This wasn't the EXACT fix to my issue, but the basic problem was the same and you gave enough hints that I could get it sorted. Legend thank you very much 🙏
I admire you for speaking in English even though clearly its not your main language , so you can teach us english only understanding ppl. Keep up the good work. 👍👍👍
In a simple nutshell: If you squeeze your brakes & you can see the rotor physically move side to side at ALL, your brakes are out of perfect adjustment. After watching this great tutorial, I was able to get my Tektro Mira brakes perfectly adjusted to where when I squeezed the brake all the way there was absolutely no rotor movement from side to side & no disc brake rotor rubbing on the brake pads. You helped me squeeze the maximum performance I can get out of my single-sided piston mechanical disc brakes on my gravel bike! 👍🔥🚴🏻♂️🔥
you literally saved my life. i changed the brake pad (the last one was fine) thinking that it was worn out, tighten my cables, adjusted my caliper and there is still no braking power. i did not know we could adjust the non-moving piston. i tried it and now my brake is fine. thanks a lot man.
Thank you so much! My brakes had been pretty weak these last few weeks, and I thought it had something to do with the cables. Turns out, I just needed to adjust its padding.
Adjusted my brakes in seconds after watching your excellent tutorial. Unlike another channel high profile, you showed just one type of braking system (same as mine) and not three, which is confusing for a novice. Cheers, you now have another subscriber.
Best bike help video. There are many more amateur budget bikers than professionals. And we need this kind of help! Thank you! I fixed the tension on my mechanical brakes today (and they pull from both sides) and it still worked. ❤
This is the simplest video outthere if you are begginer,before i had v brakes,now i have my first bike with disc brakes who were loose and with the help of this video i fixed it myself👌👌
I've had a problem with my new pads not fully stopping n I've tried everything but no one told me about loosening the piston housing and then spinning the wheel and breaking to re centre the piston..brilliant advice.brilliant tutorial..thank you my friend..
What I also like to do is to adjust the cable tension in such a way that the lever of the caliper is not free but is as lifted as possible, to minimize the distance between the moving pad and the rotor and thus make the hand lever more sensitive.
Or you can also mount the caliper just enough so there's still a little side to side play, use a 0,3mm feeler gauge between the rotor an the stationary pad, squeeze the brake lever and the tighten then mounting bolts one by one carefully. If you tighten them carefully then it should be silent. Thanks a lot for video :)
Not only was it very well explained, but you showed up close the mechanics of it. Thanks as I’ve calibrated them several times now, but the last few times they barely brake which is Uber dangerous. I knew of the other inner side of the wheel, but haven’t until now after seeing your demonstration will do just that.
Very good and informative video. I bought the Gravelbike with same mechanical Promax disc brakes a few months ago. At the beginning I couldn'r set up the brakes properly, either the pads were rubbing too much or the brakes were innefective. I thought that the brakes are crap and that I do need something much better with Hydraulics. And I found a video similar to this one where they explained how to adjust the brakes, and since I did that I was amazed how the brakes good work and don't rubb. The cheap stuff works alos really good when it is adjusted correctly...
I have a single piston caliper on my mtn bike with a 29/2.40 tire. It just wouldnt stop as well as it should. This video definitely helped. He pointed out a couple adjustments that I wasnt doing correctly. Thanks for the video
This helps so much! My bike shop back at home always adjusted my brakes so they would brake without having to pull so far on the lever, which is what I'm used to now. After moving, my new shop adjusts them so that I have to pull my levers a bit further than I'm used to. Even having to pull that extra little cm or 2 can be the difference between safely braking and running into someone in front of me! Now I'll be able to do this at home with ease :)
i find i center the caliper over the rotor ... set the fixed side ... then adjust the cable to get the pull i'm looking for ... all with the barrel adjusters turned in so i have room to adjust for pad wear
I accidentally did it by ignoring adjustment until it would barely stop and then adjusting it. Very quiet and somehow really powerful disclaimer though if you're used to weak brakes and you adjust them to where they'll stop right it might throw you over the handlebars. But that somehow seem like a good break-in.
Great set-up video. On my Spyre brakes (with two moving pistons) I find setting the brake arm with a little tension at rest gives snappier braking. Compressionless brake housing is a must for mechanical brakes.
Thanks for this. I brought a Trek Verve 1 Disc and the braking at low speeds is ridiculous. I practically slide to a stop (and not quickly). My Brompton V-brakes and my friend's Trek FX 1 V-brakes stop much better, even in wet conditions. A bike shop mentioned I have a low spec brake given the Verve 1 price point. That makes little sense to me. A bike's brakes should work properly regardless of the price point. Safety shouldn't be compromised for a "quick" buck.
Bro we got on the mtb side on a Trek Marlin 8 hydralic disc brakes that are the lowest end shimanos out there. (Which work rather well but shouldn’t be on a bike like that). And those brake cost 80$. The wheels still come with cheap formula hubs.
