Sqwidgey' brakes..

bikerMau5
bikerMau5 Posts: 32
edited July 2014 in Road beginners
Hi,

First ride, very pleased with my choice of bike, all felt good. Except the brakes, I noticed particularly when descending everything felt a bit swidgey' on the brakes. Everything feels good when I test off the bike, they sit true and stop well.

My thoughts are either, stock pads, technique or, and I suspect an overall factor, me being a tad on the tubby side.

Any thoughts welcome, a nudge in the right direction :)

Thanks

Comments

  • Guernsey Donkey
    Guernsey Donkey Posts: 144
    A few clues as to which bike/brakes/pads etc would help. ;)
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    If you have used disc brakes before and are heavier than most road riders you will find road bike rim brakes very poor in comparison. Decent brakes and pads will help but they will not come close to disc brakes.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,128
    with a new bike the cable outers and ferrules typically take a while to fully seat, causing cable tension to fall as they do

    as/when this happens the brakes (and gear shifting) will need adjusting

    also, if the pads are the wrong distance from the rims, it affects modulation and available braking force

    use the barrel adjusters on the brakes to set the pads about 2mm from the rim, then check that when you squeeze hard on the brake levers they do not bottom out on the bars (which would restrict maximum braking force)

    check the rims/pads are free of any oil/grease, but default pads are often just average performance, for alloy rims swissstop green and black are both excellent, koolstop salmon maybe next best
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • bikerMau5
    bikerMau5 Posts: 32
    Hi,

    I bought a Boardman Road Sport 2014, it has stock everything atm.

    Brakes Tektro R315 Dual Pivot Caliper Brake

    I will do some research around brake set up ect and see if i can make an improvement? Also perhaps pick up some better pads. . I haven't been on a bike since I was about 14 so don't really have anything to compare with atm.

    Thanks for all your help.

    bm
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    Cable stretch/bedding in first, cartridges with better pads second.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    Make sure your brakes are centred and making simultaneous contact with the rim; if the wheel's being pushed over by one pad it can make the lever feel very pliant.
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}

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