[Minduke]

OK, so I have to admit I avoid the highway like the plague and take the much nicer scenic side streets to work. Along the route there's a very steep grade hill that I usually traverse with no issues whatsoever and its actually kind of fun. However, today, for the first time, I got caught at a red light right in the middle of the hill. Never having been stopped like that on a hill, I was trying desperately to figure out what to do when the light turned green. So, when it did turn, I had it in first and tried to keep a few fingers on the brake while slowly giving it some throttle so I wouldn't roll backwards. Sounded like a good plan, but of course, I stalled her out. Fortunately, there was no one behind me so I turned her back on and tried the same tactic again but this time with more throttle and it worked so now here I sit at my desk wondering if there's a better way to start out on the side of a hill like that??
Thoughts??

 

[jordan.harris]

Rear brake is your best friend in that scenario

 

[Normspeed]

I agree, rear brake, although if that isn't possible, the way you did it will work. Just needs practice. Gas it and go!

For a real hoot, try that situation with a tank shifter/foot clutch:-D

 

[Custom85VT]

It is a symphony of feathering all three (clutch, front brake, throttle). I also will plant both my feet behind my foot pegs and hold the bike from rolling back with my shins against the back of the pegs (in extreme cases). As a new rider don’t be ashamed to drag your feet a little (better than dumping the bike, or stalling it in traffic). Practice makes perfect and it will all become second nature in time.

 

[Susan07]

:shock: Let off the front brake, give some throttle and control the forward motion(and the rolling backwards) with the clutch. Trying to keep some brake on while trying to move...well you'll kill it once in a while. Practice this a bit and it all happens pretty much at once. Let off brake, throttle and feather clutch. But braking while moving...no. Clutch is your friend in many ways and circumstances. :-D

 

[still_bluenoser]

Why would you use your front brake at all?


When you stop you should only drop your left foot. Learn to stop with your right foot planted on the peg.

Apply the rear brake when you stop on the hill. Once you get a green light torque up the clutch and slowly let off the rear brake as you take off.


Every time I see (mostly cruiser riders) guys with both feet on the ground at a light and take off dragging their heels it drives me nuts... No matter how heavy the bike, you should be able to balance good enough to keep it up with one foot on the ground.

Once you have a passanger that can change, and I know that goldwings and some other baggers have linked brakes, but for the most part it drives me nuts.

 

[Normspeed]

Gotta be flexible. What if you're stopping and the left foot area has a big ol' oil puddle? Or a pothole? I use both feet down quite a lot, nothing to do with keeping my balance. Don't drag my heels.

 

[Corigan]

Some hills that have nasty slopes from left to right and top to bottom it's not always possible to balance with one foot on the ground, though I do most of my stops with just the left foot on the ground.

If I am on a nasty situation on a hill where I can't use the rear brake due to having to have that foot down to balance I use a different technique. You can slowly let out the clutch while keeping the front brake applied. You will start to feel the bike grab and try to pull forward, when you feel that you can let off the front brake and the bike will not roll back. Give it more throttle than normal and away you will go without rolling back.

 

[MAINE-IAC RIDER]

Why would you use your front brake at all?


When you stop you should only drop your left foot. Learn to stop with your right foot planted on the peg.

Apply the rear brake when you stop on the hill. Once you get a green light torque up the clutch and slowly let off the rear brake as you take off.


Every time I see (mostly cruiser riders) guys with both feet on the ground at a light and take off dragging their heels it drives me nuts... No matter how heavy the bike, you should be able to balance good enough to keep it up with one foot on the ground.

Once you have a passanger that can change, and I know that goldwings and some other baggers have linked brakes, but for the most part it drives me nuts.

Funny cause i always plant my right foot down at stops. I slowdown with both breaks then plant my right foot. I do this because I am only in 1st gear for a split second before shifting up to 2nd. For the original Q: Practice, don't get nervous... I started out using the rear break on hills then learned the art of the front break friction action.. good luck.

 

[still_bluenoser]

Gotta be flexible. What if you're stopping and the left foot area has a big ol' oil puddle? Or a pothole?

Than your not paying enough attention to where your stopping.

Were talking about stopping on a steep hill here remember.

When your front tire starts to slide backwards down the hill you will learn to be inflexible and keep on that rear brake.

