Brand new disc brakes

inmsotall

I picked up a new bike yesterday that has disc brakes fitted and I have a bit of a beginner question as this is my first bike in about 15 years and my first with disc brakes.

The bike is an adventure bike from Evans (https://www.evanscycles.com/pinnacle-ar ... e-EV275622) and is fitted with the following brake setup (Tektro Spyre-C, dual piston, flat mount w/Tektro 160mm discs).

Upon my initial test last night (dry conditions but had been raining earlier in the day) I found the rear brake to slow me reasonably quickly but not as sharply as I expected it to. The front brake was a little bit sharper but I still came to a rolling stop and it felt like the wheels were nowhere close to locking up.

The bike was set up by the technicians in the store so I am sure that it has been configured\fitted correctly.

I popped in today (without the bike) and asked them about this and I was told that it is common for new brakes to need a bit of time to wear in and then they will firm up and get 'grippier'. They offered to take a look at it for me for no charge so I don't think he was trying to fob me off.

Anyway, my question is - does what he told me regarding the settling in period sound correct to you based on your experience with this type of setup?

The Rookie

Quite normal for disc brake pads to need bedding in, 10 hard stops from near max speed (without busting a gut) should do it.

inmsotall

The Rookie wrote:

Quite normal for disc brake pads to need bedding in, 10 hard stops from near max speed (without busting a gut) should do it.

That's good to hear.

Thank you

meanredspider

The Rookie wrote:

Quite normal for disc brake pads to need bedding in, 10 hard NEAR stops from near max speed (without busting a gut) should do it.

Just to clarify that you should try to avoid the pad actually stopping against the disc. You need to get each disc really hot.

Thick Mike

I had a similar experience on my new Giant TCX (disc brakes, 35mm knobbly tyres), and felt that the rear wheel didn't lock up as I was used to on my road bike (rim brakes, 25mm slick tyres). This gave me the feeling that the braking wasn't as good.

When I thought about it though, my new bike has far more traction between tyre and road, so even with the same braking force, the friction between disc and pad will be less than between tyre and road. This means the wheel won't lock up as easily, but the braking efficiency is just the same.

inmsotall

Thick Mike wrote:

I had a similar experience on my new Giant TCX (disc brakes, 35mm knobbly tyres), and felt that the rear wheel didn't lock up as I was used to on my road bike (rim brakes, 25mm slick tyres). This gave me the feeling that the braking wasn't as good.

When I thought about it though, my new bike has far more traction between tyre and road, so even with the same braking force, the friction between disc and pad will be less than between tyre and road. This means the wheel won't lock up as easily, but the braking efficiency is just the same.

Interesting - I hadn't thought about it like that.

ElectronShepherd

As has been said, the pads will need bedding in. I find a reasonably steep hill and roll down it at around 15 mph, keeping the brakes on all the time, and that normally sorts it for me.

However, since this is a brand new bike, it might be worth checking that there's no grease or similar on the disc. The rear disc might have picked up some oil that dripped from the chain, depending on how you transported it home (if it was lying on its side in the back of an estate car, for example). The chain shouldn't have so much lubrication that it actually drips off, but you never know.

inmsotall

ElectronShepherd wrote:

As has been said, the pads will need bedding in. I find a reasonably steep hill and roll down it at around 15 mph, keeping the brakes on all the time, and that normally sorts it for me.

However, since this is a brand new bike, it might be worth checking that there's no grease or similar on the disc. The rear disc might have picked up some oil that dripped from the chain, depending on how you transported it home (if it was lying on its side in the back of an estate car, for example). The chain shouldn't have so much lubrication that it actually drips off, but you never know.

Thank you for the tip - I will try that later on this evening.

I have checked for grease etc but everything looks OK to me.

Nick Payne

Swissstop give the following instructions for bedding in disc brake pads for all the pad compounds they sell. Can't see that anyone else's pads would be different:

ATTENTION: PADS MUST BE BEDDED IN TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE

Step 1. On a gradual downhill slope, drag each brake for 20-30 seconds, alternating between front and rear. Repeat 2-3 times.

Step 2. On a steeper slope, engage and drag the brakes for 10-15 seconds then increase lever pressure until the bike slows almost to a complete stop. Repeat 2-3 times.

Pro Tip: The front pads will have been heated more than the rear. To achieve optimal performance, exchange the front and rear pads then repeat Step 2.

CAUTION before replacing or exchanging brake pads it is essential to let all parts cool.

father_jack

Disc brakes suck, they are worse stopping power than my rim brakes, and cheap V brakes.

meanredspider

Father Jack wrote:

Disc brakes suck, they are worse stopping power than my rim brakes, and cheap V brakes.

Troll comment if ever I heard one :roll:

father_jack

meanredspider wrote:

Father Jack wrote:

Disc brakes suck, they are worse stopping power than my rim brakes, and cheap V brakes.

Troll comment if ever I heard one :roll:

I've got two bikes with hydraulic disc brakes- they suck. Bled them, burped them, still bloody lousy.

meanredspider

Father Jack wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Father Jack wrote:

Disc brakes suck, they are worse stopping power than my rim brakes, and cheap V brakes.

Troll comment if ever I heard one :roll:

I've got two bikes with hydraulic disc brakes- they suck. Bled them, burped them, still bloody lousy.

Operator error then, I'm afraid. Your experience flies in the face of just about every opinion out there on hydro discs. Suggests there's something wrong with your set-up rather than the tech. Expensive? - surely. Heavy? - yes, heavier. Ugly? - opinion. Ineffective? - absolutely not.

father_jack

even on other people's high end mountain bikes, there is no progression of braking power, nothing much happens till you lock up the weel. On the roadie with calipers you can get control from small amount of braking power, progress all the way to fair amount, to lots, and full on lock up wheel.

