My arm is killing me!

[as4me]

My right forearm to be exact...from pulling the rear brake with two fingers.

I have V brakes, I assume hydraulic brakes solve this problem?

[Weetbix]

Nah, use 1 finger / grind / get a good pair of Vs / pads etc. ;)

From what I hear you get the same power from a good V setup as hydros, but I've only ever used hydros.

[jamesb]

tar + some flat pads and smooth housing/cables is what I used to live on. Lube your cables and find some tar...cheaper than buying hydros.

When starting out, your arms die on any brake, you will notice lots of bulk soon.

[as4me]

Cool...thanks for the help

[tubender]

I have recently switched from V-brakes to Hydros. while I still suffer forarm/elbow pain, I can easly turn a rusty pipe with my bare hands.

[eturt9]

It'll get better as your braking muscles get stronger.
If its pain not just from fatigue try adjusting the handlebar tilt.

[Shato]

I had the same problem when I started riding, and Eturt is correct, it'll go away as soon as your muscles get used to braking if your setup is comfortable.

It took me a long time for the pain to stop because I was using my mouse all damn day long at work, which wouldn't give my brake finger muscle a chance to heal, so for a few weeks I used the mouse left handed. All better now.

[Sinister Proboscis]

Some tips from experts that I've found helpful:

One-finger braking: Slide those levers so that only you index fingers grab the levers.

Brake engagement: Adjust the brakes so that they engage almost instantly when you squeeze the lever.

Also: Please be careful---I'm not sure whether it's because of braking or because I fell off my mod in a skatepark, but I've had tendonitis in my right forearm for the past three months. It's probably a good idea to warm up the muscles with a squeeze ball or even some light weights.

[owentrialsman]

Nah, use 1 finger / grind / get a good pair of Vs / pads etc. ;)

From what I hear you get the same power from a good V setup as hydros, but I've only ever used hydros.

x2

and yes, i used to have a set of vees, and i rekon they would out perform the mag i have on now quite easily! :naughty:

[Xoo]

Some tips from experts that I've found helpful:

One-finger braking: Slide those levers so that only you index fingers grab the levers.

Brake engagement: Adjust the brakes so that they engage almost instantly when you squeeze the lever.

Also: Please be careful---I'm not sure whether it's because of braking or because I fell off my mod in a skatepark, but I've had tendonitis in my right forearm for the past three months. It's probably a good idea to warm up the muscles with a squeeze ball or even some light weights.

Good Advice I'll have to try adjusting my brake levers as my fingers are getting mangled when I try to one-finger the brakes. Warming up the hands sounds like a good idea too.

[Povi]

another possibility is 'arm-pump'
if you feel you cannot grip the bar anymore, your grips may be too fat for your hands to hold comfortably. try some thinner grips and also try a different angle of lever. thats what solved it for me.

[Acolyte]

Brake engagement: Adjust the brakes so that they engage almost instantly when you squeeze the lever.

I disagree with that.

It's too dependent on the size of a person's hand. I agree that you don't want to squeeze too much, but sometimes the lever is far enough away it's harder to produce a good squeeze.

Not to mention personal preference...

[Povi]

small hands - lever engages closer to the bar
big hands - lever 'can' engage further away

the hand is stronger the closer it is to a fist

but then again its all about personal preferance

[beastoftheeast]

Brake engagement: Adjust the brakes so that they engage almost instantly when you squeeze the lever.


i used to have my brakes like this because its nice to be able to react quickly but i couldnt get enough power and the brakes were always rubbing and being adjusted and such. also squeezing the brake lever when its really far away is hard on the forearm.



It's probably a good idea to warm up the muscles with a squeeze ball or even some light weights.

or you could work/warm up these muscles by squeezing your brake. start riding really easy stuff and dont death grip the brakes. go ride your bike.

[Yurich]

As a general guideline, the lever blade, when fully squeezed, should be about parallel with the handlebar. You can adjust most levers' reach by turning an adjusting screw to fit smaller/bigger hands.

[AgrAde]

I disagree with that.

It's too dependent on the size of a person's hand. I agree that you don't want to squeeze too much, but sometimes the lever is far enough away it's harder to produce a good squeeze.

