7 Disc Brake Mistakes That Are RUINING Your Bike!

[@gcntech]

What other disc brake mistakes have you made? 👀

[@savagepro9060]

none, I have literally NEVER even touched a disc brake bike

[@user-nu5fx6en9h]

Not cleaning them after rainy ride🫠

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

Not checking to see how much brake pad material is left.🙈

[@EndUser-yu7gg]

I am guilty of all of the above.... my last event I went on my the end of mile 200 I was being called '... the squeaky brake guy...' I just started answering ... yeah easier for you to hear me coming.......REEEEEEEEEE....🤪

[@jayjohnson7594]

Resetting pistons into the caliper without removing bleed screw in the lever first, causing a leak in the diaphragm in the lever. My tip, ALWAYS remove the bleed screw in the brake lever and install a bleed bucket so any excess fluid has somewhere to go instead of bursting the reservoir. Also: NEVER add brake fluid when the pistons are not fully reset into the caliper, avoid overfilling the system at all times. Added benefit is that you allow the pistons to retract optimally after braking, preventing sticky pistons.

[@Platypus_Warrior]

I use to be a bike mechanic. A trick that no one will say is that you can restore heavily contaminated pads. Take the pads off, spray with brake cleaner and set fire to it. Be careful not to spray too much or the long burn can detach the braking material from the mount. Do it outside over a hard surface or on a metal table. U'r welcome

[@Bonky-wonky]

Works half of the time but still worth a shot, especially with current parts prices..

[@devdroid9606]

I burned the garage down. Now what?

[@joeymacme]

​@@devdroid9606 That's an issue alright. I guess you should have done it outside, like he said.

[@Platypus_Warrior]

@@devdroid9606 🤣🤣 You're the reason they say not to dry pets in a microwave

[@The_1ntern3t]

​@@devdroid9606But are the pads clean?

[@chinastew]

Resin and scintered / semi-metal pads. Not sure if only Shimano uses rotors that should only use resin pads (is written on an arm of the rotor, "Resin Pads Only"), but it certainly is good to check. If it says Resin Only, then use resin pads. "Metallic" pads chew up the softer rotor metal. I have found it is okay to go the other way, use resin pads on rotors that can handle "metallic" pads. Also, some rotors are narrower than others (something like 14mm vs. 16mm) and pads should match the rotor width. If not, the rotor will likely undercut the pad near the top, or the pad will not reach the top of the rotor and leave an overhang / ridge at the top of the rotor. A final comment, don't let rotors get too worn or they could break apart during use. One of my customers had this happen on a rear wheel when stopping at a light in town - instant wheel lockup. Another customer had 0.3mm (yes, i could bend the rotor back and forth with my fingers) on his FRONT rotor. He is extremely lucky he did not do a Superman imitation on a high-speed descent.

[@mopedvieh]

Avoid using anything made of metal to separate the brake pads... Instead, use this Parktool thingy, made of metal 👍

[@XMGi00]

😂

[@pretzelhunt]

can it also be $39.99?

[@ppphenom]

Flat head screwdriver does the job for me

[@TheNusoildier]

Road bike disc brake: don’t touch it don’t clean it with cheap product keep make it clean as you can Also disc brake but MTB: what are u doin bro, why we have to clean rotor

[@hughjanus7354]

Do as you're told and don't question anything.

[@darrylhuculak4996]

Aword of warning on resetting your pistons. After watching a few videos and reading through the literature, I decided to replace my own pads. I used a plastic tire removal lever to reset the pistons, then put the pads back on. After a few rides I noticed I was losing pressure/fluid in my left lever. After discussing with the local bike shop mechanic, it turns out that Shimano levers (mine are Ultegra Di2) have a small bladder inside the lever that can burst if you push on the pistons too hard. He said his shop discovered this only after experiencing a few similar mishaps. I went through all the available shimano documentation as well as a few more KZbin videos, and found only one individual who warned about this issue. Fortunately Shimano replaced my ($450) lever under warranty, but others might not be so lucky.

[@leslie7922]

Ohhh jesus, I just reset mine but have no idea what is considered hard, so will have to be careful 😬 don't wanna leave home and head into the 250m vertical loss descent and have no brakes

[@joskoevoet9569]

I think the same thing happened to me. My bike mechanic fixed it somehow without replacing the bladder (pulmone in Italian). I've done multiday events n thousands of kms with it since.