This is the unfortunate problem with the bike industry moving towards disc brakes due to marketing. Cheap disc brakes are absolute garbage. Manufacturers should stick with rim brakes if they're trying to hit a price point, rather than throwing in cheap disc brakes. You can always trust a pair of $10 V-brakes to stop you. Good luck with a $10 disc brake system. The sad thing is, even the cheapest mechanical disc systems are far more expensive than rim brakes. Which means the manufacturer is also cheaping out on other components to hit the price point.
Very informative video, thank you. Your English is very good too! Just a small suggestion, you can use the term "fixed pad" to refer to the non-moving pad. That's the term we use in the USA, at least.
Absolutely perfect video many thanks Buddy! Many youtube channels and videos simply say, Release the caliper bolts, Squeeze the brakes and BOOOOOM ALL DONE, because they never mention its for a 2 piston brake system... So I would never get it right hahahaha
Is it fine to add preload to the brake calipers like you did on this video at 5:00? Or does it decrease the maximum performance of the calipers due to the decreased travel it needs to contact the brake pads?
no, the performance comes from your fingers or the type of brake pad / disc. All you do with this adjustment is set your preferred bite (or engagement) point in your lever.
Very thorough video! thank you for the class! I just bought a bike with disc brakes for the first time - and they keep rubbing against the disc - this will help me fix, hopefully!
Good luck if you puncture the back tire. I did on my first ride and there is no easy way to remove the tire. You can't disconnect the motor cable, like many e-bikes, unless you do it from the controller box and take ALL the cables out. Maybe you could check it out to see if you find a better way? Fiido support weren't helpful and they were aware of the issue. Bad design. Thanks!
"YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED HYDRAULIC! EVERYTHING ELSE IS UNSAFE! YOU ARE GONNA CRASH AND DIE IF YOU USE ANYTHING BUT HYDRAULIC! I AM NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS!" -my local bike mechanic when I asked him to order some mech discs. meanwhile the cheapo hydro brakes on my 800$-Bike: Leaking oil all over the place at least once a year, to the point were you need to worry about loosing braking power on just about half of your tours - what a great feeling, when being 50km from home or somewhere off grid entirely. I mean I used service my bikes completely on my own before I got hydros. I've had V'brakes and mech discs before and I was totally happy with the mech discs. Never had as many issues as with the hydros. I am going back to mech disc and I am going BB7 as they seem the easiest to service in the field. And I am going back to servicing my bikes themselves. You always hear about supporting your local businesses, but what am I supposed to do? I am for sure not gonna take the risk of loosing 90% break power in the middle of nowhere, just so they can have a premium for the leak-fix every year and if they slap my hand when trying to offer to them one last opportunity to make some money, it's their fault I am spending my money on the internet and put in the work myself. Like it's nuts. This bike shop puts its revenue for servicing the hydros about my safety! They wouldn't even listen to my arguments for changing the brake system! Servicing the hydros myself is just not worth the hustle. I like how they feel, but I don't like em that much that I carry around bottles of oil, gaskets and specialized tool on every tour just in case. A simple allenkey on the other hand easily is put in your pocket in a pinch and you're good to go even in the unlikely scenario of sudden loss of brake power. Except of course if your cable snaps, but I've never experienced that or even heard of it happening, so that's probably an irrational fear of some people. And buying proper Hydros? Why would I buy brakes that cost me at least half of the price of my bike? Especially if I am not riding down hill or hardcore xc or anything else where you need that much braking power. That idea is just ridiculous.
@@sihilius You make some very good points there. I didn't think about if by some happenstance my brake line got cut while riding or my hydraulic fluid somehow sprung a leak. Cables are are extremely strong and durable and can function upside down (something I happen to discover when I was test riding a bike and I was just moving it around on its rear wheel, working the rear brakes to help me maneuver it.) I piece of advice, because I had spent almost $100 trying to troubleshoot this, make sure you buy quality pads, do NOT buy economy, stick to either AVID or cool-stop. If you're heavy like me, opt to buy the larger rotors and adapters, like 180mm.
@@MavHunter20XX Thanks for your advice. I appreciate It. I already got a 180mm rotor in the front and a 160mm in the back from the old system. Guess they should be fine since I am of the lighter variety and usually don't carry a whole lot of weight in my backpack. And they still are well thick enough, so I am gonna keep them and see how they work with the new brakes. I also already ordered the first two sets of replacement pads with the brakes themselves. They are also avid ones, so I should be fine in that regard. Currently I am just waiting for the old brakes to leak again and as soon as I notice the slightest loss in braking power, I am heading straight home and switch them, so finally this bike will be actually reliable, rather than marketing reliable.
@@sihilius I recommend 180 in the rear as well, but I am of the heavier type. The reason why I say this is because if you're descending and braking, you'll want to shift your body behind your saddle ( you might know this already). However, there's nothing wrong to see how things work out first.
The bb5 acid type had the hand dial making it easier to adjust. Have you tried the hybrid cable hydraulic calipers Danny. I have a set on a bike and they work well about 85% of my fully.hydraulic.
