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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENTS
Brakes "do not work" in the sense of not gripping the rims for several possible reasons.
Problem | Adjustment |
---|---|
worn brake pads |
Fine adjustment: Tighten the grip of the brake arms, by unscrewing the cable adjusting screw (located either where the cable meets the brake arm, or where the cable meets the brake lever). |
brake shoes not aligned |
Directly adjust the brake shoe so that the pads follow with the arc of the rim. Check the pads are not rubbing against the tyre, and not crossing the edge of the rim. |
quick release tab open (up) | On side-pull brakes use the centering screw on the top of the brake. On cantilever brakes, adjust the pads directly. |
wheel off-centre | Check the wheel sits in the frame dropouts correctly. If the wheel is warped, straighten the wheel |
Noise | Adjustment |
---|---|
squeak, squeal, screech | rim or pads oily or dirty– just give them a good clean! |
brake pads not correctly “toed-in” |
When you apply the brakes, the front of each pad should touch the rim fractionally before the rear of the pad - facing forward, the “toes” of each pad should be a millimeter or so nearer the rim than the rear of the pad (hence “toed-in”). The rotation of the wheel pulls the pads parallel and against the rim. |
Noise | Adjustment |
---|---|
grit in the pad |
Grit scores the rim, ultimately wearing the rim through (see picture). Best winkle out any grit or replace the pads before the noise gets expensive. |
Clean and lubricate dirty or rusty pivot: Brake arms rotate on a pivot. Over the years, this pivot may become so dirty and/or rusty that the brakes get ‘stuck’ in the 'on' position. Clean the pivot thoroughly (removing any rust with wire wool), and relubricate it.
Pivot on a boss attached to the frame. To access the boss, disengage the straddling cable, undo the pivot bolt, and remove the brake arm. Then pull off the arm and clean, de-rust and grease the boss.
Side-pull brakes have one or two pivot bolts at the base of the brake arms. To access these bolts, loosen the locknut (on the rear of the brake arm), and then unscrew the pivot bolt on the front.
To adjust the pivot bolt, screw it in completely, and then undo it slightly, before tightening the locknut. (Securing the locknut slightly tightens the whole mechanism.).