Questions tagged [disc-brake]
Brakes with a disc called a rotor near the hub and calipers that squeeze pairs of pads against that disc.
591
questions
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Why are disc brakes rare on road bikes? (circa 2010) [closed]
Window shopping for road bikes, I can't see many that have disc brakes. What are the reasons for this?
63
votes
7
answers
202k
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Hydraulic Vs. Mechanical disc brakes
What is the difference between hydraulic and mechanical disc brakes? Are hydraulics more reliable? Or more powerful? I'm curious since, hydraulics seem to get more attention and seem to be on ...
58
votes
18
answers
57k
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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.
42
votes
6
answers
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How do I separate hydraulic disc brake pads after pulling the brake while the wheel is off?
I take the front wheel off my mountain bike to get it in my car. When I get it out and try to put the front wheel back on, the space between the brake pads isn't wide enough for the rotor. Whoops! I ...
33
votes
1
answer
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What is the difference between I.S., post, and flat mount disc brake mounting standards?
What is the difference between "I.S." (international standard), "P.M." (post mount), and flat mount disc brake mounting standards?
Does one have a clear advantage over the other and is there a ...
30
votes
3
answers
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Is there difference in quality for disc brake rotors?
I am on the hunt for new rotors for my mechanical disc brakes, as the old are too twisted now and the brakes can't be adjusted without the disc rubbing the pads.
What is the difference between the ...
27
votes
10
answers
32k
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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, ...
26
votes
1
answer
40k
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What is the difference between different types of disc brake pads
I've seen several different descriptors for disc brake pads: Metallic, Semi-Metallic, and Organic. What is the difference between these types of disc brake pads?
24
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3
answers
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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 ...
23
votes
8
answers
66k
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6-bolt vs centre-lock: pros and cons?
I am having a new set of wheels built, and am trying to decide on whether to go with 6-bolt or centre-lock rotor interface.
What are the pros and cons of the two systems?
22
votes
5
answers
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How often should hydraulic 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 (...
21
votes
8
answers
60k
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Why do my disc 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, the scent of fresh rain on hot tarmac fills your nostrils, you notice ...
21
votes
2
answers
249k
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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 ...
18
votes
2
answers
4k
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Why are disk brakes not completely round on the outside?
Why are disk brakes not 100% round? Why is the outside edge "rough"?
Here's a pic of what I'm describing:
17
votes
9
answers
5k
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V-brake vs hydraulic disk-brake - which is more environmentally friendly
Let me start the question by saying that I have a pretty good impression of the advantages of disk brakes vs. V-brakes, so I'm not asking about performance comparisons.
I'm MTB-ing several thousand ...
17
votes
4
answers
3k
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Is disk brake effectiveness mitigated by tyres losing traction under strong braking?
So I understand that disk brakes are superior to rim brakes and this leads to faster stopping particularly in wet weather.
I have wondered though, in wet conditions when you wish to stop as fast as ...
17
votes
2
answers
24k
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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 linear-...
17
votes
4
answers
6k
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Accident from front wheel locking up on brand new bike
I purchased a brand new hybrid bike with mechanical disk brakes a few weeks ago
I have ridden the bike for a few weeks without any issues on city streets with potholes and elevations from bridges
I ...
17
votes
2
answers
8k
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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 ...
17
votes
4
answers
15k
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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 ...
16
votes
5
answers
2k
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When to change disk brake pads?
I was wondering how to tell when your disk brake pads need replacing. My front brake seems to be not stopping as quickly as it used to, or as quickly as I would like. I know this could be due to road ...
15
votes
4
answers
2k
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Is this brake mounted incorrectly?
A friend of mine just got her bike back from the store after getting new brake pads, a new fork and a new cassette. After riding a few meters I noticed a weird behaviour while using the front brakes ...
15
votes
6
answers
45k
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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 ...
15
votes
5
answers
7k
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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 ...
15
votes
6
answers
17k
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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?
14
votes
4
answers
3k
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Disk brake cables wear out too often - can I do something?
I have bought a City Bike Elops Speed 900 a year ago. I noticed that the disk brake cables wear out way too often. It happens sometimes only after a few hundred kilometers of use.
They are torn at the ...
14
votes
3
answers
3k
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Can't get enough braking power after lots of adjustment
Hi :) I just bought a 2015 Specialized Diverge A1 with almost completely stock components. With some adjustments everything seems to work well except for the disc brakes.
This bike has a Shimano ...