 

[Spool]

 

[Cbjr]

I always use my front brake starting on steep hills - old habit from the dirt riding days -when we spent a lot time climbing long hills you really couldn't walk down. Grab front brake when bike had not more forward momentum, let it slide back turn and lean into the hill to go perpendicular then clutch out and wheel down and ride it off the hill. Get a longer start on the next try.....

Never had a road bike slide backwards on a steep hill, but wouldn't doubt that it could in new rain on some road surfaces.

 

[Normspeed]

Not really. It's not a perfect world, at least where I ride. Glad conditions are more predictible where you ride. And no need to remind me of the obvious, that's condescending.

See ya, gotta ride.

Than your not paying enough attention to where your stopping.

Were talking about stopping on a steep hill here remember.

 

[Susan07]

I always use my front brake starting on steep hills - old habit from the dirt riding days -when we spent a lot time climbing long hills you really couldn't walk down. Grab front brake when bike had not more forward momentum, let it slide back turn and lean into the hill to go perpendicular then clutch out and wheel down and ride it off the hill. Get a longer start on the next try.....

Never had a road bike slide backwards on a steep hill, but wouldn't doubt that it could in new rain on some road surfaces.

:shock: Yep! This. And it has "dawned" on me that perhaps people having problems starting on hills do not have the ability to synchronize performing 3 or 4 things at the same time. :-D

 

[3milerider]

Every time I see (mostly cruiser riders) guys with both feet on the ground at a light and take off dragging their heels it drives me nuts... No matter how heavy the bike, you should be able to balance good enough to keep it up with one foot on the ground.

So is your beef with the dragging heels or having both feet planted? I'll quite often plant both feet so I can stretch and air out a bit. I never drag my feet when I start (the only time I will is when I get caught in stop and go traffic and its easier to just keep my feet down and front brake only).


As for the OP's question, rear brake all the way, at least until you get the hang of feathering the front brake. I still occasionally use the rear brake on the especially steep hills around my house when I get caught.

 

[93gc40]

Starting off, whether on a hill or the flat, while HOLDING the bike with the front brake only. Is good for 1 thing, Smoking Tires. I is 1000 times easier to start on a hill using the rear brake, than trying to modulate both the throttle and the Front Brake.

 

[ernie12b]

I don't have any hills here, it is all flat, problem solved.

 

[Menhir]

Don't be dogmatic...

I use the front brake. My left leg was injured a few years ago (nothing to do with riding) so I've had to adapt. I can use it to support the bike, but It's weak and unpredictable so I don't want to stress it anymore than I have to. I think that using the rear brake would be ideal, but, watcha gonna do? :wink:

So far, no draggin of the heels, no smoking tires, either. I guess I'm coordinated.

To the OP:
Like the video says, find a place to practice where you're out of traffic and the pressure is off. I need to do that too, as I'd like to work on tighter turns.

 

[newshadow]

Why would you use your front brake at all?


When you stop you should only drop your left foot. Learn to stop with your right foot planted on the peg.

Apply the rear brake when you stop on the hill. Once you get a green light torque up the clutch and slowly let off the rear brake as you take off.


Every time I see (mostly cruiser riders) guys with both feet on the ground at a light and take off dragging their heels it drives me nuts... No matter how heavy the bike, you should be able to balance good enough to keep it up with one foot on the ground.

Once you have a passanger that can change, and I know that goldwings and some other baggers have linked brakes, but for the most part it drives me nuts.

Poor bluenoser isn't getting a lot of support here, but I'm with him 100%. This is exactly how we were taught in the course. We have graduated licenses here and, when doing the test on your bike, Right foot down is a fail, period. A stop must be done by putting only the left foot down, once stopped and the front brake is applied and held, then the right foot may come down to help balance. Starting must be done with the right foot up on the brake.
I've also taken the ERC three times and Scrounger, the instructor, would tear us a new arsehole if we put the right foot down.

Mike

 

[Kathy M]

That's the lovely thing about wet clutches... unlike with a car on Seattle or SF hilly streets, you can use that clutch all you want. I'm a both-foot-down person, but it's not tough to hold the brake and give throttle while using that clutch's friction zone to maintain forward control. Use it instead of the brake, if you want... it's not going to hurt it - it's a wet clutch. Wish cars had that kind of setup, I'd have changed many fewer clutch plates