Joy of Medina County Magazine | July 2022
HEALTH: HEALTHY TRAILS
Putting the Brakes on Squeaks by Robert Soroky If you ride bikes long enough it is no surprise that, at some point, things are going to go wrong. Usually, it is a flat tire (“Fixing Those Inevitable Flats,” Page 21, October 2021, https://bit.ly/3HY1WDL), which, with a little practice, can become a very doable repair for most folks. But what about other problems that the bike may encounter like, say, squeaky breaks? Or, heaven forbid, loose breaks? Believe it or not, some brake issues, much like flat tires, can be handled by the everyday person. Let us start with the squeak. There are a few reasons why brakes might squeak. Sometimes, it is caused by a buildup of either dirt, grime or an oily substance on the brake pads. A quick fix for this is to use a small piece of sandpaper to lightly sand the surface of the brake pads to remove the buildup. Most times, this is all that needs to be done. Another option, specifically on bikes with rim brakes, is to slightly angle the front edge of each brake pad in toward the rim. Note that this is a very small adjustment, a couple of millimeters at the most, just enough for the front of the pad to hit the rim first when braking. If you have tried both of these methods and the squeak persists, it may be time to replace the pads altogether. Now, let us address those loose rim brakes. Traditional cable-actuated rim brakes stretch over time. As that cable gets longer, squeeze after squeeze, the brake handle pulls closer and closer to the handlebar grip, causing less braking power. The fix here is to tighten up the cable. Although this can be done by the non-bike mechanic, some additional adjustments may be needed after the cable is tightened, so having a bike shop mechanic do the initial adjustment might be the smarter way to go. However, most mechanics will let you watch the process so you will know how to make that adjustment in the future. Next month’s column will cover maintenance and operation of disc brakes! Robert Soroky is a lifelong cyclist who regularly participates in long-distance charity rides and is the manager of the Century Cycles Medina location. Contact Soroky at robert@centurycycles.com to suggest column topics, for further information or to chat about bikes.
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