There is often a worry that when using the front brakes on a bicycle that it could propel you over the handlebars. That would stop you in more ways than one. This is where the Slidepad system comes in.
It actually allows both the front and rear brakes to be applied on a single lever, but in such a way that the front brake won’t lock up and turn the bicycle into a catapult! This works with traditional-style cable and housing running from the handlebars to the rear brake – but the system only works with rim brakes not the more modern discs.
As the user squeezes the brakes it operates both the rear and front – with the latter being activated being just a split second earlier, thus ensuring a smooth braking. Video after the jump
The modern disc brakes used on bikes today have dramatically improved performance and safety. In conjunction with those improvements, disc brakes have also freed rim makers to push the envelope regarding design since that do not have to incorporate rim brake surface anymore. With the abandonment of the rim brake design, mechanics have lost the ability to adjust the angle in which the brake pad hit the braking surface, referred to as ’toe’. Adjusting the toe was how the mechanics were able to quiet rim brakes that would squeal – this is not an option with disc brakes.
Hydraulic brakes have long been a staple on mountain bikes for years, but now Magura has introduced the world’s first hydraulic braking system for use on the road. The RT8 TT is a hydraulic rim brake system that can work with lightweight time trial and triathlon bikes.