Brakes or No Brakes

[El Che]

This is a classic argument among riders, but what is your opinion on the issue.

[wezzie]

I don't need brakes......... :-D

[Jake]

even though I don't own a board, I don't like the idea of having a hand brake. It seems like something that makes it too easy, and in my opinion, is just another thing that a) gets in the way and b) is just one more thing that can break.

when I get my first board it will not have a hand brake

[anton plauche capers]

first of all i dont really like the idea of having hand brakes, but also when i tried them out when i was just starting the V5s my board had did not work at all.

[Rich G]

I think for learning (especially freeriding) you should avoid using brakes. To me the point of freeriding is learning to ride the terrain, and manipulating the conditions around you to get to the bottom without falling off.

With a brake I don’t think you would learn to make the quick decisions to ditch it into the rough to slow yourself down, or learn to carve properly in order to control your speed. But if you had one there would be some awesome narrow runs that you wouldn't be able to do without one.

However, this is just my thoughts and I’m still a newbie to the sport. I can see that having a brake would open up some pretty awesome runs, but like with any sport I think nailing the basics is important, and can only help you down the line.

[FEEDMYSLEAZE]

I just recently ordered my first board off ebay. It's a SDS Mountainboard with a brake. My question is can brakes be removed on my board at a later time?


http://i20.ebayimg.com/08/i/000/e1/0d/c34c_1.JPG

[Flexboardz]

NO BRAKES!!!! whether it is on or off road, no brakes!!

[trevin]

i'm not a fan of brakes unless riding single trail. then its not much of an option. for anything else you would never see breaks on any of my boards

[Joseph Malcolm Adams]

Brakes are a CRUTCH, better off jumping off the deep end and learning to swim than to stay in the kiddie pool ur whole life!

[newbie]

i just ordered my board and it has brakes but i think imma keep them on because the park i go to has some steep hills and its hard to stop on concreete by power sliding

[Jasper James]

free ride, slopestlye, most types of riding NO BRAKES but single track and maybe downhil brakes but only cus somtimes theres not room to break for an unbanked corner

[Alastair Colthurst]

i'm no pro but i don't have brakes...seeming as i generally just freeride there is no use to them however on much steeper,quicker narrower tracks i can definitley see the attraction. For example in Ebor Gorge (it's in this little country called Britain) brakes would improve how much i think you enjoy the ride...picking yourself up every 20metres is a drag.

[kyle barton]

it depends if you ride freestyle or downhill.I hate breaks