Compared to the brakes on motor vehicles or mountain bikes, those on racing bikes are almost Stone Age. Braking power and modulation are significantly worse. Because the brakes are actuated by cables, they do not adjust automatically when the brake pad is worn. As a result, the idle travel on the brake lever gradually increases. Dirt also reduces the effectiveness and modulation of the brake. To put it plainly: anyone who does not maintain their brakes regularly will not be able to stop quickly enough at the crucial moment.
You should listen out for scraping noises when braking. This could be caused by deposits in the brake pads. Be sure to remove these, as small stones and very hard brake pad components can tear aluminium particles from the surface of the rim flank. Over time, veritable lumps of aluminium form in the pads; precise braking is hardly possible any more. In addition, the braking surfaces of the rims wear more than necessary - the sooner the thinly ground rim flanks can flake off due to the pressure in the tyre.
Dirt in brake joints and Bowden cables also reduces modulation. A clear indication of this is when the brake only opens hesitantly. Then the only solution is to completely dismantle it. To prevent this from happening, you should occasionally clean the brake bodies with water and a little detergent.
Replace worn pads in good time so that the brake pad holders do not damage the rim. Particularly with aerodynamic rims, the insertion aid on the pad carrier can scrape against high-profile rims. If the grooves in the pad are evenly braked, it is time to replace it.
Shimano and Campagnolo offer replacement pads, and there is also a selection from pad specialists such as Kool Stop or Swiss Stop. Different pad variants have different colours: There is usually a pad mix for bare, black or colourful anodised rims with a relatively soft surface, a second type for hard anodised, dark grey aluminium, a mix for ceramic rims and one for carbon rims.
It is worth trying out, because unsatisfactory braking performance is usually due to the brake pad. Make a few test stops with new brake pads. Pads can behave differently, especially during emergency braking.
We show the maintenance on a Shimano brake; it works in a similar way for brakes from other manufacturers. However, Campagnolo brake pads are changed differently: They are held in place by a very narrow guide, which makes installation somewhat more difficult. No matter which brake you ride: Check all screws 100 to 200 kilometres after maintenance and fitting.
Degree of difficulty: for interested beginners
You will need:
- Tool: Allen key and torque spanner, small screwdriver, coarse emery cloth, penetrating oil, cloth
