Hey Guys,
I am slowly building a dune-only DS, and like everybody else am trying to get some weight off this pig. I am thinking about leaving the front brakes off...got to be a 10 + pound savings....it's been a while since I have been out riding but when at the dunes I don’t remember using the front brakes that much....what do you guy's think???

Thanks,
Tom

 

hmmmmm..i always thought more brake was better but then again i don't ride in the dunes.

 

I wouldn't remove front brakes. It is kind of like not wearing a seat belt. As long as there is no accident you are perfectly safe. If the need arises, you are screwed. In Oregon we have drop offs on the dunes that require emergency braking to avoid eating it and some hills are too steep to keep your speed down with just rear brakes. That will get you a taste of whatever is at the bottom as well.

JMHO

Ron

 

I only use front brakes out there in the dunes, and only very lightly. I think the only reason you would want to remove them is on a drag bike. If you are duning I think you should keep them. Just my 2 cents.

 

I wouldnt take them off. especially in the sand. Lots of times coming down banshee hill Im on both brakes to keep from smacking the bike in front of me. Like Ron said, there alot of drop offs and other riders to contend with. You need all the braking power you can get!

 

Agreed keep them, and when using them only use them lightly. Don't be like the dummy this last weekend that held them too hard, and had the back wheels come off the ground...Then release to get all 4 back in contact with the sand, only to hit them harder and flip the bike all the way over the front wheels....Just to smack his head into his buddies bike and nearly kill himself in the process. Quote "I hit my brakes, I don't know what happened" This all happened at the top of Banshee Hill. The guy did get up and ride off. Sure he did not feel too well the nest day [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

(in my best John Candy) "ooooh thanks going to leave a mark"

 

Ouch![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] I have had to use my front brakes so aggressively on that chute to the left of Banshee Hill (as you sit at the bottom looking up) that my back tires were sometimes a foot or so off the ground. It took extremely careful modulation and obviously no steering while on the front brakes that hard. I didn't know if I was going to make it down without wrecking! I finally put my foot up and kicked off a tree to add some further stoppage that had become dire.

I do some aggressive stuff and usually role my quad at least once per trip so my front brakes are staying on!...........Never done any damage though. I always seem to step off in time............[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

 

Well,
Leaving the brakes on is what I was thinking that I was going to end up doing but the thought of a quick, cheap easy weight reduction just seemed so tempting... I mean don't get me wrong, I know more stopping power is better. Deff. learn that when towing around the 50' "Casa Da Bomb" sand condo. Ohh well time for more thinking about stuff.

Thanks,
Tom

 

I think thats a good decision.