14
votes
4
answers
7k
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Front disc brake wobbling / grinding on pads after full braking and minor plunge
The front disc brake grinds after a light accident with full braking and plunge.
To give an idea of the forces involved:
The bike fell to the left, mostly cushioned by me. The bike had no more ...
14
votes
2
answers
15k
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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?
13
votes
5
answers
19k
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What's the deal with compressionless brake cable housing?
Ok folks, I'm confused and in need of advice. On my commuter (touring) bike, I just upgraded my BB5's to BB7's. In the process, decided/realized that I also need to replace my cables and housing (@...
13
votes
4
answers
5k
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Separate hex keys vs. combined multi-tool for bike adjustments?
Are separate hex (Allen) keys better than a multi-tool for adjusting and maintaining a bike at home?
Some of the separated sets also have ball-ends for the 4/5/6mm keys:
Apart from Torx T25 screws ...
13
votes
7
answers
36k
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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 ...
13
votes
3
answers
2k
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Are brake calipers directional?
I'm interested in putting a discs brake on the right side of a bicycle. The goal is to have dual front discs, similar to how motorcycles often use double front brake discs.
I can buy or make a custom ...
13
votes
1
answer
607
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Do "durable" brake pads accelerate the wear on the rotors?
When I bought my fun bike, the standard pads were B01S. Then a bit later, Shimano released B03S, that was touted as "40% more durable than B01S, with the same braking performance", and ...
12
votes
7
answers
9k
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Can a bike have both rim and disc brakes?
Was just wondering if a dual option like this was possible or even desirable.
12
votes
1
answer
3k
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Why are disc brakes (disc & caliper) always installed on the left side of the bicycle?
When reading the question Front tire and downtube are extremely close, I realized that disc brakes (referring to the assembly of brake disc and caliper, not the brake levers) are always installed on ...
12
votes
4
answers
122k
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Hydraulic Disk brake piston not fully retracting
My front disk brake's piston doesn't fully retract. While I can ride the bike, the brake is slightly rubbing. (IE, if I just spin the wheel with my hand, it'll go around about one and a half times ...
12
votes
4
answers
20k
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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 its mounting screws are in ...
12
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Why are Disc Brakes better in the Rain?
It is generally accepted that disc brakes will offer better performance in the rain on a road bike.
But from reading many articles on the topic of disc vs rim brakes, I have yet to find any ...
12
votes
7
answers
11k
views
Relative 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 brakes,...
12
votes
3
answers
18k
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When Should I replace the rotors on disk brakes?
I've probably done about 20k on the rotors I bought the bike with. They still work fine, but are visibly worn and slightly grooved from me not replacing the pads soon enough a few times.
How do I ...
12
votes
2
answers
4k
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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 ...
11
votes
5
answers
16k
views
Disc brakes better for rainy days?
Are disc brakes more effective on rainy weather? I had a close call riding my road bike during a morning rain and almost collided with a parked car. My road bike is steel and has tektro branded ...
11
votes
11
answers
57k
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 ...
10
votes
2
answers
2k
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How to install round brake pads
I decided to change my bike's brake pads myself. My bike has the following brakes: Promax DSK-915. I contacted the online shop I ordered my new brake pads (and my bike last year), before purchasing, ...
10
votes
4
answers
4k
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Are rotor bolts designed to shear?
I was toying about with a disk brake for the first time and managed to shear two bolts clean off while reassembling.
Curiously, both tore the head off, leaving the threadded shaft in the tapped hole ...
10
votes
2
answers
1k
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Do we need to repeat the bed-in process for disk brakes after replacing only the pads?
I know that we need to go through the bed-in process when installing a new disk, but what about when changing only the pads?
Technically, the surface of the disk has already been prepared with the ...
10
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Front brake causes violent shudder
My bike is equipped with disk-brakes. It also has a fork with suspension.
When I apply the front brake, my fork vibrates violently, as can be seen below:
I've adjusted ...
10
votes
3
answers
19k
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Is it possible to mount a disk brake hub to a rim-brake rim?
Suppose I have a disk-compatible hub and frame, but want build a wheel based around a very specific touring rim, which is labelled as being for rim brakes.
My understanding is that you cannot attach ...
10
votes
3
answers
2k
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What is the purpose of bedding in disc brake pads? And what if the procedure is not followed?
When installing new brake pads for disc brakes, manufacturers recommend to "bed in" the pads. For example, Magura recommends to go 30kph then brake hard and repeat this process 30 times.
...