@@howgoodwasthat My fault I was impatient I can usually do my own repairs but this bike is a Frankenstein of parts the brake levers are not the same as the disc brakes so those I’m upgrading later they work for now and even then the calipers were a brand I never even seen. The tires don’t get me started it’s been 3 days and I still can’t get that rim straight and it’s a mag wheel so it shouldn’t be out of alignment I believe I have to remove the tire just to put it back on again since the rotor keeps rubbing on my brake I still can’t get the front correctly I managed the back wheel but not my front. That being said not a bad bike for the money it’s my fault as I was being lazy and impatient without knowing how easy the adjustments were this is why I never buy my bikes online and always buy from local shops saves me the headache I managed to get the wheel somewhat correctly but that one spot is always rubbing the bead just refuses to seat.
This helped me a lot! Have you had an issue with the inner spring for the moving caliper arm? I took mine apart and the only way to stop the spring from slipping from its groves was to duct tape it in place.
@@nippitaboy I had to reassembled the caliper arm really carefully. Once I had the springs in the tiny groves, I duct taped the inside of the caliper arm to the spring by threading the spring through the duct tape. No more slipping! I plan to replace the brake soon though.
Ahhh…so that’s how you tighten brake cables….. I was pulling the cable with pliers and trying to tighten the screw. ….Duhhhh…..hold the cable at tension, move the cable holder thingy higher up the cable, then tighten. Eureka
@@Ericdagreat Depends on caliper to caliper but generally the caliper liver should have a hook that should hit the body of the caliper on full engage. If you pull that cable liver alot beforehand, you'll lock your brakes before they fully engaged
Very helpful for someone new to disc brakes. I'm not sure about the process in Step 1, initial positioning of the caliper. At 3:10, before touching the cable, you adjusted the fixed pad to get "the same exact distance" between the pad and the rotor on both sides. I can understand wanting the same distance on both sides before resetting the caliper. But then you said if the pads don't hold the rotor just move in one side or the other (3.55). That confused me. Now you are ready to reset caliper but you no longer have the same distance between both pads and the rotor. Is it that the second adjustment should be so small it doesn't matter?
I think I have the same brakes, for some reason my rear pads sit at an angle different than the one adjustable by the screws and I cannot align it :/ I am thinking the mounts or brake body is slightly bent or something. Anyone has ideas ?
I'm on a Trek FX 3 2021 with Shimano RT26 Ice Tech Rotors, matched with Shimano B01S Resin Brake Pad. (Resin only stated) If I wanna improve braking performance, can I swop to Disco Brake Pads, namely the Ceramic Hard, Soft compounds, & Kevlar type without any need to change the Rotors? Live in Singapore, mostly equatorial weather, hot, humid climate, with rains from November to January. Ride mostly on pavements & tarmac roads. Often carry some weight behind, so effective braking is a concern. Thank you.
Did everything in this video, cleaned calpiers with soap then dried and filed, yet squeaking, loss of break power etc. My friend with a newly bought bike also have same problem after few days. I guess mechanical disck brakes are worst.
V brakes is better in cheaper cycles because v brakes use cheap resin pads which have more friction compared to semi-metallic pads that the most cheap mechanical disc brakes use. V brakes resin pads brake much much better but wear out much faster. Cheap mechanical brake pads wear a bit longer but braking performance is garbage.
Also make sure it's V brakes because there are other variations of rim brake which are equally bad. Remember V brake or Power brake is the Key term. Always ask the shop about it . Also check out the Park Tools brake Identification video for more clarification. Just search Park tools Brake Identification and you'll know which brake I'm referring to. In V brake the fulcrum is at the end of the brake arm, making them 2nd class lever i.e more powerful than 1st class lever. better braking with less force.
I too made the same mistake and bought a disc brake cycle because I thought it looked nice and therefore would perform like a motorcycle disc brake. But when I realised how bad it is, it was too late. First of all the brake was badly set by the shop so lots of brake rubbing. Also in case the hub is bad which it is in most cases , then it won't be true and the brake disc will wobble no matter what especially the rear wheel and touch the pads.
Because of that bad disc brake I did not want to use my cycle at all. Now I've switched to a cheap V brake luckily my cycle came with v brake mounts. Now the braking is so much better and only needs one finger. Not as good as hydraulic but still miles better than that garbage disc brake. Basically Disc brake is just a marketing tactic and has no real world application in cheap cycles. Any cycle under 20k rupees is cheap.
If it squeaks when braking that's a different issue. Probably you have contaminated (dirty) disks &/or pads. If it squeaks all the time (even when not braking), you may have warped/bent disks or your static pad is still adjusted too close to the disk rotor.
