Brakes with a disc near the hub and calipers that grip that disc.
53
votes
13answers
7k views
Why don't road bikes have disc brakes?
Window shopping for road bikes, can't see many that have disc brakes, any reason for this?
27
votes
12answers
6k views
What is the practical advantage of disk brakes over rim brakes?
Disk brakes are becomming more popular on bikes now, and I was just wondering what the advantage is of this type of brake over the older rim brakes.
14
votes
5answers
2k views
What type of brakes are best for mountain bike racing?
Disc brakes are more expensive than v-brakes, but in a heavy rain they will break down. V-Brakes are becoming harder to find, but they're much easier to maintain and don't break down as easily.
What ...
12
votes
3answers
1k views
How do I prevent disk brakes from squeaking in the rain?
When I got my new bike with disk brakes, I thought that they would perform much better in the rain. While this is true, they still squeak quite loud in wet conditions, which is quite annoying. Is ...
11
votes
5answers
17k views
How do I separate brake pads after accidentally pulling the front brake while the wheel is off?
The title says it all really. I've taken the front wheel off my mountain bike to get it in my car. When I get it out and try and put the front wheel back on the space between the brake pads isn't wide ...
11
votes
2answers
19k views
Converting bike from rim brakes to disc brakes
I just bought a used 2009 Kona Dew and it comes with regular rim brakes. I'm perfectly happy with them so far, but have been wondering if disc brakes would come handy when it rains.
What is involved ...
10
votes
1answer
686 views
Disc Brakes: Resurface your Pads?
Is resurfacing the brake pads in disc brakes (hydraulic or mechanical) necessary? If so, what would you use to do this - medium sandpaper?
I spoke to one mechanic while shopping for a bike, who ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
Hydraulic Vs. Mechanical disc brakes
What is the difference between hydraulic and mechanical disc brakes? Are hydraulics more reliable? Or more powerful? All I know (I'm an amateur and a new user) is that hydraulics seem to get more ...
8
votes
2answers
710 views
When to change disk brake pads
I was wondering how to tell when your disk brake pads need replacing. My front seems to be not stopping as quickly as it used to, or as I would like. I know this could be road grime build up, but I ...
8
votes
2answers
4k views
Hydraulic Disc Brakes Maintenance
I have Hayes Nine hydraulic disc brakes on my mountain bike. I have recently replaced the brake pads and after that it seems that the pads are almost touching the rotor.
How can I adjust it?
I have ...
8
votes
2answers
3k views
How to tell when disc brakes are worn?
How do I tell how worn my disc brakes are and what are the consequences of letting them wear too low?
8
votes
5answers
865 views
Weight of disc brakes
People say (for example here) that disc brakes are relatively heavy, giving this as a reason for not using them.
How much heavier than rim brakes are disc brakes? Is the extra heaviness in the ...
8
votes
5answers
3k views
Why/How should I bed in disc brake pads?
Why should I bed in my disc brake pads and what's the best way to do it?
8
votes
3answers
1k views
What causes my front wheel to twist when I apply the brake?
I have a 2005 Specialized HardRock Sport with disc brakes.
When I'm slowing down from a reasonable speed with the front brake, I noticed that the top of the front wheel appears to deflect sideways ...
7
votes
4answers
3k views
Rack (+ Pannier) for a bike with disc brakes
I'd like to get a rack for my bike (Haibike Land). The problem is that the bottom screws are blocked by the disc brake:
(If it is not obvious from the photo, the brake and it's mounting screws are ...
7
votes
3answers
7k views
Disc brakes squeak on Trek mountain bike
I have a Trek 3900 mountain bike with disc brakes, and I just took it out of winter storage to start riding it for the season.
Everything works well, except for one very annoying problem: when I stop ...
7
votes
1answer
431 views
How do I change my disc brake pads?
How do I change my disc-brake pads? How do I avoid letting the fluid out?
6
votes
3answers
430 views
Why are single-speed bikes with disc brakes hard to find?
