Disc brakes on a road bike: Replacing brake pads

Briefly and concisely explained, quickly and safely done at home in the hobby workshop: Replacing brake pads on hydraulic disc brakes, which are installed on modern road bikes and gravel bikes. You can find the do-it-yourself instructions for changing the pads on road bike disc brakes here. In the video, we show the screwdriver handles as an example on a Shimano Ultegra disc brake. The steps are very similar for other models and brakes from SRAM or Campagnolo.

If your disc brake pads are worn or oily, it's high time to fit new pads to the disc brakes on your road or gravel bike. Waiting is not an option, because road bike brakes are a safety-relevant component! TOUR lab manager Christoph Allwang shows you how it works in the video above. Here is a list of the individual steps in the workshop instructions.

8-point guide to changing brake pads on road bike disc brakes

1. Before removing the brake pads, first remove the front wheel from the fork.
2. Then use needle-nose pliers to remove the securing split pin from the fastening bolt.
3. Then unscrew the fastening bolt using a slotted screwdriver.
4. When removing the old pads, if possible hold the brake pads together with the return spring and pull them out of the brake calliper from above.
5. Now is the time to check the pads to see whether they are worn or can still be used. At the latest when the pad thickness is only one millimetre, it is time to replace the disc brake pads. The same applies, of course, to oily pads.
6. If the old disc brake pads were badly worn, it is necessary to press back the brake pistons before inserting the new pads. To do this, use plastic spacers, which are often supplied by the brake manufacturer. In an emergency, a wide screwdriver will also work, which you can then use carefully to push the pistons in the brake calliper all the way back into their original position.
7. To reinstall the brake pads, it is best to make a small package of spring and brake pads. Press this together a little and insert it into the brake calliper from behind so that the holes for the fixing bolt are all aligned if possible.
8. Then screw the fixing bolt back in and don't forget it: Don't forget to reinsert the locking split pin on the last one so that the brake pads are secured.

Finally, the front wheel is refitted. After replacing the brake pads, it may be necessary to readjust and adjust the brake calliper because the new, thicker pads rub against the brake disc. We show how this works in this Screwdriver article in a video.