New Bike – Bad brakes already?!

[mrkenny83]

Got my bike about a month ago…. and my brakes are already not-bringing-me-to-a-full-stop.

My friend said I probably just need to “tighten my brake,” and I can do that just by turning something? Any ideas?

Help! Or I’ll be the next biker to run into a cop car!

Topic

[Dirt]

Some help with what kind of bike/brakes they are might give us advise.

If you’ve ridden in the rain, sometimes build-up of gunk on the rims and brake pads can affect how well the brakes work. Cleaning the bike can help… avoid spraying any bearings directly with the spray and use a little dish soap with a soft brush to help get gunk off. I also have some wheels that seem to like it if I clean the braking surface of the rim with some rubbing alcohol on a rag. Take a clean rag, squirt some rubbing alcohol on it, then rub it against the braking surface of the rim. You’d be surrpised how much black gunk comes off the rim.

Hope that helps a little.

Pete

[OneEighth]

I usually give the braking surface of the pads a wipe down with rubbing alcohol, too, just in case oily road residue has built up.

[dasgeh]

I you bought the bike new from a bike shop, just take it back for a tune up. My understanding is that new cable stretch or something so that adjustment is normal. Besides, it’s always fun to go to bike shops.

[baiskeli]

@dasgeh 10234 wrote:

I you bought the bike new from a bike shop, just take it back for a tune up. My understanding is that new cable stretch or something so that adjustment is normal. Besides, it’s always fun to go to bike shops.

Yeah, that was about to be my comment. The cables will stretch. It’s the rear brake, isn’t it? Longer cable = more stretch.

[Author]

Replies