Why won't my brakes hold on those steep downhills?

“How to deal with brake fade”

I’ve become a rear brake dragger it’s something I started doing a few years ago. I know there are a lot of fast trail riders do this as well, I’m not sure if MX guys also do this? I’m not quite sure why I’ve started doing it, I know I do use it as sort of a rudder, it’s a control and comfort thing knowing I don’t have to search for it. Maybe it just makes me feel faster in my old age? Whatever the reason it’s become a habit I no longer have control over, I just do it. I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve learned to help me cope with this issue.

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to spend some time on the National Enduro and National Hare and Hound series trail with multiple time Dist. 36 Cross Country and Enduro champion Jordan Brandt. No I wasn’t riding; I was lending my meager talents in any way I could. It was a wonderful experience one I’ll cherish always. Rubbing elbows with the likes of a Mike Lafferty, Russell Bobbitt, Destry Abbott, etc. was great.

It’s interesting to see what kind of effort it takes to support that caliber of rider. The stuff you and I take for granted as being tight won’t hold up under the pounding these caliber of riders put a bike through. Jordan is like a lot of those riders (Lafferty is one) who drag their rear brake. In one of the national enduros Jordan used up a brand new set of rear brake pads by the first gas check which was about twenty five miles in. (I know that’s hard for us mere mortals to fathom) Fortunately the second set lasted the rest of the day. At the next enduro we had to scrounge around begging and borrowing more pads than we had brought. Hanging around the KTM factory pits (Jordan was riding a KTM) we began noticing that several of the riders were using solid rear disks, (And it wasn’t muddy) fortunately Lafferty’s mechanic was willing to share some of their secrets. Seems they use the solid rear disks to help dissipate some of the heat along with the solid rotor they use a set of calipers that were used on older KTM’s, (bigger pistons) Galpher brake lines (I believe they have a larger ID) and really hi-temp brake fluid. I watched Lafferty’s mechanic change pads and bleed the brakes at one of the gas stops once. At the next round that set up was on Jordan’s bike and virtually eliminated his brake problems.

As for me, I never intentionally attain anything near warp speed and if I ever do it’s purely accidental and while desperately trying to slow down, the short comings of my life usually passes before me.  I use hi-temp fluid, bleed the rear brake often and use a solid rear disk and that has solved my brake fading problems.

Doug

#21J