The daily Close Call

I think I need to adjust my brakes if you can go over the front on a Fuji track, I've never even had the back wheel lift off on a road bike. I've ridden mountain bikes a lot, and from an hydraulic, 8 inch rotor disc brake, it's quite scary how little force a caliper actually gives you. With any brake you very quickly get used to modulating your braking so you don't go over the front, but slowing down when you see possible hazards is the most important thing.

Mountain Bikes have always been my bread and butter and I have always set up my cantilever brakes with as little travel as possible, without rubbing of course (It helps that I'm obsessive about maintaining the trueness of my wheels). As long as it's not too muddy I just don't see the point in lots of travel. I then adjust the throw of the brake lever to as little as possible (there is a wee bolt you screw in on the side). As long as you use good cantilever brake sets (LX or XT par example) the result are brakes that are *very *effective (although obviously not great in heavy mud or for down hill).
I have carried the same principles over to my fuji (with shimano 105 caliper) and I can very easily get the back wheel up under braking (it probably helps that I am very skinny at only 70kg). I am very confident emergency stopping my MTB, I built it myself and have ridden it for 1000's of miles. However, I have found the main difference with the fuji is the amount of rubber on the road, the weight of bike and the fact that there is no sus forks to soak up my momentum.

I move my weight to the back of the bike under heavy braking but make sure I keep enough weight on the front to prevent it going light and locking up. It's this feel for balance and the modulation of the brake that I am improving now.