Not to mention personal preference...

yeah. i notice people that ride a lot of DH as well have the brakes locking almost touching the bar. i can't stand it.

[Xoo]

Maybe this should be a seperate post but since were on the subject.
What are the fattest handlebars one can get for trials?

I have long skinny hands and my thumbs have tapped my index finger when braking on occasion and caused me to fade my brake unexpectedly. Also It'd be a lot more comfortable to larger diameter bar and grips.

[Povi]

run some large diameter grips like ODI Ruffians/Rogues or Oury's

[Acolyte]

Lock on Oury grips, like squeezing a banana. A big banana.

[stpatr3k]

This happens when? Are you on 2 tires or 1 tire ?

If this happens when your on one tire try adjusting the lever angle or the bar angle.

[Xoo]

Happens on Endo's before or mid endo. I moved my livers in more so I could one finger the brakes. I'll find that my hands just moved inward to put two fingers on instead of one. My subconscious doesn't trust my index fingers!!!!

[Povi]

livers?!?!

start now, while at an early stage, using only your index finger. it will grow stronger and later you will find its the only way to use your brakes.....
this comes from the experience of every trials rider ever ever

[Xoo]

I was talking about swapping my liver with my stomache :coold:

[tubender]

I am really having problems with this forarm/elbow thing. I think I did some damage a few weeks ago and after being stopped by pain on several rides, today I can't make a fist. I have some Ritchy foam grips to try. I am using 5 degree/1" rise raceace XC bars with 1-1/2" extensions. I am using a few degrees of forward rotation on the bars.. My levers are slid way in and I only use my index finger with the lever all the way to the bar (I don't think I can change this from many years of DH). I am using Plaz pads and getting plenty of grip. I think I am just going to work on balance for two weeks with no hopping and see if that helps.

[Xoo]

You might just need to be light on your wrists until they heal up. If they're messed up might be real hard to quantify how much better your changes really are.

[multismith]

I use index finger only as well but I also like to have lever when completely squeezed to be closer to the grip but as pads where brake lever tend to bite my middle finger just above the knuckle on my rear brake hand. My brakes are set at 5:00 o'clock it doesn't happen all the time but enough to get a blister from time to time after a long day of rear wheel related moves which is always. Sometimes I ajust the brake lever travel to eliminate this but it eventually happens anyway. I could set the lever to be further out but then reach and pressure using only my index finger causes early fatigue. Does anybody else have this problem?

[Ben Savage]

Your weight should be on your feet, not your arms. If you feel to much pressure on your plams your stance is wrong.

Loosen your levers, stand over your bike and put them in a comfortable possition for you.

Levers that lock out to far from the bars.
Fat grips.
Water bleed.
Bars that don't agree with your wrists.
All = painfull.

My lever clamps are the width of my thumb from the end of a Try All grip.

Ben.

[as4me]

I didn't think it would work but I moved my levers in so that only my index fingers are in position to pull.

It was hard to get over the security of two fingers while on the rear wheel but so far so good on cheap V brakes and pads. I betcha it hurts when they slip though!

[tubender]

Ben, I have my bars and levers set up as described. I rolled the bars further forward, I will let my arms heal a bit and give 'er a go..

as4me, get some proper trials brake pads. I ordered mine from trialsin, they arrived in a day or so and work awesome.

Multi, I used to get my middle finger chewed up also. Now my levers are further inboard and THAT problem stopped (also I was using V's)

[multismith]

My brakes are moved in as well, I run the try-all grips and prefer track grips and just havn't switched them out yet. I recently switched to MOE HS-33 pads and they are much better, although I have a light grind I don't believe MOE pads require it. I will tell you though I run front 4 bolt brakes and have had one of my MOE pads start to peel of its backing. I think this is just fluke, and you can't say I'm braking to hard :) Tim is sending me out a replacement pad and the other three pads have been fine.

[PalyPlayer]

moe's aren't in there very well and do require a light grind as i found out when they just gave out a week after riding on them with smooth rims. But with a light grind they work great. Stretching seems like a good call for everyone, do some climbing streches for the forearm before riding and you might prevent some pain. There should be some guides on finger stretchs on line that might help.