Marten Hoffmann wrote:

The point is that when you need to brake with the front brake only *and*
you have a dog leash in your right hand, it's hard to control the bike
since your handlebar will turn with braking and you have to counteract
this turning with only your left hand. When the rear brake is on the
left handle, I can make the bike lose speed at quite a rate (Magura HS-
33 on a hybrid bike) although never as good as with a front brake, of
course. Shifting my weight backwards helps.

Braking with one hand off the bars always requires some compensation for
the forward weight shift applied against one side of the handlebar.

However, despite what many people imagine, it makes no difference to
this whether it is the front or the rear brake being applied one-handed.
The amount of this force is directly proportional to the braking
force, whichever brake supplies it.

Of course, since the front brake is capable of generating twice as much
decelleration as the rear, it is _possible_ to generate twice as much
force on the handlebar _if_ you choose to brake that hard. However, if
you are merely slowing down with a decelleration that is within the
capability of the rear brake, it doesn't matter which of the brakes you use.

Sheldon "http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html" Brown
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