The e-bike brakes are "budget/cheap brakes", im use the e-bike for only 1 week , the brake pad are worn out, yeah the solution was change the Brake pad or upgrade with better quality mechanical disk brake
Well what to do if that brake pad adjuster screw doesn't even spin no matter how much force I apply and strip the 5mm Allen key tool? (Trust me, it ain't movin' an inch
Nice to have a video that helps with understanding this type of brake. Some points are well made/illustrated, some not. . However, at the end of the day my experience is that single piston disc brakes are absolutely TERRIBLE - in fact they are so poor that they are dangerous [mine are Tektro iOX]. . I have them nicely adjusted [no pad rub, but still close to the disc], have roughed the surface of the disc rotor with sandpaper [to try to improve grip], have cleaned the disc rotor with a product, have installed two types of new pads and braking is still AWFUL. Also I installed a new brake cable and shortened the existing cable housing by an inch or two. . When I brake with that bicycle the rear wheel always skids [it has a V-brake on the rear wheel]. Which shows how little actual braking the front disc brake is actually doing. . Any of my old bikes with V-brakes brake waaaay better [better control, faster stopping, can actually brake too hard etc. etc.] . If I ever talk to anyone who is very into cycling - they always just say - "yes mechanical disc brakes are crap - you need hydraulic brakes". Wtf? Are single piston mechanical disc brakes definitively much worse than old V-brakes? . Or is there something that I have missed? More expensive disc pads maybe? . If anyone knows of a solution or can confirm their feedback would be appreciated. . cheers! JB By the way, I don´t do anything fancy with my bike - just the occasional trail ride and commuting from A to B - no downhill mountain biking or anything like that
@@vinceking7878 Well, I practiced a bit and I think that helped a little - first maybe to brake the pads in [maybe], and second to get used to needing to use a lot of force when pulling on the brake to get any effect. As I said above, the main issue I think is just that the Tektro iOX on my bike are single piston - and such systems suck. The only advantage they have is that good V-Brakes on very wet days are worse - but other than that case / scenario, I think that single piston disc brakes are just generally the worst setup that you can have. . It is not even easy for me to swap a part out to fix this - because my gear and brake levers are those Shimano ones that are all one integrated piece🤦♂ But thanks for the reply. 👍
@@lahna84 that should be the main reason your brake cable would get released, if that doesnt work you should try to see if the screw that holds the cable is rusty or damaged, or even if there are any issues with the cable itself
You explained this much more clearly than the other dozen or so cable brake repair videos I watched. Thank you!
This wasn't the EXACT fix to my issue, but the basic problem was the same and you gave enough hints that I could get it sorted. Legend thank you very much 🙏
I admire you for speaking in English even though clearly its not your main language , so you can teach us english only understanding ppl. Keep up the good work. 👍👍👍
@Phoenix Gael sounds scam
It makes it sound more expert
In a simple nutshell: If you squeeze your brakes & you can see the rotor physically move side to side at ALL, your brakes are out of perfect adjustment. After watching this great tutorial, I was able to get my Tektro Mira brakes perfectly adjusted to where when I squeezed the brake all the way there was absolutely no rotor movement from side to side & no disc brake rotor rubbing on the brake pads. You helped me squeeze the maximum performance I can get out of my single-sided piston mechanical disc brakes on my gravel bike! 👍🔥🚴🏻♂️🔥
you literally saved my life. i changed the brake pad (the last one was fine) thinking that it was worn out, tighten my cables, adjusted my caliper and there is still no braking power. i did not know we could adjust the non-moving piston. i tried it and now my brake is fine. thanks a lot man.
Literally saved my knees hahahaha
Finally a view you can actually see (most are so dark) and a great detailed explanation. Thank you!
You taught me everything I needed to know to fix my bike on my own today 😢
Thank you so much 🙏
Thank you so much!
My brakes had been pretty weak these last few weeks, and I thought it had something to do with the cables.
Turns out, I just needed to adjust its padding.
Adjusted my brakes in seconds after watching your excellent tutorial. Unlike another channel high profile, you showed just one type of braking system (same as mine) and not three, which is confusing for a novice. Cheers, you now have another subscriber.
By rear rotor was bending a lot on braking. Hardly moves and no rubbing now.
Saved me a trip to decathlon, thanks.
Very clear explanation as always. Therapeutic and satisfying just to watch. Thank you!
Best bike help video. There are many more amateur budget bikers than professionals. And we need this kind of help! Thank you! I fixed the tension on my mechanical brakes today (and they pull from both sides) and it still worked. ❤
This is the simplest video outthere if you are begginer,before i had v brakes,now i have my first bike with disc brakes who were loose and with the help of this video i fixed it myself👌👌
I've had a problem with my new pads not fully stopping n I've tried everything but no one told me about loosening the piston housing and then spinning the wheel and breaking to re centre the piston..brilliant advice.brilliant tutorial..thank you my friend..
If no one ever told you that, then you "tried everything" except for watching a few youtube videos.
Absolutely excellent video. Super clear camera work and concise methodical approach. A real pleasure to watch and learn. Many Thanks!
What I also like to do is to adjust the cable tension in such a way that the lever of the caliper is not free but is as lifted as possible, to minimize the distance between the moving pad and the rotor and thus make the hand lever more sensitive.
