6th gear....speed vs rpm

[flynrider]

After coffee this morning I finally remembered to test the rear brake. Took off from the house, got to about 20mph and just stood on the rear pedal. Locked that sucker up so fast it shocked me. Went down and around the neighborhood. Used just the rear brake at one stop sign coming down from about 30, stopped just fine. Without stomping on the brake I get pretty good braking - for just the rear brake and when combined with the front I get damn good braking. Normally I just use the front for any braking save for low speed turns and near gravel or sand.

So I'm not sure what you all have going against you with your rear brakes but it certainly seems abnormal to me. My guess is you have air in the line and if it keeps coming back it may pay to completely disassemble the rear brake components, put it back together and bleed. Sounds like a fitting is not properly sealing.

Same here. Last year when everyone was complaining about the rear brake I decided to test mine. I spent two days riding around town without touching the front brake. While it wasn't close to the performance of the front brakes, it was perfectly adequate for normal riding. I must have got lucky and had a properly bled rear.