Brake problems

bleasy

Hi guys I'm quiet new to mountain biking, I was at gisburn the other weekend and my rear brake didn't seem to work to well I have to pull the lever nearly to my bar to make it bite the front is very similar I was wondering what he problem could be the brakes are shimano deore. Do I need new pads or do the brakes need bleeding? any help would be great thanks.

Greer_

The new M596's? Do the pads look done? 1-2mm of material left. Does the lever feel spongey? If not it doesn't need bled.

bleasy

Don't know which ones I got the bike second hand. The levers just pull a long way before any bite if you know what I mean

bleasy

I would say about 2mm of pad left. I have to pull the lever about 15mm till it bites. Just when going down the hope line at gisburn it felt like I didn't have much stopping power

Greer_

Could maybe do with replacing the pads then. But the brakes should auto-adjust to account for pad wear so it doesn't explain the long lever travel. Does it feel spongey?

bleasy

Not really just pull the lever nothing there, then just bites after about 15mm of pull

Greer_

Try topping up the reservoir and put an elastic band round the lever overnight.

bleasy

Will do, how far should the lever move before the brakes bite?

Greer_

Not very, about a centimetre ish, but it depends on how much modulation the brake has. It definitely shouldn't be going to the bars though!

Andykerr

You could have damage break cables. Can be caused by picking the frame of the bike up and grabbing the brake cables at the same time.

cooldad

Andykerr wrote:

You could have damage break cables. Can be caused by picking the frame of the bike up and grabbing the brake cables at the same time.

I doesn't have cables.