[@johnd1727]

Yo...that is very interesting, and very useful information. Appreciated.

[@michalgnap5930]

Plastic threads in the lever body v. metal screw?😁

[@bioinfused3189]

Timely info! Graduating from rim brakes to disc brakes later this week so these are great tips for me.

[@brasilchris06]

Same here!

[@twatts4436]

If I can offer a few tips: Whilst very easy once you have the right tools, they're (relatively) easy muck up if you go in unprepared! It's worth bedding them in - ride on a flat road at up to 25kph, brake hard, and release before you come to a stop. Repeat 4-5 times. The braking effect will improve with each pull. If they're screaming, the pads/rotors are contaminated. Isopropyl alcohol is a very good cleaner (be careful to avoid skin contact) Alignment tools are helpful, but not essential. Once set up you shouldn't need to change the caliper alignment. The piston reset tool is actually really helpful, you don't need to buy park tool (look at the lifeline one) If you ever need to cut hoses, get the right tools. Don't try to use the wrong ones. You'll end up with bad results. If you run SRAM - DOT fluid is nasty stuff. Wear gloves and sleeves. Mineral oil will dry your skin out (if you repeatedly get it on you) but it isn't going to hurt for the most part. Gloves are useful to prevent contamination. Bleed kits are cheap, and bleeding is relatively easy. Just go in prepared. A small amount of rub is annoying, but is often dirt. If it persists after cleaning check your rotor is straight, but also reset your pads.

[@twatts4436]

Should say that some noise is normal in the wet. If you're howling when it's dry you have a problem!

[@tomahoks]

The best choise In your life! Welcome.

[@cuebj]

I'm now regretting making that change in late 2019 due to more demanding maintenance and having to buy new tools.

[@skulengu6854]

I have never tried disc brakes, so it’s possible that I might actually like them better. But I find that my Shimano Ultegra rim brakes on my 1997 Serotta Atlanta have never left me wanting for more. Even the cheep Tektros on my 2010 Rocky Mountain AC30 (an entry level bike if there ever was one). I found myself laying my belly on the seat and riding an endo of sorts with my rear wheel dancing so to an inch above the asphalt (tarmac) under aggressive braking. So I’m not sold on the idea of disc brakes that require reinforcing of the frame and forks. More weight, more wind resistance, messy hydraulic fluid, stronger spokes, and other issues like proprietary discs. I think if I were putting together a bike I rode in the rain, or a gravel or mountain bike that saw mud. I would probably switch in a heartbeat. Until then, I’m still happy with my rim brakes.

[@AlysaDunn-r6o]

There are plenty of new bikes being sold that have rim brakes still, and several companies making rim brake parts (to modern standards). They're not at all obsolete. The only time I could foresee benefitting from hydraulic disc brakes is going downhill at 70 kph.

[@pierreuntel1970]

Increasing my entropy is something I've never expect to hear in a bike KZbin channel

[@ChrisNieves]

Used baby oil in my Shimano (Yeti) DH bike brakes for years without issue and smells great when they get warm.

[@mechanicaldavid4827]

Seth? Izzat you!?

[@_Zane__]

Tip 8: avoid anything with "promax" written on it

[@MegaPhill93]

promax+

[@-Flea]

Promax+ HD Ultra

[@Jakiou]

Promax+ SUHD

[@jonast9128]

Before pushing the pistons in, clean them! Otherwise the dirt might move in and prevent the piston to move smoothly. This might also cause scratching noise, as the pad might not move away from the rotor…

[@leslie7922]

Yesterday I cleaned my pistons with an ear cleaner and then wiped brake cleaner around the edges and massaged the pistons in and out. Haven't been for a ride yet but they seem to be retracting better in the workshop stand 🙏 🙏 🙏

[@BreakawayB]

My bike decides if it wants the brakes to rub depending on the day of the week. No matter what I do, it has a mind of its own.

[@davidadamus177]

Sounds like loose calipers maybe, worth a check to see if they're torqued properly.

[@happyraul]

Never had a problem locking my wheel with modern rim brakes, so that's my solution to all of the issues in this video.

[@kriss3492]

I do agree.

[@JackMott]

not all bikes are road bikes

[@happyraul]

@@JackMott not sure what your point is? My city bike's v-brake rim brakes lock the wheel just as easily.