Or you can also mount the caliper just enough so there's still a little side to side play, use a 0,3mm feeler gauge between the rotor an the stationary pad, squeeze the brake lever and the tighten then mounting bolts one by one carefully. If you tighten them carefully then it should be silent.
Thanks a lot for video :)
Best video I've seen on how to adjust single piston mechanical brakes
Not only was it very well explained, but you showed up close the mechanics of it.
Thanks as I’ve calibrated them several times now, but the last few times they barely brake which is Uber dangerous. I knew of the other inner side of the wheel, but haven’t until now after seeing your demonstration will do just that.
Legend just sorted my brakes on seeing this video saved me few pennies. Cheers 😊
Excellent detail on how to tune these type of brakes. Tried it on mine and it resulted in quite an improvement. Merci!
💚 I adjusted my brakes today! Perfect!
(MTB 29er)
Very good and informative video. I bought the Gravelbike with same mechanical Promax disc brakes a few months ago. At the beginning I couldn'r set up the brakes properly, either the pads were rubbing too much or the brakes were innefective. I thought that the brakes are crap and that I do need something much better with Hydraulics. And I found a video similar to this one where they explained how to adjust the brakes, and since I did that I was amazed how the brakes good work and don't rubb. The cheap stuff works alos really good when it is adjusted correctly...
This is the best tutorial on youtube, the best information explained simply.
Thanks! I used more or less the same procedure but now I have made more order between the steps. Perfetto!!!
I have a single piston caliper on my mtn bike with a 29/2.40 tire. It just wouldnt stop as well as it should. This video definitely helped. He pointed out a couple adjustments that I wasnt doing correctly. Thanks for the video
Your timing is perfect! Very helpful, thank you!
Clear and to the point. Clearest video I found on this. Great explanation.
This helps so much! My bike shop back at home always adjusted my brakes so they would brake without having to pull so far on the lever, which is what I'm used to now. After moving, my new shop adjusts them so that I have to pull my levers a bit further than I'm used to. Even having to pull that extra little cm or 2 can be the difference between safely braking and running into someone in front of me! Now I'll be able to do this at home with ease :)
Thank you very much for taking your time to do such a thorough explanation. take care
Very nice job, i learn a lot with your vídeos, i remenber the break fluid change without special tools...
i find i center the caliper over the rotor ... set the fixed side ... then adjust the cable to get the pull i'm looking for ... all with the barrel adjusters turned in so i have room to adjust for pad wear
I accidentally did it by ignoring adjustment until it would barely stop and then adjusting it. Very quiet and somehow really powerful disclaimer though if you're used to weak brakes and you adjust them to where they'll stop right it might throw you over the
handlebars. But that somehow seem like a good break-in.
Thanks for explaining this. I used to take mine to the bike shop because I couldn't get it right.
Thanks Dude! Brilliant short tutorial video, just what I was looking for to help me with setting up my Shimano M375 break calipers!
Great set-up video. On my Spyre brakes (with two moving pistons) I find setting the brake arm with a little tension at rest gives snappier braking. Compressionless brake housing is a must for mechanical brakes.
Thanks for this. I brought a Trek Verve 1 Disc and the braking at low speeds is ridiculous. I practically slide to a stop (and not quickly). My Brompton V-brakes and my friend's Trek FX 1 V-brakes stop much better, even in wet conditions. A bike shop mentioned I have a low spec brake given the Verve 1 price point. That makes little sense to me. A bike's brakes should work properly regardless of the price point. Safety shouldn't be compromised for a "quick" buck.
Bro we got on the mtb side on a Trek Marlin 8 hydralic disc brakes that are the lowest end shimanos out there. (Which work rather well but shouldn’t be on a bike like that). And those brake cost 80$. The wheels still come with cheap formula hubs.
@@Drago0900 interesting. Maybe I should have gone for hydraulic brakes.
This is the unfortunate problem with the bike industry moving towards disc brakes due to marketing. Cheap disc brakes are absolute garbage. Manufacturers should stick with rim brakes if they're trying to hit a price point, rather than throwing in cheap disc brakes. You can always trust a pair of $10 V-brakes to stop you. Good luck with a $10 disc brake system. The sad thing is, even the cheapest mechanical disc systems are far more expensive than rim brakes. Which means the manufacturer is also cheaping out on other components to hit the price point.
Very informative video, thank you. Your English is very good too! Just a small suggestion, you can use the term "fixed pad" to refer to the non-moving pad. That's the term we use in the USA, at least.
Absolutely perfect video many thanks Buddy! Many youtube channels and videos simply say, Release the caliper bolts, Squeeze the brakes and BOOOOOM ALL DONE, because they never mention its for a 2 piston brake system... So I would never get it right hahahaha
Best video I’ve seen on this subject… Thank you so very much!
Great video helped me solve my brakes that didn’t work great 👍🏻
Is it fine to add preload to the brake calipers like you did on this video at 5:00? Or does it decrease the maximum performance of the calipers due to the decreased travel it needs to contact the brake pads?
no, the performance comes from your fingers or the type of brake pad / disc. All you do with this adjustment is set your preferred bite (or engagement) point in your lever.
Very thorough video! thank you for the class! I just bought a bike with disc brakes for the first time - and they keep rubbing against the disc - this will help me fix, hopefully!
Thanks. Very clean and well put together clip. 👏🤗
I have the jak super brake system and it's failed me more than once
Good luck if you puncture the back tire. I did on my first ride and there is no easy way to remove the tire. You can't disconnect the motor cable, like many e-bikes, unless you do it from the controller box and take ALL the cables out. Maybe you could check it out to see if you find a better way? Fiido support weren't helpful and they were aware of the issue. Bad design. Thanks!
Don't need to take the tire off, to fix a flat. Just pull the part of the inner tube out.....patch it..... and roll on.
Why not minimize pad-rotor-pad gaps before tampering with cable?
BB7 owner, as long as I can get 180mm+ rotors and decent pads, I'll never need anything else.
"YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED HYDRAULIC! EVERYTHING ELSE IS UNSAFE! YOU ARE GONNA CRASH AND DIE IF YOU USE ANYTHING BUT HYDRAULIC! I AM NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS!"
-my local bike mechanic when I asked him to order some mech discs.
meanwhile the cheapo hydro brakes on my 800$-Bike: Leaking oil all over the place at least once a year, to the point were you need to worry about loosing braking power on just about half of your tours - what a great feeling, when being 50km from home or somewhere off grid entirely.
I mean I used service my bikes completely on my own before I got hydros. I've had V'brakes and mech discs before and I was totally happy with the mech discs. Never had as many issues as with the hydros.
I am going back to mech disc and I am going BB7 as they seem the easiest to service in the field. And I am going back to servicing my bikes themselves.
You always hear about supporting your local businesses, but what am I supposed to do? I am for sure not gonna take the risk of loosing 90% break power in the middle of nowhere, just so they can have a premium for the leak-fix every year and if they slap my hand when trying to offer to them one last opportunity to make some money, it's their fault I am spending my money on the internet and put in the work myself. Like it's nuts. This bike shop puts its revenue for servicing the hydros about my safety! They wouldn't even listen to my arguments for changing the brake system!
Servicing the hydros myself is just not worth the hustle. I like how they feel, but I don't like em that much that I carry around bottles of oil, gaskets and specialized tool on every tour just in case. A simple allenkey on the other hand easily is put in your pocket in a pinch and you're good to go even in the unlikely scenario of sudden loss of brake power. Except of course if your cable snaps, but I've never experienced that or even heard of it happening, so that's probably an irrational fear of some people.
And buying proper Hydros? Why would I buy brakes that cost me at least half of the price of my bike? Especially if I am not riding down hill or hardcore xc or anything else where you need that much braking power. That idea is just ridiculous.
@@sihilius
You make some very good points there. I didn't think about if by some happenstance my brake line got cut while riding or my hydraulic fluid somehow sprung a leak. Cables are are extremely strong and durable and can function upside down (something I happen to discover when I was test riding a bike and I was just moving it around on its rear wheel, working the rear brakes to help me maneuver it.)
I piece of advice, because I had spent almost $100 trying to troubleshoot this, make sure you buy quality pads, do NOT buy economy, stick to either AVID or cool-stop.
If you're heavy like me, opt to buy the larger rotors and adapters, like 180mm.
@@MavHunter20XX Thanks for your advice. I appreciate It.
I already got a 180mm rotor in the front and a 160mm in the back from the old system. Guess they should be fine since I am of the lighter variety and usually don't carry a whole lot of weight in my backpack. And they still are well thick enough, so I am gonna keep them and see how they work with the new brakes.
I also already ordered the first two sets of replacement pads with the brakes themselves. They are also avid ones, so I should be fine in that regard.
Currently I am just waiting for the old brakes to leak again and as soon as I notice the slightest loss in braking power, I am heading straight home and switch them, so finally this bike will be actually reliable, rather than marketing reliable.
@@sihilius I recommend 180 in the rear as well, but I am of the heavier type. The reason why I say this is because if you're descending and braking, you'll want to shift your body behind your saddle ( you might know this already). However, there's nothing wrong to see how things work out first.
THANK YOU THAT WORKED PERFECTLY AND I GOT AN E-BIKE
Brilliant! Very well explained, and great camera use! Thanks :)
The bb5 acid type had the hand dial making it easier to adjust. Have you tried the hybrid cable hydraulic calipers Danny. I have a set on a bike and they work well about 85% of my fully.hydraulic.
Great tutorial. Thank you for this!
I learned a lot, i learn and absorb so much in order ko me.to tune and repair my MTB just in case and help Someone who in need when just in caae
Stumbled across this right as I'm faced with this problem
wouldn't adding a rubber boot to the brake cable prevent it from getting dirty?
But the static pad may also have a locking screw to release before any adjustments can be made. Right?
The spring inside the pad came out while trying to adjust now I can’t get it back in. I’m talking about the spring that adjust the moving pad
Bicycle repair shops were invented for you.
