this post was submitted on 18 Sep 2024
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I was always wondering this. Imagine a steep descent. What is better for brake wear - braking constantly or more powerful just at the end? Anybody knows? Goes for both rim and disc brakes

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Braking at the bottom will cause less wear.
Because air resistance also has a braking effect, and it increases with your speed, squared.
So the faster you go, the more energy will be bled off from wind resistance.

Also, braking strongly in short bursts is better than letting your brakes rub continuously. That will cause them to overheat and glaze the brake pads, destroying them.

[–] Mihies 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Wind resistance makes total sense. I'm not entirely sure on short bursts, though. I mean you have to change the fixed amount of kinetic energy to heat in fixed time. Theoretically both would result is similar temperature given short time span.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Short bursts heat up your pads quickly, but allow them to cool back down in between.
Continuous braking keeps the heat on.

[–] Mihies 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Hm, yes, but total amount of heat is constant. Perhaps it cools quicker with bursts and its higher temperatures because of difference in temperature against ambient.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Not all the heat goes into your brake pads. Your rims or discs take much of the heat but also cool down very fast.