HITWAY BK5 Originalbetriebsanleitung Seite 57

Brake controls and functions
It is very important for your safety that you realise which brake lever on your bike controls
which brake.
Traditionally, the right brake lever controls the rear brake and the left brake lever controls
the front brake. To make sure that the brakes on your bike are actually set in this way,
press one brake lever and see which brake is actuated, front or rear. Do the same with the
other brake lever.
Make sure that your hands can easily reach and operate the brake levers. If your hands
are too small to operate the levers comfortably, contact your dealer before you ride the
bike. It may be possible to adjust the lever range, otherwise you may need a different brake
lever design. Most disc brakes have some form of quick release mechanism to allow the
brake pads to release the tyre when a wheel is removed or refitted. If the brake quick
release is in the open position, the brakes will be inoperative. Consult your dealer to ensure
that you understand how the quick release works on your bike and check the function each
time before riding to ensure that both brakes are working correctly.
How brakes work
The braking performance of a bicycle is a function of the friction between the braking
surfaces.
To ensure that maximum friction is always available, keep your rims and brake pads or disc
rotor and caliper clean and free of dirt, lubricants, waxes or polishes.
Brakes should control your speed, not just stop the bike. The maximum braking force for
each wheel occurs just before the moment the wheel 'locks up' (stops turning) and begins
to slip. Once the tyre slips, you actually lose most of your braking power and all directional
control. You need to practise braking and stopping without locking a wheel. This technique
is called progressive braking modulation.
Instead of pulling the brake lever to the position where you expect to generate adequate
braking force, apply the lever to progressively increase the braking force. If you feel that
the wheel is starting to lock up, release the pressure slightly so that the wheel continues to
turn only just before the locking limit. It is important to develop a feel for the brake lever
pressure required for each wheel at different speeds and on different surfaces. To better
understand this, try experimenting a little with the bike and apply different pressure to each
brake lever until the wheel locks up.
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