I've been looking around for bikes (decent frame & components), and find that hybrids do have disc brakes (hydraulic), but are never single-speed. While single-speed bikes typically have ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
How do I prevent my hydraulic brakes from getting pressed/damaged when the wheels are off?
When I was buying my bike, the technician in the shop told me not to press the brakes when the wheels are off (detached), otherwise the brakes will get damaged (I don't know how).
I need to detach ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Is it worth switching from regular “rim brakes” to the new disk brakes?
I have an old Haro mountain bike I love. One feature request I have for a new bike is disk brakes. Is it possible to install disk brakes on an old bike? Is it worth it?
6
votes
5answers
7k views
How often should disk brakes need bleeding?
The brake handles for my disk brakes became very loose four months after I bought the bike. The bike shop bled the brakes and put new oil in them, which sorted it.
They're feeling a bit loose again ...
6
votes
2answers
586 views
What is the difference between DOT brake fluids?
I know that the two main categories are the mineral oil (Shimano, Magura) and the DOT type (Avid, Hayes).
But what is the difference between the DOT 3, DOT4, DOT 5.1?
Which one should I choose for ...
6
votes
2answers
317 views
How to prevent my disc brakes from locking/sticking due to debris?
Context:
I have a commuter/crossover bike with disc brakes, and a daily commute of ~20km. I upgraded to a bike with disc brakes after standard caliper brakes kept losing their stick and requiring pad ...
6
votes
3answers
6k views
Specialized Hardrock - How to stop disc brakes from squealing?
I have a Specialized Hardrock 2011 Disc brake mountain bike with a front brake that squeals when used lightly. It's OK if I use the brake hard - but I usually don't need or want to stop in such a ...
5
votes
4answers
799 views
Would hydraulic disc brakes be easier on my hands than mechanical disc brakes?
I ride MTB in a coastal town where all roads are dirt roads with lots of uphill/downhill. Nothing extreme, I just ride to relax and enjoy the landscape. I have mechanical disc brakes and after a 2-4 ...
5
votes
2answers
332 views
Can I run rim brakes on a disc rim?
I'm trying to buy a front wheel which will work with both disc and rim brakes so that I can use it on my cross bike (with rim brakes) and my mountain bike (with disc brakes) with a dynamo hub to power ...
5
votes
1answer
6k views
How do I bleed Avid Elixir brakes
My bike has a set of Avid Elixir R hydraulic brakes. The front brake barely goes on when I pull the lever and the back brake feels pretty soft. I think I need to bleed them. How do I go about doing ...
5
votes
3answers
872 views
Disk brake has never worked properly from new, pads replaced - still rubbish!
I've got Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and ever since I've had the bike (from new) the front brake has never worked properly. It used to squeak really loudly and perform badly but I assumed they just ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
What do I clean disk brakes with?
I know I need to keep the disks clean on my bike, but if I've got them covered in grease, what should I clean them with?
4
votes
5answers
3k views
Why do my disk brakes squeal when wet?
Picture the scene... It's just been raining and you are getting ready to commute home after work, you cycle out on to the tarmac and as you do so, you notice a bunch of pedestrians push the button on ...
4
votes
6answers
2k views
Adjusting disk brakes after taking off the wheel
I recently took off the front wheel off of my mountain bike, and have been having considerably difficulty getting the front wheel on the right spot such that the wheel doesn't rub against the brake ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Can you put disc brakes on road forks originally intended for calipers?
I've decided I want a disc brake, at least on the front, which seems a good enough reason to go bike shopping, but am I overlooking the possibility of fitting a cable pull disc brake to my current ...
4
votes
2answers
239 views
Rear hydraulic disc sticking
My 2012 Model Scott Sub 10 has recently been experiencing issues with the rear disc sticking on my daily commute and getting so bad that I have to stop, wait for it to cool and then push the disc a ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Adjusting disk brake pad positions
I have had experience on a couple of mountain bikes when I could not adjust the disk brake caliper positions far enough left or right to keep the pads from rubbing the rotor a little. Is this common ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
How do I get rid of the noise on my Hayes Stroker Trail brakes
I recently bought a new bike that came with Hayes Stroker Trail hydraulic brakes. From day one they were squeeky and not very grippy. I wrote it off to the burn in period that most disc brakes ...
