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How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes

Introduction

Hello, this guide will be instructing you on how to adjust loose or tight cantilever bike rim brakes. When you’re pedaling, they can rub against your bike and slow you down, therefore requiring more pedaling. In addition, the added wear to your brake will require you to replace your brake pads sooner than you would normally need to causing you to incur unnecessary costs.

Keep in mind that this guide will only help you address brake rub if your rims are straight. If your wheels are out of true, adjusting the brake position will only cause the brake to rub elsewhere, so before beginning this guide, check that your wheels spin straight, without any twists or hops.

What you need

  1. How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes, How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 1, image 1 of 3 How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes, How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 1, image 2 of 3 How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes, How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 1, image 3 of 3

    • Lift bicycle onto the rear wheel by holding the handlebars.

    • Roll the rear wheel forward while placing the handlebars on the ground so that the bike rests upside down.

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  2. How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 2, image 1 of 2 How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 2, image 2 of 2

    • Identify the brake that is rubbing against the bike rim by spinning each wheel while listening for contact.

    • Identify which brake pad is making contact (left or right).

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  3. How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 3, image 1 of 3 How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 3, image 2 of 3 How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 3, image 3 of 3

    • Loosen the 6mm hex screw that is holding the noisy brake to the frame.

    • Make sure not to remove the bolt completely.

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  5. How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 4, image 1 of 1

    • Shift the brake so that the pad no longer makes contact with the rim.

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  6. How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 5, image 1 of 2 How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 5, image 2 of 2

    • Rotate the bicycle tire to ensure the brake is no longer rubbing against the rim.

    • Keep your fingers free of the spokes while the wheel is spinning!

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  7. How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 6, image 1 of 2 How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 6, image 2 of 2

    • Hold the brake in the new position where it no longer rubs.

    • Use the 6 mm hex key to tighten the brake bolt back on.

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  8. How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 7, image 1 of 2 How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 7, image 2 of 2

    • Rotate the wheel again to ensure the brake did not change positions while you were tightening it.

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  9. How to Adjust Cantilever Bicycle Brakes: step 8, image 1 of 1

    • Flip the bike back onto its wheels.

    Edit
Conclusion

Go ride your bike!

One other person completed this guide.

Author

with 1 other contributor

Devaughantee

Member since: 09/30/20

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Team

York University, Team S4-G21, Woodhouse Fall 2020 Member of York University, Team S4-G21, Woodhouse Fall 2020

YORK-WOODHOUSE-F20S4G21

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1 Guide authored

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