Why is it wrong to brake and down-change simultaneously?

[DaineseMan]

I know about the saying 'brakes to slow, gears to go' and that, in line with IPSGA, speed and gears are separate stages - but can anyone actually explain to me why it is wrong to brake and down-change simultaneously?

[DaineseMan]

MC Bodge said:

Toltec said:

To a biker doing several things at once comes naturally so deliberately not doing the same in a car feels odd.

Quite right.

....and the IAM bike course is fairly indifferent to such matters in my experience.

Interesting point, as I too didn't seem to receive any criticism for overlapping when doing the bike course. But the car course seems to be much more adverse to overlapping between the gear and braking stage.

[DaineseMan]

DaineseMan said:

MC Bodge said:

Toltec said:

To a biker doing several things at once comes naturally so deliberately not doing the same in a car feels odd.

Quite right.

....and the IAM bike course is fairly indifferent to such matters in my experience.

Interesting point, as I too didn't seem to receive any criticism for overlapping when doing the bike course. But the car course seems to be much more adverse to overlapping between the gear and braking stage.

On the bike, I would do 95% of my braking with both brakes, but I would usually be trailing the rear brake at the down-changing stage. Is this contrary to the System?

[DaineseMan]

SVS said:

Interestingly for some, both 'Motorcycle Roadcraft' and 'How to be a Better Rider' advocate brake/gear overlap, i.e. gear change at the end of braking.

It's only car drivers who get all het up about brake/gear separation.

Difference with a bike though - at least when overlapping before a junction or roundabout - is that the 'braking' would usually only be on done on the rear brake , which isn't really there for slowing down and in some ways actually betters the balance of the machine.

[DaineseMan]

MC Bodge said:

I don't use the rear every time I slow and change gear. I use only the front for most of the time, I reckon.

Edited by MC Bodge on Monday 7th October 08:21

So, for example, if I'm approaching a left turn junction going from a major road to a minor road, I would do most of my braking on the approach using front brake, but by the time I would reach the overlap stage, I think I'm usually going slow enough to only be on the rear brake.

[DaineseMan]

vikingaero said:

"Brakes to go, gears to slow"

Couldn't care less in a hire car or my company car.

So you're openly and identifiably admitting abuse of property that's not yours?