Buzz
Regular maintenance and adjustment of your bike's brakes will enhance their performance and ensure your safety while riding. The two main parts of the braking system that can be adjusted are the brake pads and brake cables. Worn-out brake pads or a wheel rim that's too far from the brake pads can be hazardous. Similarly, loose brake cables will make braking more difficult. Fortunately, you can fix these issues with some simple tools!
Steps
Adjusting the Brake Pads
Inspect the brake pads before making adjustments. The brake pads are the two rubber blocks that press against the front wheel of the bike when you squeeze the brake lever. If the pads are worn beyond the marked position, you will need to replace them before making any adjustments.
- If the brake pads don't have a wear line, the worn position can be identified by grooves on the sides of the pads.
- You can buy new brake pads either online or at a bike shop.
- Ensure that the wheel is centered between the brake calipers; otherwise, the rim won't make proper contact with the brake pads.
Press the brake lever to check the position of the brake pads in contact with the rim. Both brake pads should make contact with the wheel rim at the same time, ideally at the center of the rim. The gaps above and below the pads should be equal. If the pads touch the rim too high or too low, they might interfere with the tire rubber or spokes.
- Bend down to closely inspect the brake pads while squeezing the brake lever.
- If your bike has a quick-release brake mechanism, make sure it is tightened properly. If not, the brake won't grip the wheel securely.
Use a hex wrench to loosen the bolts holding the brake pads in place. Rotate the wrench counterclockwise to loosen the bolts, but don't remove them completely to prevent the brake pads from falling off the brake arm.
Move the brake pads up and down within the brake arm. The pads should move smoothly after the bolts are loosened. If the pads are positioned too low or too high on the rim, adjust them to the correct center position.
Use the hex wrench to tighten the bolts back in place. Turn the wrench clockwise to tighten the bolts securely. Double-check to ensure that the brake pads are centered. Make any necessary adjustments.
Tighten the brake cable
Check the tension of the cable by squeezing each brake lever. When you pull the brake lever, it should be about 4 cm away from the handlebar. If the lever touches the handlebar when you squeeze it, the brake cable is too loose.
Loosen the adjusting screw to fine-tune the cable tension. If the brake cable is slightly loose, loosening the adjusting screw can resolve the issue. The screw is located where the brake cable meets the brake lever.
- Loosen the screw attached to the cable by turning it counterclockwise. When the screw is loosened, the cable will tighten slightly.
- After loosening the screw, squeeze the brake lever to check the cable tension again. If the cable is still loose, you need to adjust the brake arm. At this point, don’t tighten the adjusting screw just yet.
Loosen the bolt connecting the brake cable to the brake arm. The brake arm is the main frame of the braking system. The brake cable runs from the brake arm. After locating the bolt that holds the brake cable, use an Allen key to turn the bolt counterclockwise a few turns.
- Don’t unscrew the bolt completely. You should only turn the Allen key counterclockwise 2-3 times to loosen the bolt.
Pull the brake cable to increase its tension. Now that the bolt is loosened, you can easily pull the cable. Keep the cable firmly in place while stretching it. As you tighten the cable, the brake pads will make contact with the rim of the wheel. Pull the cable tight enough to create light resistance when spinning the wheel, but not so tight that the wheel becomes immovable.
- If the wheel can no longer spin, reduce the cable tension.
Tighten the bolt attaching the brake cable to the brake arm. Use the Allen key to turn the bolt clockwise 2-3 times until it cannot be tightened further. The cable will be securely held in place once the bolt is tightened.
Tighten the adjusting screw on the handlebar. Turn the adjusting screw that was previously loosened clockwise several times until it is fully tightened. Tightening the screw will release the brake pads that were clamping onto the front wheel. After the screw is tightened, the brake cable will be successfully adjusted!
- Test the brake cable again by squeezing the brake lever. The lever should be about 4 cm away from the handlebar when you squeeze it.
Tips
- If your bike has disc brakes, ensure the rotor is positioned on the fixed disc rather than the moving one.
Items You’ll Need
Adjusting the Brake Pads
- Brake Pads
- Allen Wrench
Tightening the Brake Cable
- Allen Wrench
