Back brake squealing

chrisaonabike

Replaced stock Giant brake pads (on my 2012 Defy 3) with SwissStop Greens a few months ago - fantastic improvement in braking.

However, the back one is now squealing very loudly whenever I apply it. It's so loud that I've started avoiding using it, which I reckon isn't a good habit to get into.

Anything obvious to look for? I can't see anything on pad or rim, but if there was something on either the pad or the rim causing the squeal wouldn't it wear away quite quickly and stop? It's been some weeks now.

lincolndave

Have you changed the front pads over with the back pads to see whether the pads squeal On the front wheel, that's were I would start

SME

Is there any grase on the pads or rims? I usually give both a wipe with white spirit, especially in wet weather - roads chuck up all sorts of contaminants.

Another thing I've heard done (although never felt the need to try it myself) is to adjust the blocks so they're 'toe in'...
This may help...
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/w ... ing-22677/

kajjal

Contamination, dirt or the brake block position are most likely. Toe'ing in brake blocks stops vibrations, if you toe in the brake blocks the wrong way round you will see exactly the effect. On road bikes you can get away without doing it but mountain bike v-brakes needed it doing due to the different way and conditions the bike was ridden in.

chrisaonabike

Thanks for your suggestions, guys. I think it must have been some muck on the pads or rim - before I had a chance to clean them, I was out in Richmond Park and the heavens opened and I (and the bike) got a complete soaking.

Now that it's all dried off, the squeal has gone!