4
votes
3answers
191 views
Disc brake freezing at end of ride
At the end of my last ride the back brake started rubbing hard on the disc. It almost feels like the brake cable had popped out of the lever. The bike is relatively new to me, and I am not very ...
4
votes
1answer
611 views
How do I correctly align the brake disc with the callipers when replacing my quick-release wheel?
My bike's front wheel is quick-release (QR), but the rear has a traditional skewer (because of the hub gears). It also has disc brakes, and as you'd expect, there isn't a lot of clearance between the ...
3
votes
5answers
361 views
A bike for city commute - disc brakes, bar-end shifters, tires
I'm planning on buying a bike for city commute.
My commute to work is approximately 12km (7.5 miles) one way. I live in Vancouver which means:
I'll be riding in rainy weather frequently.
I'll be ...
3
votes
1answer
515 views
Require a star tool to remove disc rotor
I need to change my disc brake rotors. So i discover I require a star tool. Here is a picture of my rotor bolts. Can someone point out a tool that will fit this? Prefer a bike tool.
To give some ...
3
votes
4answers
131 views
Is having your hands “on the hoods” of drop handlebars safe for braking?
I've never had a bike with drop handlebars, but may get one for commuting in busy London (likely a single-speed with mechanical disc brakes).
This would mean riding with my hands mostly on the hoods, ...
3
votes
3answers
543 views
could I mount a different manufacturer brand rotor to use with my brakes?
I've a tektro draco hydraulic brakes on my mtb and I would like to know if it is possible to mount a different brand rotor to use with my brakes?
3
votes
3answers
7k views
How long should MTB disc brake pads last?
I'm fairly new to mountain biking and I was able to put in around 900 miles on my first set of brake pads on my Giant Anthem X2. At that point they started grinding metal on metal. I went and bought ...
3
votes
2answers
651 views
Disc brake pads - steel vs aluminium back plate
I am looking at a set of Organic Disc brake pads. The brake pads come with a steel back plate or as an aluminium back plate. Why would I choose one over the other?
3
votes
2answers
608 views
Is a pad spacer needed when installing disc brake pads?
I need to replace my disc brake pads on my Shimano XT brakes. This seems like a pretty straight forward procedure, and I have all the tools needed except for the pad spacer. Do I need this to install ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
What to consider when changing V-brake for a disc brake?
The frame of this bike has the capacity for V-brakes and disc brakes. There are some problems with the rear V-brake and I am considering installing a disc brake instead (just for elevated coolness). ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Converting an existing cyclocross bike to disc brakes
I have a bike (Surly Crosscheck) that is used for commuting and cyclocross. As it's a bit older and disc brakes were not legal for 'cross until recently, it has cantilever brakes for optimal mud ...
3
votes
2answers
154 views
How do I align my front brake disk with the caliper?
I have manual Avid disc brakes.
I took my front wheel off like I've done hundreds of times. When I put it back on the wheel is aligned properly with my fork, but the disc presses against one of the ...
3
votes
1answer
261 views
How to practice jumping over cars with disc brakes and SPD shoes?
This question here raises a sub-question, to avoid accidents. I am looking for some safe ways to practice jumping over cars. I use SPD shoes and disc brakes because I have noticed that I can burst ...
3
votes
1answer
142 views
Is my disc brake caliper correctly mounted on the frame?
I have been in the process of upgrading my bike a bit. A friend of mine convinced me to upgrade my brakes from my stock Shimanos to some disc brakes. After having a look around and asking question, I ...
3
votes
1answer
895 views
Hydraulic disc pads binding on disc
I took the front wheel off my mountain bike and the hydraulic disc pads closed. I’ve opened them back up and replaced the wheel. However, the pads seem to now be closing up all the time and binding on ...
