate a way to make a bike ride safer and easier. Shifting and braking come natural to many, yet no so much for others. There are many things about riding a bike that can seem confusing. As delivered to my door, the complete kit comes in a well marked display box.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |