Brake Maintenance

User-Contributed Guide

User-Contributed Guide

An awesome member of our community made this guide. It is not managed by iFixit staff.

Brakes slow your bike down when you pull on the brake lever on the handlebar. The brake calipers are connected to the brake levers by a cable that squeezes the brake-pads that are attached to the brake calipers. When the brake pads contact the rims they c

  • Author: Travis Tonder
  • Time required: 30 to 45 minutes
  • Difficulty: Moderate

In this guide you will learn how to identify a worn out brake pad, install new pads, and make adjustments to the new brake pads.

Tools
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Brake Maintenance  ¶ 

  • Squeeze the calipers together, and remove the brake cable.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Loosen the break caliper bolt, and remove the brake caliper.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • Inspect the brake pad. If the pad has worn down past the “wear line”, then it needs to be replaced.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • Clean and lubricate the parts as necessary before reattaching the caliper arms.

  • Bolt the caliper arms back on while making sure the the pin on the back side of the caliper arm lines back up with the one of the holes in the frame. Each side should be in the same hole.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • reattach the break cable to the calipers

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Loosen the brake pad bolt.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Get an ordinary piece of paper, and fold it twice over.

  • Place the sheet of paper between the brake pad and the rim in the position shown.

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Align the brake pad so that it is flush with the rim, with no part touching the rubber of the tire.

  • Have somebody clamp down very tightly on the brakes.

  • Tighten the brake pad bolt in place.

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