@@howgoodwasthat My fault I was impatient I can usually do my own repairs but this bike is a Frankenstein of parts the brake levers are not the same as the disc brakes so those I’m upgrading later they work for now and even then the calipers were a brand I never even seen. The tires don’t get me started it’s been 3 days and I still can’t get that rim straight and it’s a mag wheel so it shouldn’t be out of alignment I believe I have to remove the tire just to put it back on again since the rotor keeps rubbing on my brake I still can’t get the front correctly I managed the back wheel but not my front. That being said not a bad bike for the money it’s my fault as I was being lazy and impatient without knowing how easy the adjustments were this is why I never buy my bikes online and always buy from local shops saves me the headache I managed to get the wheel somewhat correctly but that one spot is always rubbing the bead just refuses to seat.
This helped me a lot! Have you had an issue with the inner spring for the moving caliper arm? I took mine apart and the only way to stop the spring from slipping from its groves was to duct tape it in place.
Me too. Maybe your comment help me.
How have you reassembled?
@@nippitaboy I had to reassembled the caliper arm really carefully. Once I had the springs in the tiny groves, I duct taped the inside of the caliper arm to the spring by threading the spring through the duct tape. No more slipping! I plan to replace the brake soon though.
Ahhh…so that’s how you tighten brake cables….. I was pulling the cable with pliers and trying to tighten the screw. ….Duhhhh…..hold the cable at tension, move the cable holder thingy higher up the cable, then tighten. Eureka
Never move the caliper bolt back to tension, use the tension adjustment screw for it
@@fr0xk Can you please explain why?
@@Ericdagreat Depends on caliper to caliper but generally the caliper liver should have a hook that should hit the body of the caliper on full engage. If you pull that cable liver alot beforehand, you'll lock your brakes before they fully engaged
Very very very very veyr very very very thank you for this vedio
Very helpful for someone new to disc brakes. I'm not sure about the process in Step 1, initial positioning of the caliper. At 3:10, before touching the cable, you adjusted the fixed pad to get "the same exact distance" between the pad and the rotor on both sides. I can understand wanting the same distance on both sides before resetting the caliper. But then you said if the pads don't hold the rotor just move in one side or the other (3.55). That confused me. Now you are ready to reset caliper but you no longer have the same distance between both pads and the rotor. Is it that the second adjustment should be so small it doesn't matter?
My ones just smoke up when I go down a massive hill
wow!...
thank u so much...
effective...my bikes now is good and can stop promtly.
I think I have the same brakes, for some reason my rear pads sit at an angle different than the one adjustable by the screws and I cannot align it :/ I am thinking the mounts or brake body is slightly bent or something.
Anyone has ideas ?
This video is so good.. The best for single lever actuated disc brakes
Masterclass! Thank you.
I'm on a Trek FX 3 2021 with Shimano RT26 Ice Tech Rotors, matched with Shimano B01S Resin Brake Pad. (Resin only stated)
If I wanna improve braking performance, can I swop to Disco Brake Pads, namely the Ceramic Hard, Soft compounds, & Kevlar type without any need to change the Rotors?
Live in Singapore, mostly equatorial weather, hot, humid climate, with rains from November to January. Ride mostly on pavements & tarmac roads.
Often carry some weight behind, so effective braking is a concern.
Thank you.
Very informative video. Thanks for making it.
this is really helpful, i have similar brakes
Did everything in this video, cleaned calpiers with soap then dried and filed, yet squeaking, loss of break power etc.
My friend with a newly bought bike also have same problem after few days.
I guess mechanical disck brakes are worst.
Yup happens with me too. Wont stop immediately if you are at high speed
V brakes is better in cheaper cycles because v brakes use cheap resin pads which have more friction compared to semi-metallic pads that the most cheap mechanical disc brakes use. V brakes resin pads brake much much better but wear out much faster. Cheap mechanical brake pads wear a bit longer but braking performance is garbage.
Also make sure it's V brakes because there are other variations of rim brake which are equally bad. Remember V brake or Power brake is the Key term. Always ask the shop about it . Also check out the Park Tools brake Identification video for more clarification. Just search Park tools Brake Identification and you'll know which brake I'm referring to. In V brake the fulcrum is at the end of the brake arm, making them 2nd class lever i.e more powerful than 1st class lever. better braking with less force.
I too made the same mistake and bought a disc brake cycle because I thought it looked nice and therefore would perform like a motorcycle disc brake. But when I realised how bad it is, it was too late. First of all the brake was badly set by the shop so lots of brake rubbing. Also in case the hub is bad which it is in most cases , then it won't be true and the brake disc will wobble no matter what especially the rear wheel and touch the pads.
Because of that bad disc brake I did not want to use my cycle at all. Now I've switched to a cheap V brake luckily my cycle came with v brake mounts. Now the braking is so much better and only needs one finger. Not as good as hydraulic but still miles better than that garbage disc brake. Basically Disc brake is just a marketing tactic and has no real world application in cheap cycles. Any cycle under 20k rupees is cheap.
