A common problem many cyclists face is squeaky bike brakes, which can be incredibly annoying – and sometimes even dangerous.
As an experienced bike mechanic with years of experience, I’m often asked why brakes squeak, and there are a number of possible causes.
Knowing how to adjust rim brakes is essential for both performance and safety.
Though disc brakes may be the stopping power of choice for the majority of high-end bikes these days, most bikes out on the road are still likely to be fitted with rim brakes – so learning to adjust them is still invaluable for cyclists.
If you’ve got disc brakes on your bike, then you’ll need to make an important decision as to which type of brake pad you wish to use: organic vs sintered brake pads.
But what are sintered brake pads? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of sintered brake pads when compared to organic brake pads?
To replace disc brake pads: remove the wheel, push the pistons back with a flat blade or a dedicated piston-press, remove the retaining cotter pin (or magnet on some models) and slide the old pads out, slide the new pads in, replace the cotter pin, re-insert the wheel, and squeeze the brake lever 10–20 times … Read more