[@JackMott]

Just as easily, no, and especially not if you have just been through some mud.@@happyraul

[@neilwinkelmann8540]

You don't ride hills in all weather in a Vancouver winter.

[@thecappy]

Even after all that if it still makes noise, you might need to get the frame/fork caliper mounting surface faced. I had this issue on my Salsa Warbird. No matter what I did it would howl and screech when breaking. It’s because the caliper/rotor wasn’t absolutely in parallel with each other.

[@creboleira9185]

Happened the same with my recente Giant Propel on the rear

[@ltu42]

If you don't have a digital caliper, just get one. It's a useful measuring tool. They should be available in hardware stores and even in Lidl, and cost about the same as a pair of pliers.

[@nbartlett6538]

Yes it's odd that he suggests a bunch of special tools for separating stuck pads, straightening rotors, and resetting pistons, , but when it comes to a very general purpose and useful tool like a caliper... well, you probably don't have one of those, go to your bike shop! 🤷‍♂

[@simonm1447]

It don't has to be a digital one necessarily, you even get non digital ones which have 1/50 mm. You can read the 1/50 mm not really good on them but 1/20 are the more typical ones and they are excellent to read and you can also read 1/20 on a 1/50 mm scale.

[@ltu42]

@@simonm1447 Digital ones are often cheaper than verniers and are easier to use.

[@hughjanus7354]

@@ltu42 they are cheaper because the cheap ones are pure s h i t e when it comes to tolerance.

[@daveroyle6310]

Be careful when measuring. The pad doesn't always press on the whole width of the braking surface. If the outer edge isn't worn by the pad you need to avoid measuring that part by accident.

[@frozenbean]

Disc brake pads are marked L and R on the backs. Pay attention when you take them out (for example when cleaning the pads or pistons)! They probably won't wear 100% evenly, and reversing them can cause pad drag! Also, clean your pistons every once and a while. They get gunked up with grime and can stick, and cause drag as well.

[@simonm1447]

This may be the case for some pads (for example ones with cooling fins) but the more simple pads (like B01/03/05 S) are the same left and right.

[@gcntech]

Great tips! Do you find that disc brakes need constant maintenance? 🔨

[@simonm1447]

@@gcntech no, this is the reason I swichted to a front disc brake on my heavy commuter. It causes far less maintenance, just a set of pads every 6 months. The frame don't has a disc mount at the rear, so the rear is still rim brake (but this is not a real problem)

[@chrisdavidson911]

@@gcntechoooyeah! i’ve never had a bicycle with disks, but every motorbike i’ve had has needed a strip down & clean up every few months because they’ve started sticking/dragging, not just the cheaper stuff, even Brembo were like that. The clearances are so tight that it’s pretty much inevitable

[@paulfromm9217]

To avoid disc rub, be consistent with the wheel position when you tighten the axle. Align the valve with the fork or seat stay. Loosen the axel so the wheel can move. Use gravity to push the bike onto the wheel in what ever position it will do every time. Tighten the axel. Now loosen the brake mount bolts, squeeze the brake lever and while squeezing tighten the mounting bolts. Adjust the mounting bolt torque to the proper value. Your pads should not rub. Every time you reinstall the wheel align the valve to the frame as you did when you set the brake location and use gravity again the seat the frame onto the wheel then squeeze the brake lever as you tighten the axle.

[@michalgnap5930]

It would be better to sit on the bike while tightening the wheels, if the gravity is important there😂 Maybe with QR disc brakes it have some sense but with thru axle bolts it has no impact, it can make things even worse...

[@10ktube]

Contamination on pad tip - remove from calipers, hold with pliers, hit them with a torch for a few seconds. It burns the oil and grease out of them. Let them cool, sand the face to remove the burnt stuff, and reinstall. Not too long under the flame, don't get nuts, do outside, and any other safety stuff please do. Works great.

[@russellspeight5175]

Hit them with a torch? A few people gonna take that the wrong way I suspect 😂

[@Vam1500]

I have disc brakes on my gravel bike and they are fantastic but a big maintenance headache compared to the rim brakes on my road bike.

[@gcntech]

What sort of issues have you struggled with on your disc brakes? 🤨

[@Vam1500]

They are just a lot more finicky. Can’t touch the rotor or pad, can’t get and cleaners on them, pads need frequent adjustments to not rub, pads and rotors need frequent replacement. Rim brakes don’t rub, don’t need replacement very often. You just set them and forget them. Rim brakes are better than disc brakes in every way except for braking.