Tks alot man ! Really complete & well explained
First things first, make sure your rotor is closer to true. If your rotor isnt true, you will have the rub and will get worst over time.
I have the opposite problem. The moving pistol is rubbing on the disc breaks...how do I adjust that?
Great guide
Thanks! It helped me, but it is still sqeaking, so i have to adjust once more...
I was your 3000 st LIKE ;)
If it squeaks when braking that's a different issue. Probably you have contaminated (dirty) disks &/or pads. If it squeaks all the time (even when not braking), you may have warped/bent disks or your static pad is still adjusted too close to the disk rotor.
My bike front wheel disc brake inside the adjustable alen bolt could not be adjustable and it's jammed
How to put new break pad on the none moving side ? Are new pads have sticky/glue on it ?
Pls do something about internal cable routing
Bro is a lifesaver
My brake is to weak at the back I already adjusted it but didn't work
Same idk what going on?
@@alexvore5287 maybe the pads are worn out?
@@zyrene2115 idk can there be another issue?
@@alexvore5287 well I'm not mechanically minded so I'm not sure
I think you could clean the rotor and the brakepads with a soap
this video is very helpful thanks
The e-bike brakes are "budget/cheap brakes", im use the e-bike for only 1 week , the brake pad are worn out, yeah the solution was change the Brake pad or upgrade with better quality mechanical disk brake
I subbed just because of the gloves alone ..lol
This is a good video! I was wondering what model are your CST Tires 😜
Mech brakes are awesome.
Hell yeah. Thanks for this video.
Well what to do if that brake pad adjuster screw doesn't even spin no matter how much force I apply and strip the 5mm Allen key tool? (Trust me, it ain't movin' an inch
Spray some WD40 on it, might have some rust on the threads
@@albert.6925 Also DON'T forget to loosen the lock before and after you adjust the piston.
There is a tiny locking screw on the side/top of the big adjuster screw. Make sure it is loose before adjusting the pad.
You're a life saver, thanks
Which dual piston brake system on Amazon are you referring to?
how do you replace the pads on the piston side of the caliper
Nice to have a video that helps with understanding this type of brake.
Some points are well made/illustrated, some not.
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However, at the end of the day my experience is that single piston disc brakes are absolutely TERRIBLE - in fact they are so poor that they are dangerous [mine are Tektro iOX].
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I have them nicely adjusted [no pad rub, but still close to the disc], have roughed the surface of the disc rotor with sandpaper [to try to improve grip], have cleaned the disc rotor with a product, have installed two types of new pads and braking is still AWFUL.
Also I installed a new brake cable and shortened the existing cable housing by an inch or two.
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When I brake with that bicycle the rear wheel always skids [it has a V-brake on the rear wheel].
Which shows how little actual braking the front disc brake is actually doing.
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Any of my old bikes with V-brakes brake waaaay better [better control, faster stopping, can actually brake too hard etc. etc.]
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If I ever talk to anyone who is very into cycling - they always just say - "yes mechanical disc brakes are crap - you need hydraulic brakes". Wtf? Are single piston mechanical disc brakes definitively much worse than old V-brakes?
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Or is there something that I have missed?
More expensive disc pads maybe?
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If anyone knows of a solution or can confirm their feedback would be appreciated.
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cheers!
JB
By the way, I don´t do anything fancy with my bike - just the occasional trail ride and commuting from A to B - no downhill mountain biking or anything like that
My Shimano MT200 dual piston hydraulics are brilliant for everyday use, quiet too. Did you beak in your pads and rotors properly?
@@vinceking7878 Well, I practiced a bit and I think that helped a little - first maybe to brake the pads in [maybe], and second to get used to needing to use a lot of force when pulling on the brake to get any effect. As I said above, the main issue I think is just that the Tektro iOX on my bike are single piston - and such systems suck. The only advantage they have is that good V-Brakes on very wet days are worse - but other than that case / scenario, I think that single piston disc brakes are just generally the worst setup that you can have.
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It is not even easy for me to swap a part out to fix this - because my gear and brake levers are those Shimano ones that are all one integrated piece🤦♂ But thanks for the reply. 👍
Very useful, I guess, will try on my cheap brakes ))
Perfecto! Thank you!
Where can i get the front light bracket?
awesome job explainin
I repair my disc brake and after doing stoppie it becomes loose
Is it happening with everyone or only with me
Please replyyyyyyy
If your cable screw is not fully tightened, the break can become loose when you press harder
same, @LEBER any more solutions?
@@lahna84 that should be the main reason your brake cable would get released, if that doesnt work you should try to see if the screw that holds the cable is rusty or damaged, or even if there are any issues with the cable itself
@@temk_TCM ok, thanks
@@temk_TCM ill update when ill try that today, not really motivation rn
meanwhile on gcn: "how to replace your brake cables"... literally
What is the frame size for the 26”?
26" is usually the size of the wheels, it has almost nothing to do with the frame size
fantastic video
Thanks a lot mate.