THe brakes rarely need to stop. But the brakes can be used to make the bike stop.
Brakes are designed to stop things from moving, therefore making it difficult to move a bike that has its brakes on.
Friction between the tires and the ground is the force that slows down and stops the motion of a bike. This friction comes from the contact between the rubber of the tires and the surface of the road. Additionally, the brakes on the bike can be used to apply a force that helps stop the bike's motion.
First test is to squeeze the brake levers, they should be firm and stop some way from the handle bar. Next test is to squeeze one brake at a time while pushing at the bike to check that the wheels lock up. If these tests are OK, then get on and ride. Apply brakes at low speed, check that bike stops OK. If that's OK too you're probably good to go.
No brakes on anything work because of gravity. Pressure and friction are what stop anything utilizing brakes. On a bike, you pull the brake lever on the handle bar and it pulls the line connected to your brakes. The two brakes pads on either side of your wheel compress, applying friction and thus stopping your bike. The harder you pull, the faster you stop.
No. Drum brakes expand inside a rotating drum to stop the vehicle, disc brakes squeeze in against a rotating disc.
Friction causes the bike to slow down.
Friction is the force that stops the bike.
YES! How else would they stop?
Brakes help a bicycle to stop, of course --- but do you know why? it's because brakes use friction. When you squeeze the brakes, rubber blocks press against the wheels. The friction between the blocks and the wheels slow your bicycle down.
When you slam on the brakes on your bicycle, momentum causes the bike and rider to continue moving forward until the friction between the tires and the ground brings them to a stop. The sudden stop can also cause the rider to be thrown forward due to inertia.
I have had bikes with disk and regular brake pads. Disk brakes dont squeak like regular brake pads and stop you much shorter. This is why disk brakes are more expensive.