33
votes
Brakes not stopping my bike
Based on the specs on the Amazon page, its a low-end bike with cost-conscious components.
A quick google returns reviews like https://www.bikeride.com/takara-sugiyama/ that say things like "...
- 129k
25
votes
Is this rim still safe to use?
Sorry, those rims are trash (or wall art).
I'd chase down the seller and demand your money back, and report them on whatever sites they were advertising on for selling items in a known dangerous state....
- 75.9k
21
votes
Is disk brake effectiveness mitigated by tyres losing traction under strong braking?
Ideally, the brakes should be able strong enough to break traction otherwise you will not be able to brake maximally (i.e., just before the threshold of losing traction). Rim brakes can do this, even ...
- 30.7k
20
votes
Accepted
V-brake vs hydraulic disk-brake - which is more environmentally friendly
We can assume that V-brake pads are essentially non-degradable. The same is true for resin disc pads. But are non-recyclable. Metal disc pads seem to be various copper alloys which are probably OK ...
- 61.2k
19
votes
Accepted
What's the purpose of the channel in the brake track of this rim?
It's a wear indicator. The friction of the brakes gradually abrades the rim away and the track lets you see how fast that's happening. Once the rim has worn enough that the track is very shallow, the ...
- 17k
17
votes
two grooves in wheel rim
These are wear indicators.
After years of braking, the surface of the rim will grind down to a point that these grooves will no longer be discernable. At that point, you should replace the rim.
- 4,552
16
votes
Accepted
Strange cable mount
They're called Travel Agents and are used to change the cable pull of a brake lever so you can mix and match brake styles.
- 5,764
16
votes
Stopping power of mountain vs road bike
You have already answered your own question really.
When I slam the brakes on the wheels lock up(front and back) but i take longer to stop than i'm perhaps used to.
If the brakes are strong enough ...
- 18.4k
15
votes
How to clean rim brake track efficiently?
Fold a paper towel a couple of times and stick it between pad and rim. Squeeze the brake lever and rotate the tire.
Depending on the contaminant you may want to wet the towel, douse it lightly with a ...
- 53.9k
15
votes
Accepted
How do bicycle brake manufacturers balance their products' physical limitations?
There is more to it than the 3 factors you describe beyond just the conversion of one force to another. A few others:
The deflection of the linkages in braking. A flimsy brake caliper will ...
- 12.2k
15
votes
Accepted
What are these red devices on Shimano Nexave v-brakes and how do they work?
The red part's purpose is to limit braking power by flexing when the rider pulls brake level too hard. They are claimed to improve safety by preventing accidentally locking the wheel, but in practice ...
- 22.3k
13
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to control two brakes from a single lever?
Glad to see you're back!
You can use a Problem Solvers Cable Doubler 1:2 to pull 2 brakes with 1 lever. Its a little device which you hook up the two brakes to (assuming they have the same cable pull)...
- 46.4k
12
votes
Is there a wheel which can use both disc brakes and rim brakes?
Rim brakes need an appropriate braking surface on the rim -- if you apply rim brakes to a rim which doesn't have an appropriate braking surface, it'll wear down the rims quickly to be unsafe to ride ...
- 46.4k
12
votes
Accepted
Can I convert a rim brake wheel to a disc brake wheel?
The hub for a disc brake wheel has the mounting for the brake rotor machined into the left side, and has shorter spokes that side to make room for the brake.
If the eBay wheels are for rim brakes, ...
- 12.9k
12
votes
V-brake vs hydraulic disk-brake - which is more environmentally friendly
The world is full of perfectly good cantis, v-brakes, and rim brake wheels that sit unused since disc has taken over. Using what we've already produced for its actual full service life is pretty hard ...
- 87k
11
votes
What is the purpose of an insert pin for Magura brake hoses?
I assume by 'pin' you mean the following part:
This part is called the 'insert' or 'connecting insert' and its purpose is to 'support' the (non rigid) brake hose in order to prevent it from crushing/...
11
votes
Accepted
Did my 2015 rim have wear indicators on the brake surface?
As @abdnChap correctly stated, not all rims have wear indicators, which are usually one or more dimples on the rim or a groove machined around the whole rim. Without a wear indicator, gauging the ...
- 35.3k
11
votes
V-brake vs hydraulic disk-brake - which is more environmentally friendly
The true answer is: It really doesn't matter. You are riding a bicycle, that is what matters. If you are truly eager to minimize your ecological footprint, caring about the break type on your bike is ...
- 1,747
10
votes
Accepted
Uneven wear of brake pads
With the brake tension released (either through the quick release or untensioning the brake wire) is the spring tension on both sides equal? As @Daniel R Hicks notes, some unevenness is inevitable ...
- 29.4k
10
votes
Accepted
V-brake arm not returning to "open" position
There are a few possibilities but its fairly easy to isolate the likely problem.
Unclip the noodle (where the cable comes out) and check if the problem is in the V brakes or the cable.
If its the V ...
- 52.3k
10
votes
Stopping power of mountain vs road bike
The maximum braking force is achieved when the tire is just about to loose traction and start sliding on the road surface. Braking force decreases sharply as the tire begins to slide.
If you are ...
- 75.9k
10
votes
Is thru axle with rim brake okay?
It is of course in general OK to but rim brakes on your bike IF the frame supports them and IF the rim has the braking surface. You will need the right brake levers and cables. If your disc brakes ...
- 16.7k
9
votes
Accepted
What is this plastic part on caliper brakes called?
With the information provided by Criggie's comment I was able to find an exploded diagram of the Shimano Exage brake with a part list.
That part is called (descriptively) a "Sleeve". It's part number ...
- 22.9k
9
votes
Can I convert rim brake to disc brake on road bike?
To do this "properly" you need to replace all these parts:
a new frame with disk caliper mounts
a new fork with disk caliper mounts
all the brake system parts, being calipers and rotors, hose etc.
...
- 129k
9
votes
Why are Disc Brakes better in the Rain?
Discs have a much higher clamping force. For rim brakes, there's usually quite a bit of movement; you can run the brakes with 5mm clearance from the rim and it'll still work fine. With discs, the pads ...
- 16.9k
9
votes
Accepted
How to clean rim brake track efficiently?
When I need to get it actually clean, and the whole area is really dirty with caked-on grime or dirt, what I use is a brush like this (pictured is from a Finish Line set):
Using warm water, I get the ...
- 87k
9
votes
Accepted
Why does my front brake cable push out of my brake lever?
The lever is not broken.
The lever's job is to pull the cable away from the brake.
There are springs in the brake that should pull the cable away from the brake lever.
The cable housing should allow ...
- 22.9k
9
votes
How fast do carbon and aluminium rim brake tracks wear?
The materials you quote are quite different. Even between different types of aluminium rim, wear rates can be significantly different. A set of wheels I built with high end aluminium rims were ridden ...
- 15.1k
9
votes
Accepted
Ultegra R8000 rim brake compatible with Zipp 303 Firecrest?
For a wheel to be compatible, it needs to respect three criteria:
Rim width (maximum width allowed is affected by brake shoes)
Tire thickness
Tire outer diameter
For the BR-R8000 with carbon wheels, ...
- 4,169
8
votes
V-brake arm not returning to "open" position
Daniel's comment is right, in addition check the brake lever for stiffness.
You should be able to undo the noodle from the noodle-holder, the brake arms should extend out to the sides, and each ...
- 129k
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