Most bicycle brakes are activated by a set of cables connected to the brake levers, and most points together with your brakes will be solved by adjusting the stress of these cables. They may even want periodic changes to maintain them working correctly.
To check the stress of your brake cables, give your brake levers a squeeze. In the event that they contact the handlebar grips or get shut sufficient to crush a finger slipped beneath, you have to enhance your cable pressure. On the flip facet, if solely the slightest stress on the levers causes your brakes to clamp down—or in case your brake pads rub if you spin the bike’s wheel with out squeezing the brake lever in any respect—then you have to lower your cable pressure. Often, cable pressure will be modified by twisting the barrel adjuster discovered on the level the place the cable meets the hand lever. There are tons of easy-to-follow YouTube videos that present you find out how to adjust brake cables.
There are a couple of varieties of brakes, however you are probably to have rim brakes or disc brakes. The most typical rim brakes—V-brakes or caliper brakes—pinch each side of the wheel rims from the highest of the wheel. Disc brakes do not contact the rim in any respect and as an alternative use small calipers to pinch CD-sized discs mounted within the middle of every wheel. Disc brakes supply superior stopping efficiency, however they are often fussy to take care of.
Fancier disc brakes use hydraulic mechanisms to pinch the discs. Whereas hydraulic brakes usually are not unattainable to take care of at dwelling, they seem to be a bit greater than most individuals wish to sort out. Bear in mind to periodically get the traces checked and refilled with recent fluid at an area bike store. And if the brake fluid reservoir in your handlebars appears to be like low, take it to a motorbike store quickly.
Much less widespread are coaster brakes, which do not use levers and are as an alternative activated by pedaling backward. These are troublesome to regulate your self and are harmful when not correctly adjusted, so take your coaster brake to an expert.
Brake pads put on out step by step as you employ your bike and are simply changed. You simply have to know what measurement or kind of brake pad to buy. The writing on the worn pads ought to offer you a touch about what to purchase. Brake pads are largely common, although their mounting programs range. The start of this video explains the variations.
Swapping out worn V-brake pads for brand spanking new ones takes no quite a lot of minutes, and all you often want is the best measurement hex key. We advocate Park Tool’s hex wrench ($14) with the three most typical key sizes on it. It’ll take you a bit longer to interchange disc brake pads as a result of the brakes are smaller and extra intricate; this video reveals a couple of methods to strategy pad alternative. In each instances, it is best to readjust your cable pressure after placing new pads on.
You are going to want to wash these brake pads periodically too. Use an outdated toothbrush or a shop towel ($3) to get into the hole between the brake and both the rim or the disc, and use some brake cleaner ($10) to take away any buildup.
