this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2023
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Do It Yourself

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Why do my bike brakes loosen quickly? I have to adjust them weekly. (lemmy.nz)
submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by sylverstream@lemmy.nz to c/diy@beehaw.org
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I've recently installed new brake pads on my bike, all good. They are disc brakes. After a week they were too loose, thought it was because they were new, so readjusted them. A week later and I have to readjust them again. I only cycle about 70km per week. Before the pad replacement I didn't have to do it so often.

Is it still because they're new or am I forgetting something? Thanks.

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[–] sylverstream@lemmy.nz 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Assuming these are cable actuated disc brakes: check the cable tension. You did be able to adjust tension by using a Barrell adjuster on your brake lever. This looks like a knob between the lever body and the cable housing. Rotating it should increase (or decrease) tension.

Thanks, will give that a try.

Can you describe ‘loose’ more precisely? Do you mean you can pull the lever too close to the bar. Or something else?

Yes, it comes too close to the bar, so I can't brake properly.

What did you do to adjust it that fixed it?

I re-adjusted the brake calipers, so they would be closer to the disc again.

[–] indun@feddit.uk 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Be careful with the cable tension barrel adjuster. As you turn it, watch the brake caliper: is there is any movement, stop turning the caliper and back off.

It should only be used to remove slack in the cable on installation - it shouldn't be used to adjust the brakes.

This is because a disc brake caliper only has a few mm of travel. So if use of the barrel adjuster "removes" 1mm of that travel, you end up with far less modulation available.