Most bicycle brakes are activated by a set of cables hooked up to the brake levers, and most points along with your brakes will be solved by adjusting the strain of these cables. They will even want periodic changes to maintain them working correctly.
To check the strain of your brake cables, give your brake levers a squeeze. If they contact the handlebar grips or get shut sufficient to crush a finger slipped beneath, it is advisable enhance your cable rigidity. On the flip aspect, if solely the slightest stress on the levers causes your brakes to clamp down—or in case your brake pads rub once you spin the bike’s wheel with out squeezing the brake lever in any respect—then it is advisable lower your cable rigidity. Usually, cable rigidity 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 sorts of brakes, however you are almost definitely to have rim brakes or disc brakes. The commonest rim brakes—V-brakes or caliper brakes—pinch either 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 heart of every wheel. Disc brakes provide superior stopping efficiency, however they are often fussy to keep up.
Fancier disc brakes use hydraulic mechanisms to pinch the discs. While hydraulic brakes should not unattainable to keep up at dwelling, they are a bit greater than most individuals need to deal with. Remember to periodically get the strains checked and refilled with contemporary fluid at an area bike store. And if the brake fluid reservoir in your handlebars seems low, take it to a motorcycle store quickly.
Less widespread are coaster brakes, which do not use levers and are as an alternative activated by pedaling backward. These are tough to regulate your self and are harmful when not correctly adjusted, so take your coaster brake to an expert.
Brake pads put on out progressively as you employ your bike and are simply changed. You simply must know what measurement or kind of brake pad to buy. The writing on the worn pads ought to provide you with a touch about what to purchase. Brake pads are largely common, although their mounting methods fluctuate. The starting of this video explains the variations.
Swapping out worn V-brake pads for brand new ones takes no quite a lot of minutes, and all you normally want is the suitable measurement hex key. We advocate Park Tool’s hex wrench ($14) with the three commonest key sizes on it. It will take you a bit longer to switch disc brake pads as a result of the brakes are smaller and extra intricate; this video reveals a couple of methods to strategy pad substitute. In each instances, you need to readjust your cable rigidity after placing new pads on.
You’re going to wish to scrub these brake pads periodically too. Use an previous 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.