[@kaspervestergaard2383]

I use rollerbrakes. So glad I got away from disc. Nothing but problems. @@Vam1500

[@PRH123]

I would add that discs are very sensitive to bad weather. In heavy rain half the braking force is immediately lost. Pads begin to wear away like they're made of chalk. Sand and dirt from the road score the discs. Mud, road salt and other things wear the piston seals and they begin to leak oil. Not to mention the fiddling around with bleeding them from time to time. To alleviate some of the headache, I replaced the hydros on one commuter bike with mechanical disks. A mechanical that works is better than a hydro that doesn't :)

[@TedBrown-y9p]

@@PRH123 Disc brakes are 100x better in wet weather than rim brakes. As a 15 year daily commuter in Seattle my disc brakes start braking almost immediately in wet weather. In wet weather w/ rim brakes put a death grip on the lever, in about 100 feet the brakes start to grip. You can actually feel the effect of water being "squeezed" off the rim and heat building up enough before the brakes begin to slow you down. Do that w/ disc brakes and your wheels lock up pretty quickly, even if wet. Then if you ride a lot in all conditions you need a new wheel b/c your rim brakes have worn through the side of the rim. Pads & discs are cheap compared to a new wheel or rim + wheel build labor. I had a rim blow out on me b/c my rim brakes had worn the sidewall of the rim down over a few years of regular use. Disc brakes take a bit more regular maintenance, but I wouldn't go back to rim brakes for anything!!!

[@finncarlbomholtsrensen1188]

As an owner of a small car I have two loose "transport-axles" to put on my frame, with a small plastic clamp on a wire, to secure not accidentally compressing my XTR brakes during transport! And also a small plastic wheel on one for holding the chain, during that. I also use a large bag for my XTR wheels, for protection. The Disc edges are very sharp, so I like to be out of reach from anything to be cut!

[@jacobclark89]

Finally some one covered replacing brake disc's, good job, I replace mine every time I change the tire on my ebike, I noticed a major issue with bicycle floating brake disc's, every brand I used has been made with very thin steel washers that can rust out and fall apart ! And the one brand I found that used stainless washers, were just too light weight, by removing too much metal for me to trust, heating and cooling can cause fatigue cracking. 😮 Im building my next ebike with moped / motor cycle size brakes , they cost about the same last much much longer give much better braking for like a pound and half of extra weight, IMO in general the bicycle industry has lost its mind with trading less weight for strength 😢 ultra lite weight components belong on a circle track, in a controlled environment not in the real world. I

[@cuebj]

Makes me wish I still have my rim brake bikes - well, I still have a 2007 SystemSix with 23C tyres - aluminium rims, Ultegra brakes, stops as well as makes no difference as the 2018 Roubaix with hydraulic Ultegra. Life was simple then. Just used a Campag bottom bracket spanner to hold rubber washing machine foot while I tightened locknut. Reminded of pre-dual pivot brakes when I had to pull out the Weinmann brake tool for a friend's old bike - that was when brakes were not good

[@evinnon]

I didnt notice I ran a narrow rotor with a wide pad for several years on my commuting bike. The pads were using part of the rotor arms as a braking surface. Lesson learned: match wide pads with wide rotors!

[@JohnSmith-pn1vv]

Honestly I think I'd rather stick a needle in my peehole than deal with the relentless hassle that is disc brakes.

[@WarHammerWH]

A rotor de-warper... Is there a bike maintenance task for which Park Tool does not have a specific tool for?

[@sbccbc7471]

Lever height adjustment gauge (to be used in conjunction with a hanger alignment gauge). BSC Tools (U.K) and Abbey Bike Tools (U.S) made theirs, with the former being the first to do so.

[@rustyheyman214]

Thanks for the permission to use baby oil in a pinch. I do love it when a plan comes together.

[@That.Guy.]

I use the baby oil to lubricate my rotors. The only thing my brakes were doing was slowing me down! Now I’m twice as fast!

[@craesh]

Watch out for weird rotor sizes! My 2009 MTB had 185mm rotors. I replaced them by 180mm and the pads didn't cover the complete surface. I had to replace the IS/DM adapters too.

[@gcntech]

Good spot! 👀

[@ossymosis]

Nice A-Team referance!! I love it when a plan comes together!

