How To Put Brakes On A Mountain Bike

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Normally, descents are my favorite office of mount biking, when all that difficult work getting to the summit is rewarded with a singletrack rollercoaster. Then I was perhaps a little grouchy when, on a ride with friends a few years ago, those exhilarating drops were interrupted with an infernal yowl of brake noise from one rider's bike.

Brakes brand noise for any i of several reasons, most of them bad. When we pulled apart my friend's bike later, we found the braking material worn downwardly to the shoe, creating dangerous metal-on-metal activeness. He needed new brake pads.

This repair job might seem complex, but it's actually relatively quick once yous understand the steps. Irresolute them out takes just ten to 15 minutes, without much in the way of specialized tools. Here's how to practice information technology.

Glossary of Cycle Parts and Terms

• Bike skewer or thru-axle:A threaded rod that attaches the bike to the bike, often with a quick-release lever that pivots to tighten the wheel in place.
• Dropouts: The slotted section of the frame and fork where the wheels attach.
• Brake block: A small plastic shim that inserts into the caliper while the wheel is off to concord the brake pads apart if you pull the brake lever.
• Pistons: In a disc-brake system, this isthe flat, cylindrical chemical element inside a caliper that presses the pads against the rotor when you pull the brake lever.
• Brake caliper: A metal structure attached to the wheel frame that straddles the braking surface and contains the pistons and brake pads.
• Disc rotor: A flat steel disc attached to the hub that is the braking surface in a disc brake system.
• Brake track: The section of the disc rotor (or bike rim, for rim-brake systems) where the brake pads brand contact.
• Brake shoe: The metal holder for the restriction pad.
• Rotor bolts or centerlock ring: Disc rotors attach to the hub with either half-dozen bolts or a large lockring that threads into identify.
• Barrel adjusters: On cable-activated brakes, these small cylinders at the caliper can micro-arrange cable tension.
• Lever throw: How far the brake lever moves earlier the pads contact the braking surface.

Step 1: Remove the bicycle

Tools: None

(Joe Lindsey)

For disc brakes

Open and unthread the thru-axle and slide it out of the hub, so lower the wheel out of the dropouts. Note: never pull a hydraulic disc brake lever without a rotor or brake block betwixt the pads. Doing so tin can cause the pistons to pop out of their seals. At minimum, this makes the pistons hard to re-seat. At worst, it ways a major brake service job.

(Joe Lindsey)

For rim brakes

For rear wheels, shift the gears to the smallest cog, which makes it easier for the bike to slip past the rear derailleur muzzle on removal and re-installation. Open the quick-release skewer. The wheel should drop out (you might have to jiggle it a chip). If you're working on your front bicycle, unthread the skewer nut opposite the lever only enough to go the wheel out of the dropouts. You may need to open the brake caliper with a small lever (Shimano/SRAM) or button (Campagnolo).

Step 2: Inspect the system. (Echo this every few weeks to check for habiliment.)

Tools: Flashlight, Vernier calipers for measuring rotor width (disc only)

(Joe Lindsey)

Disc

When there's one millimeter or less of brake pad textile left, it's time to bandy. Other telltale signs that you're in need of fresh pads are scoring or grooves on the rim or disc rotor, which point something is gouging the restriction track—either debris in the pad or a pad worn downward to the metallic shoe. Rotors don't wear as quickly as pads, but they do eventually wear out. Replace rotors when they are less than i.5 millimeters thick at the restriction track, or if they're noticeably damaged or warped.

Rim

About rim restriction pads feature a directional indicator at the top of the pad, which doubles as a wear indicator. Well-nigh brake pads will also accept vertical slotted lines that fill the same function. If you tin no longer read the indicator, or if the slots no longer show on the braking face of the pad, it'southward time for new ones.

Step 3: Remove the pad retention screw or bolt

Tools:Needle-nose pliers, flat head screwdriver, or hex wrench (usually three-millimeter)

(Joe Lindsey)

Disc

Many disc brake pads are held in place past a horizontal screw or bolt. Some systems use magnets instead. The screw threads into the caliper, and/or is held in position by a fixing pin or circlip. Use the pliers to carefully remove the pin or circlip if it has one, then unthread the screw or slide the bolt and remove.

(Joe Lindsey)

Rim

You'll often meet a small ready screw on the side of the brake shoe. Unthread it, merely don't remove entirely—merely dorsum it out enough that you lot can get-go to jerk the pad in the shoe. Older systems may take a pivot that needs to be pulled out instead. If there'due south neither, the pad merely slides out. Note: The rim-brake instructions hither are just for swappable pads in systems that have divide brake pads and shoes. Some inexpensive brakes feature one-piece shoe/pads that must be unbolted.

Step iv: Remove the used pads

Tools: Pliers, perhaps

(Joe Lindsey)

Disc

Disc brake pads typically have a tab on the back of each pad to remove them. Often, pads are loosely set in a thin metallic frame; accept care not to drib it as you remove the pads. Magnet-fashion pads don't have the frame. With fingers or pliers, advisedly grab the pocket-sized tabs on the backs of the pads, compression them together and gently but firmly pull the pads—and spring, if applicable—out of the caliper and set bated.

(Joe Lindsey)

Rim

One time the gear up screw is backed out plenty to allow the pad to move, gently button the pad out of the shoe. Pads ever remove toward the rear of the wheel.

