Noisy Brakes

Jonah2940
Jonah2940 Posts: 58
edited October 2007 in Commuting chat
Every morning as I set off I'm sure that I wake the whole street up with the noise of my brakes (loud schreeching type noise). Does this mean I need new brakes (there seems to be quite a lot left on the blocks) or is there another way I can stop it?
Thanks.

Comments

  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    What sort of brakes are they?

    Shimano XT parallel push v-brakes have been notorious for this due to play in the mechanism. Shimano issued an upgrade kit some years ago. I swapped mine to XTR and they went silent, however when I changed my forks from Rockshox SID SL's to rigid Kona P2 triple butted (I "commuterised" my mtb) the squeal came back. I can only assume it is an issue with resonance with the fork, probably affected by it being more flexy and / or because it's steel.

    The usual advice is to toe-in the pads, no amount of this has helped completely, merely increasing the amont of force required to trigger it. I am running Koolstop Salmon pads, which are also often recommended to fix this.

    My rears don't squeal at all.

    So, look at the tightness of the calipers on the forks, investigate sloppy parallel push mechanism (if applicable), try toe-in, try new pads, then, er...wait till a real expert comes along here with the cure!!!

    On a small plus side, the squeal works a treat in getting wayward peds to resume the kerb in the city.
  • Jonah2940
    Jonah2940 Posts: 58
    It's only my fronts as well.
    Funny you say that about the peds, woke up a dozy woman who stepped right out in front of me this morning so not that bad!
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    Jonah2940 wrote:
    Every morning as I set off I'm sure that I wake the whole street up with the noise of my brakes (loud schreeching type noise). Does this mean I need new brakes (there seems to be quite a lot left on the blocks) or is there another way I can stop it?
    Thanks.

    Loads of oil on the rims should do the trick.



    (joke)
  • cupofteacp
    cupofteacp Posts: 578
    Have you recently used GT85 etc on your bike?
    15 * 2 * 5
    * 46 = Happiness
  • Jonah2940
    Jonah2940 Posts: 58
    Nope, I don't use any sort of spray lubricant (on my bike anyway 8)).
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    what brakes are they?
  • hamboman
    hamboman Posts: 512
    toe the pads
  • Jonah2940
    Jonah2940 Posts: 58
    Sorry Alfablue, I should have answered you earlier. They're just the standard v brakes that came on the bike.
    From what I remember is toe-in angling the blocks?
  • hamboman
    hamboman Posts: 512
    yup, toe them in at the front a little
  • Jonah2940
    Jonah2940 Posts: 58
    Thanks guys, will give that a go.
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    Mine do it in the wet on the MTB, rear's only...

    Outpaced a guy on a Planet X road bike recently - could hear him braking at lights for a few miles - he didn't pass me on the commuter MTB...... only when we 'parted company' did he pull up in the left lane...horrible noise.... some school girl shouted 'ohhh my ears' - not good on a carbon bike......

    I seem to be blitzing most bikes now on my commute - sooooo good to be back commuting on a bike again, sodding heavy MTB or not.....the road bikes are for the weekend... :twisted:

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