[@Driberton]

Degreaser-Dawn Professional degreaser spray. Brake rotor cleaning and other parts-isopropyl alcohol. Separate callipers-plastic wheel levers. Bike specific stuff is so ridiculously expensive. That dawn spray is awesome and only 8$ for 32oz.

[@williamfry6087]

Always check your brakes and rotor before riding. I discovered how to keep my pads from rubbing. When adjusting the bake caliper I insert a 5 mill brass shim between each pad and caliper or pad and rotor then remove it after adjusting.

[@JelmervanderMeer7]

Make sure you center your calipers on your disks. You do this by loosening the screws that hold the caliper (don’t remove them). Then squeezing the brakes until they grab on, then tighten the bolts

[@sbccbc7471]

This doesn't work for every single bike. A lot of those times, I realign manually by hand.

[@trey9128]

If one lives in a hilly or mountainous area, disc brakes are awesome. If you live in a flat area where the brakes don't get much of a workout, they simply aren't worth the effort. In that case, rim brakes are simpler and require much less maintenance, despite the marketing hype.

[@mikeradman]

Now add a stop sign at the bottom of a steep descent guarding a busy cross street. Now you understand why I love my disk brakes over rim brakes.

[@shawnington]

I do most my riding along so-cal beach paths, my rim brakes have 5000 miles on them, and the pads aren't even a 1/4 done. The whole disk brake thing is a money grab. If they made hydraulic rim brakes they would be better, outside of carbon wheels as its essentially a giant disk, much greater heat capacity, better leverage on the braking surface since its so close to the tire. If the goal was actual performance it would be hydraulic rim brakes.

[@winterwatson6437]

there *are* hydraulic rim brakes

[@joystation1]

Some rotors have a wear indicator that looks like a black dot, when the dot is no longer visible it's time to replace the rotor.

[@morneauh]

TRP have those. I feel like this is genius and every rotor should have that.

[@jonathangapay1724]

My gravel bike frame has IS mounts for disc brakes, so I had to pair my GRX400 levers with Deore M6000 calipers. I’m not sure if MTB calipers have wider clearances, but rotor rub has never been an issue for me… unless it gets really muddy.

[@brandonwill8301]

8:36 i have had this happen on a fat tier ebike and i did not know until i brought it into the shop to have the breaks taken a look at they told me the ones that where on it where trash and i got an up grade on the breaks and cable

[@klarkolofsson]

These tips show, I hope we can agree, that disc brakes at the least needs to be babied more compared to rim brakes.

[@twatts4436]

Personally disagree (but understand where you're coming from), I had to clean my rim brakes much more thoroughly for consistent results. IMO it's just that the maintenance is achieved with different tools which many don't yet have and (as yet) many cyclists aren't used to maintaining discs. But I could be biased, I massively prefer the braking feel and power of discs, so might just be willing to fix the issues when they arise!

[@simonm1447]

​​@@twatts4436as a mountainbiker I use of course disc brakes, but I also have some rim brake bikes. Maintaining the disc brakes (like brake bleeds) need definitely more skills than maintaining a rim brake. As a hobby mechanic this isn't a real challenge for me, but some people may struggle here. However some people also can't change a tire, so this is why bike shops exist

[@mike_f]

Nah, anyone familiar with automotive disc brake system now they go through absolute crap piles of contaminates and run for tens of thousands of miles. Bike disks are certainly of a much smaller scale but so are the braking loads. While I'm not saying to be mindless and not give a crap about getting contaminates on them, they'll still provide plenty of clamping power. I used rim brakes for some 40 years and recently got a bike with disks. They're dead simple and in no way need babying.

[@chrisconnors7418]

I had no idea about measuring the brakes. I do have a measuring tool I could use--just need batteries for it. Brakes are fine though. Barely use the disk brakes on the fat bike, and the road bike is less than a year old. But still good to know about it and I should check them while they're still relatively new to gauge the changes over the years.

[@ElrocStone]

#AskGCNTech I am currently riding a 2014 Merida scultura 904 and it has 50mm carbon wheels, I am very not happy with the stopping power, especially in the wet. I have priced it up and I can do an upgrade to a disc front fork/wheel/cable actuated hydraulic calliper for about $600NZD (about £300). I can't upgrade to another similar bike for this price as my bike is almost brand new (yes, even the frame has done less than 1000km). I am planning to keep the old fork and brake for when I sell the bike if I ever do. As I understand it, most braking is in the front of the bike so my question is: is this likely to improve my braking on descents and in the wet, and am I missing anything that might be a problem later?