Pace 5: Clean and inspect the restriction

Tools:Clean rag, rubbing alcohol, flashlight, piston press or other wide, flat tool

(Joe Lindsey)

Disc

Employ the flashlight to audit the inside of the caliper. You'll see two (or sometimes 4) flattish cylinders within, sometimes with a stubby post in the center. These are the restriction pistons, which move the pads back and along. Disc brakes self-adjust for pad clothing, then the pistons may demand to be re-seated. With a piston press (or any other broad, flat tool like a tire lever), carefully press each piston back into the caliper body. If the pistons are actually dingy or pasty and don't desire to re-seat, you might need to bleed the arrangement (bike shops will practise this for you) and clean the pistons, but that's a topic for another day.

Use a clean rag and rubbing alcohol to wipe down both restriction tracks of the disc rotor. Don't bear upon the rotor's brake track with bare hands; peel oils tin contaminate the system. This is a expert time to check the rotor bolts or the Centerlock zipper ring to ensure tightness.

Rim

Inspect the restriction track on the bike rim. Gouges and grooves are signs of some strange material in the pad. Swapping pads should solve this, only you lot tin can as well wipe down the rim with a clean rag and rubbing booze. On carbon fiber wheels, pay close attention to impairment similar split carbon fibers, deep gouges, or other signs of possible structural damage to the carbon. Take the wheel to a shop for inspection if you're concerned. On metal rims, you lot tin use fine-grit sandpaper or a special brake cleaning block to gentlysand out the rubber and dirt deposits from the rim, then wipe it make clean with a rag and alcohol. This will also improve your braking power.

Footstep 6: Supersede the pads

Tools: Pliers, and latex or any clean gloves

(Joe Lindsey)

Disc

Wear gloves. Skin oils will contaminate disc brake pads and cause noisy braking with decreased power. Unpack the new brake pads and their bound, if applicable. Slide the pads and spring into the caliper; you lot'll feel them seat in identify, although in that location may not exist an audible click. Replace the horizontal retention spiral or bolt and, if applicable, the fixing pivot.

When replacing pads, note that they come up in two different materials: resin/organic or metallic. If y'all similar how your brakes perform, you lot'll want to stick with the same material as your existing pads. Resin/organic pads, which use a mix of materials like rubber, kevlar, and carbon, are what about bikes come with. They're generally quieter and accept better modulation, only wear faster, especially in wet weather, and can lose ability during prolonged difficult braking. Metallic, or sintered, pads hold power better nether sustained braking and won't article of clothing downwardly as much in mud, but they're noisy, don't have as much initial bite, and tend to grind through rotors more than quickly. Utilize metal brake pads if you experience your brakes are fading on long descents or notice excessive wear from riding in wet conditions.

(Joe Lindsey)

Rim

Check the height of the pad for restriction management indicator (there are lefts and rights). Slide the pad gently into the shoe. Every bit it gets deeper in the shoe, yous may need to use more than force to get it to fully seat. Thread the set screw back in to anchor the pad in place.

Step seven: Re-install the bike and bed in the rotors

Tools: For disc systems, mayhap a tire lever or apartment-blade screwdriver

Disc

Re-seating the pistons (pace 5) doesn't e'er fully piece of work. Sometimes, the pads will be tight effectually the rotor when y'all re-install the bike. If so, squeeze the brake lever several times to see if the pistons retract. Spin the wheel. You'll hear the pads brushing the rotor if they're still also close, and there won't exist much lever throw earlier the brake engages. If this happens, remove the bike and insert a tire lever or flat-blade screwdriver in the caliper between the pads. Carefully press each pad back into the caliper body to re-seat the pistons.

Any time you change pads, especially if you swapped between organic and metal, it's a skillful idea to "bed in" the rotors to the new pads. This is a fancy term that just means making sure plenty pad cloth has evenly transferred to the rotors so braking is smooth, powerful, and free of vibration or racket. On your street, pedal upward to ten miles per hour, then brake on only ane lever with gradually increasing strength. Don't come to a consummate stop. Do this 5 to ten[[ten]] times each for the forepart and rear restriction. And then do the same procedure pedaling upwardly to 15 to 20 miles per 60 minutes. Y'all should feel the initial restriction power increase with each repetition.

(Joe Lindsey)

Rim

As with discs, if your sometime pads were worn, the brakes may elevate or feel too tight now with new, full-thickness pads. First, retrieve to shut the quick-release on the brake caliper to bring the pads closer to the rim, and check that the restriction shoe is properly positioned. The pad should firmly contact the rim brake track, without extending off the bottom of the brake runway or touching the tire when you pull the brake lever. The pad should too contact the brake track evenly pinnacle to bottom. Information technology's OK (preferable, even) to have the front of the pad touch on the rim slightly before the rear. This is chosen toe-in, and helps forbid shuddering and braking noise. If the pad is properly aligned and the arrangement is dragging, check your butt adjusters, just higher up the caliper. After 2 full counterclockwise rotations, check the brake lever throw once more. Proceed going until the pads don't drag on the rim and the lever throw is where you want it. If the butt adjuster is fully backed off and it's even so besides tight, you may need to accommodate brake cable tension at the cable fixing bolt on the caliper.

Source: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/bikes-and-biking/how-to-replace-bike-brake-pads/

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