Road bike rim brake maintenance: Changing and correctly adjusting the pads

Despite the increasing use of disc brakes on road and gravel bikes, the good old rim brake is not yet obsolete. Thousands of road cyclists still have bikes with rim brakes in their cellar, ride them or are looking for used road bikes with rim brakes. In this service article, we show you how to get to grips with problems with rim brakes.

Rim brakes on road bikes are easy to maintain

Classic rim brakes are easy to maintain - but not free from faults. We show you the most common problems and how to solve them.

Clean rim brake pads

Scratching noises indicate foreign bodies in the pads: small stones or aluminium shavings from the rim; Shimano pads are particularly susceptible to this. Check the pads regularly and pick out the aluminium crumbs with a small screwdriver. This protects the rim flanks and prevents noise when braking.

Clean rims

Rim brakes squeal if the rims are contaminated with rubber abrasion or other dirt. Clean the rims thoroughly (e.g. with acetone).

Smoothing the rim joint

If the rim brakes on a road bike apply unevenly or rubbing, or if there is a clicking noise with every wheel rotation during braking, the cause may be an unclean rim joint - the point at which the rim profile is joined together. Smooth out the unevenness with sandpaper.

Adjusting the rim brake pads

Align the brake pads so that the front ends meet the rim first when viewed in the direction of travel. A piece of cardboard or folded paper with a thickness of 1 to 2 millimetres can be useful for adjusting: Clamp it under the rear end of the brake pad while tightening the screw.

Our step-by-step video guide explains how to change the brake pads and correctly adjust the rim brake on a road bike:

Better pressure point for road bike rim brakes

Coated cables from Shimano, which are supplied with the Dura-Ace and Ultegra groupsets, also help any other Shimano or SRAM rim brake: they noticeably improve the pressure point and modulation. The disadvantage is the somewhat more complex installation: the coating is susceptible to damage.