[@simonm1447]

Using a disc in the front is fine. Since the new fork is made for disc there is no problem. You only have to find compatibility with your brake lever/shifter combination, but with the mechanical hydro caliper this is also fine. TRP Spyres may be an alternative to the mechanical hydro caliper, they have a relatively good reputation too.

[@Up2L842moro]

Best of both worlds with front disc / rear rim. You could even look for a hydraulic brake shifter to have maximum power upfront. Rear wheel changes will still be fast with a rim brake and it will be lighter than a full disc frame bike.

[@lesmerritt7976]

You could just fit alloy rim wheels which will give you much better braing especially in the wet. Sell the carbon wheels.

[@wotexpat9367]

Love The A team reference. 😅

[@BramVantasner]

I love it when a pair of perfectly aligned back pads comes together

[@kennethward9530]

B.A. Barachus and the rest of the team approve the exception noted.

[@kvloover]

it's always fun to see parktool have a tool for anything and they're all named weird :D

[@gcntech]

All the tools!! 🙌

[@jack002tuber]

They need your money. All of it

[@davidadamus177]

​@@jack002tubernot possible, the wife has it all LOL

[@mariomendez8561]

Great Information! Kind of a beginner rider, what is the best time for shifting gear when pedaling or stop pedaling and shift? What is better for my bike chain?. Thank you a lot!🚴🚴🚴

[@joystation1]

Keep pedalling but just before you select the next cog, reduce the pressure on your pedals slightly, just for one turn of the crank, and your chain will pick up the next cog beautifully, then you can get back on the power.

[@mariomendez8561]

@@joystation1 will do, thank you so much for your time🚴‍♀️

[@cablemodem]

I'm a bike nerd and I don't mind doing my own maintenance. I appreciate the braking power and modulation under harsh conditions. I have both disc and rim brake bikes. But people ask me often what kind of bike they should buy and I tell people to avoid disc brakes if possible. The rules and regulations of Disc Brakery are insane. This video is exhibit #425. But nowadays even cheap bikes have disc brakes, they're becoming hard to avoid.

[@Up2L842moro]

I think for normal non-cyclists, a mechanical front disc brake and rear rim brake makes sense for foul weather braking performance, service and replacement. Belt drive with a 3-8 speed hub too. But these days, sadly, the normies are mostly getting e-bikes.

[@kaspervestergaard2383]

Why would they need a bike if they are "non-cyclists"? @@Up2L842moro

[@pablolopez584]

Let me think... 🤔 Alex would triple-check that the setting was correct. Ollie will not ever blame himself. Si seems to ride brand new bikes only lately. Manon is too careful to do that. Dan does not even ride now. Hank rides but doesn't use the breaks too much. And Conor... well, it must have been Conor, isn't it?😂

[@matt_acton-varian]

Definitely not Ollie, he would have gotten agitated as he talked about it 😂😂 Also I can't see Hank doing any of his own maintenance so whilst he is more than capable of such a mistake in his eagerness he would have gotten Alex to do his maintenance jobs. I too suspect Conor.

[@SebMercier]

My bet is on Hank, why would Conor try 140mm?

[@matt_acton-varian]

@@SebMercier Conor is the type of person to pick up and fit the wrong rotor size by mistake. Despite his taller frame he isn't as harsh or demanding as Hank who is naturally an aggressive rider by enthusiasm. He would notice that they weren't as powerful as he was used to.

[@gavinatkins3371]

It’s almost as if you know him 😂

[@ScottCervelo]

It's possible to bend the rotor by keeping the brake applied while halted after a long descend, the heat cannot escape from the spot where the pad is touching the rotor causing an uneven heat dissipation of the metal and bending occurs. This is also why you should not apply the brakes in a car when halted after braking.

[@onecreative1]

Great video! Thanks mate.

[@viborabr]

I only hope when I need to replace my road bike. I can find a version with rim breaks. Disk breaks are too much trouble for little benefit.

[@sventice]

I ride quite a lot, pretty much every day, and I tend to burn through brake pads at a depressingly regular pace. However, I have never, ever worn out a disc rotor. In fact, I kind of wish my rotors would wear out a little more quickly, so that the disc/pad clearance would be enough to prevent annoying rubbing noises when it rains heavily.

