My brother, Jacek, recently shared his Warsaw bike ride on Strava, and his post included a detail that made me raise an eyebrow. His ride description read: “Some adventures. That’s why you shouldn’t improve your brakes during the Winter”. Accompanying this was a concerning picture of his Garmin in crash mode, a broken bike mirror, and then, somewhat incongruously, a photo of the Warsaw Mermaid.
Naturally, my first thought was brake failure, and I immediately suspected synthetic oil in his Giant Trance E+’s hydraulic brake lines! I messaged him right away:
— What happened, bro?
— Nothing too bad. Just a broken rear-view mirror, a bruised elbow… and Garmin thought it was a crash! Good to know the crash sensor on the Edge works!
— Did your brakes fail?!
— Quite the opposite. They were too good! I was turning around to snap a picture of the Mermaid, tapped the brake lever, and the front wheel locked up, sending me sprawling! Ever since the brake service, these 203 mm rotors are incredibly effective!
It turns out his brake service was successful, and the synthetic oil brake fluid was performing excellently. However, Jacek had repeated a mistake I’d made myself on the same e-bike in the past – crashing due to unexpectedly powerful brakes at low speeds. It seems that upgrading to more effective Hydraulic Bike Brakes, especially with larger rotors, can lead to surprises, particularly if you’re not accustomed to the increased stopping power. This incident serves as a reminder to exercise caution and get re-acquainted with your bike’s braking response after any brake system improvements.
The lesson here isn’t to avoid improving your hydraulic bike brakes, but rather to be aware of the enhanced performance, especially in conditions where traction might be compromised, like winter riding, or during slow maneuvers. Modern hydraulic disc brakes offer exceptional control and stopping power, but this power demands respect and a period of adjustment to avoid unintended incidents. Whether you’ve just bled your brakes, switched to new brake pads, or upgraded your rotors, that initial ride should be approached with extra care.
Jacek, despite his tumble, managed to capture his photo of the Warsaw Mermaid, showcasing true dedication! And, while he may have continued his ride home mirrorless, he gained a valuable, if slightly painful, reminder about the responsiveness of his newly serviced hydraulic bike brakes.