I work on dozens of bikes.

meanredspider

Father Jack wrote:

even on other people's high end mountain bikes, there is no progression of braking power, nothing much happens till you lock up the weel. On the roadie with calipers you can get control from small amount of braking power, progress all the way to fair amount, to lots, and full on lock up wheel.

I work on dozens of bikes.

Doesn't really matter how many bikes you work on, your experience of hydro discs flies in the face of the overwhelming view. It could be that the majority are wrong in believing that discs provide better modulation than rims or it could be that there's an issue with yours or how you are using them. I can't be certain. But I know that I side with the overwhelming majority on this one.

High-end (most) MTBs, you brake with one finger - they are that subtle. If you are grabbing handfuls of lever, like my dad's rod-braked bike, there's no wonder the brakes lock.

ugo.santalucia

Father Jack wrote:

even on other people's high end mountain bikes, there is no progression of braking power, nothing much happens till you lock up the weel. On the roadie with calipers you can get control from small amount of braking power, progress all the way to fair amount, to lots, and full on lock up wheel.

I work on dozens of bikes.

In MTBike the suspension fork gives that level of control... lots of load goes onto the front wheel preventing it from locking, the same brakes on a bike with no suspension are basically on/off.
I fitted XT on my wife's kaffenback... the power is savage, but control is an issue

First.Aspect

Father Jack wrote:

even on other people's high end mountain bikes, there is no progression of braking power, nothing much happens till you lock up the weel. On the roadie with calipers you can get control from small amount of braking power, progress all the way to fair amount, to lots, and full on lock up wheel.

I work on dozens of bikes.

father_jack

burped them, still lousy. Clean rotors. Apply hard braking and can still turn the wheel by hand

lol disc brakes are **** and on the other, not much happens till you move lever close to bars, no progression of braking power. brakes on £250 carrera parva better than this.

imposter2.0

Father Jack wrote:

I work on dozens of bikes.

Let's hope none of them find their way into the hands of other people.

father_jack

Imposter wrote:

Father Jack wrote:

I work on dozens of bikes.

Let's hope none of them find their way into the hands of other people.

Oh I do, and probably yours too hehehe.

Pretty funny when customer brings a bike in with cable or hydraulic brakes, I try them out and typically they're all bad. The best ones may have stopping power but again the lever does nothing till the very end.

Digital braking. On or off. Lol

imposter2.0

Father Jack wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Father Jack wrote:

I work on dozens of bikes.

Let's hope none of them find their way into the hands of other people.

Oh I do, and probably yours too hehehe.

Pretty funny when customer brings a bike in with cable or hydraulic brakes, I try them out and typically they're all bad. The best ones may have stopping power but again the lever does nothing till the very end.

Digital braking. On or off. Lol

I can promise you mate - you don't work on my bikes. I am deeply worried (for others) that you appear to work in a bike shop though...

apreading

Father Jack - can you tell me where you work so that I can make sure never to take my bikes there?

Consensus from EVERYONE is exactly the opposite, in fact if you rearrange your sentence it would be better:

"even on other people's high end mountain bikes, you can get control from small amount of braking power, progress all the way to fair amount, to lots, and full on lock up wheel. On the roadie with calipers there is no progression of braking power, nothing much happens."

And when you say that "Apply hard braking and can still turn the wheel by hand", this sounds like you are testing the brakes on a stationary bike? Disc brakes work by generating heat so arent designed to stop the bike when it is already stationary...

Perhaps all of your knowledge is gained from 'testing' bikes in the workshop rather than actually riding them?

First.Aspect

My wife has a similar relationship with the car. Both the accelerator and brake pedals are binary.

First.Aspect

Perhaps this guy has got prosthetic hands. Its one explanation for a lack of lever feel.

First.Aspect

trekvet

Shimano hydrolic discs on my Trek Fuel are ace, down the hill at 36mph, approach T-junction, two fingers on levers, bam straight down to zero in a matter of yards. Daren't do half that on my 105'd road bike.

LimitedGarry

People are still arguing that disc brakes don't work as well as rim brakes? :roll:

kajjal

This discussion ended in mountain biking over 2 decades ago

father_jack

LimitedGarry wrote:

People are still arguing that disc brakes don't work as well as rim brakes? :roll:

I'll let you have a go on my flat bar bike with hydaulic disc brakes, lol use the car in front to slow you down. Crap braking, bled them, and even rubbish swith the stock length of cabling (pre bled)

Better brakes on a £300 Raleigh commuter bike

bbrap

Father Jack wrote:

LimitedGarry wrote:

People are still arguing that disc brakes don't work as well as rim brakes? :roll:

I'll let you have a go on my flat bar bike with hydaulic disc brakes, lol use the car in front to slow you down. Crap braking, bled them, and even rubbish swith the stock length of cabling (pre bled)

Better brakes on a £300 Raleigh commuter bike

If you use brake tubing rather than cabling it might work a tad better :P

meanredspider

Father Jack wrote:

LimitedGarry wrote:

People are still arguing that disc brakes don't work as well as rim brakes? :roll:

I'll let you have a go on my flat bar bike with hydaulic disc brakes, lol use the car in front to slow you down. Crap braking, bled them, and even rubbish swith the stock length of cabling (pre bled)

Better brakes on a £300 Raleigh commuter bike

Take the bike to someone competent and have it fixed.

Why is everyone's "solution" to crap braking on hydraulic brakes to bleed them? What are people doing that gets all this air into the system? Or were they just not installed correctly in the first place? The more I read, the more I believe that road cycling simply deserves rim brakes in some sort of bizarre karma or Darwinian sense...