Most bicycle brakes are activated by a set of cables hooked up to the brake levers, and most points along with your brakes could be solved by adjusting the strain of these cables. They will even want periodic changes to maintain them working correctly.

To check the strain of your brake cables, give your brake levers a squeeze. If they contact the handlebar grips or get shut sufficient to crush a finger slipped beneath, you could improve your cable rigidity. On the flip facet, if solely the slightest stress on the levers causes your brakes to clamp down—or in case your brake pads rub if you spin the bike’s wheel with out squeezing the brake lever in any respect—then you could lower your cable rigidity. Usually, cable rigidity could be modified by twisting the barrel adjuster discovered on the level the place the cable meets the hand lever. There are tons of easy-to-follow YouTube videos that present you tips on how to adjust brake cables.

There are a number of forms of brakes, however you are most definitely to have rim brakes or disc brakes. The most typical rim brakes—V-brakes or caliper brakes—pinch either side of the wheel rims from the highest of the wheel. Disc brakes do not contact the rim in any respect and as a substitute use small calipers to pinch CD-sized discs mounted within the middle of every wheel. Disc brakes supply superior stopping efficiency, however they are often fussy to take care of.

Fancier disc brakes use hydraulic mechanisms to pinch the discs. While hydraulic brakes usually are not unattainable to take care of at dwelling, they are a bit greater than most individuals wish to sort out. Remember to periodically get the strains checked and refilled with contemporary fluid at a neighborhood bike store. And if the brake fluid reservoir in your handlebars appears to be like low, take it to a motorcycle store quickly.

Less widespread are coaster brakes, which do not use levers and are as a substitute activated by pedaling backward. These are troublesome to regulate your self and are harmful when not correctly adjusted, so take your coaster brake to an expert.

Brake pads put on out progressively as you employ your bike and are simply changed. You simply must know what dimension or sort of brake pad to buy. The writing on the worn pads ought to provide you with a touch about what to purchase. Brake pads are largely common, although their mounting techniques range. The starting of this video explains the variations.

Swapping out worn V-brake pads for brand spanking new ones takes no various minutes, and all you normally want is the suitable dimension hex key. We advocate Park Tool’s hex wrench ($14) with the three most typical key sizes on it. It will take you a bit longer to exchange disc brake pads as a result of the brakes are smaller and extra intricate; this video exhibits a number of methods to method pad alternative. In each instances, it is best to readjust your cable rigidity after placing new pads on.

You’re going to want to scrub these brake pads periodically too. Use an outdated toothbrush or a shop towel ($3) to get into the hole between the brake and both the rim or the disc, and use some brake cleaner ($10) to take away any buildup.