[@FunMushizzle]

Hmm I think you have worn out your rotors and not known it. You'd be over tightening the discs on work rotors and then you'd need more braking force than the pads are designed for... And you guessed it the pads wear out quicker...

[@krakatoa1200]

I'm quite happy with my Campag record rim brakes, Manufacturers are telling you what you should have rather than what you want.

[@SuperBicycleRepairMan]

Be careful with car brake disc cleaning spray. These can contain trace anti rust treatment. It's supposed to burn away when stopping 2 tonnes of car, but things aren't the same on a bicycle.

[@Brooker0013]

Awesome tip👍🏼✌🏼

[@Up2L842moro]

For straightening bent rotors, I like to put on rubber gloves and bend them by hand. It’s gentler and less likely to scratch the rotor.

[@-communication5636]

Hahaha long life to rimbrake...it's crazy more easy to use 😍 thanks for one more vid like that 😂

[@johnwoo9524]

Surprised there isn't special Ultimate Disk Brake Microfiber available on the market that's five times more expensive than non-special but perfectly fine for the job one

[@wetsock6334]

I got an E bike from Jasion and it arrived with bent disks. This was helpful to make the sound quieter, I hope they'll send me a replacement

[@JoeBob79569]

Thumbs up for the A-Team reference, it really helped to get the point across.. 🤣

[@UTube354]

The rider who drags the brake down the entire descent is probably the driver who rides the clutch. Oh yeah, the clutch is the left pedal on the floor (not the parking pedal). If you haven’t seen it yet you probably don’t have one.

[@vasipro]

As an MTB rider, I appreciate this.

[@gcntech]

We love all bikes 🙌

[@mavirek]

My wheel appears to wobble. Would that be the cause of disc rubbing? Or can a wheel wobble independently from a disc rubbing? My bike was shipped to me for some assembly; I heard that the disc brakes can be damaged in transit. I could see the wheel wobble when I took my first spin, and I could hear the mechanical disc brake rubbing at the same time. My powers of observation were not strong enough to tell if the two things were in sync.

[@ravennexusmh]

personally when cleaning my rotors i take them off and wash them with hot soapy water, then dry and clean again with 99% iso alcohol. this gets everything off them, . pad flat surface, figure sanding, 400 grit till they have that matt new look. rebed in

[@edwardsjohnpaul]

You should be able to get spray disc brake cleaner at any motor factors / auto parts shop, designed to do exactly this, no need for soap & water & alcohol & sandpaper - much easier!

[@ravennexusmh]

@@edwardsjohnpaul i've used automotive disc brake cleaners in the past, they usually leave a residue that bike brakes don't get hot enough to burn off unlike car brakes do. may way always leave them compleatly uncontaminated.

[@TheZanger]

After using baby oil in those extreme circumstances you also need to smoke a long cigar and say you love it when a plan comes together. 😂

[@bobbafett1971]

I have 1 ride that is a mountain decent. I have to use lots of brakes. Mt. Hood with 15 mile climb and 15 mile decent. I'll sacrifice some rotors for safety.

[@sebastianm2381]

I disagree about disc brake mineral oils - it really doesn't make a difference as long as you're using dedicated mineral oil for bicycle disc brakes. I've used Shimano oil in Campy brakes and Magura oil in Shimano brakes. The color really only is in there for your bike shop to know whether you've used something else for warranty reasons. Campy even did use Magura oil on their gen1 disc brakes and switched to a (allegedly) proprietary red oil for their Ekar group. I'm using the Magura oil with Ekar regardless. And guess what: Everything's fine.

[@cuebj]

That ParkTool digital guage looks identical to what I got from Screwfix or Toolstation - almost certainly for a fraction of the ParkTool price. Different colour, of course

[@ska042]

I mean, digital vernier calipers all look extremely similar, from the $15 china type to a $300 Mitotuyo caliper. Doesn't mean there's no difference between them. For a lot of simple jobs the cheap ones will do though, just depends what you expect of them.

[@cuebj]

​@ska042 True. I usually use pro tools for DIY construction and have 50 years' worth of mostly good tools for bike maintenance (can't find my wheel jig). I do know my digital measure is as good as it needs to be

[@sbccbc7471]

Any tool that's not specific for bicycles doesn't have to be a Park Tool, industrial-grade is the way to go. 💪

[@savagewildanimal4life]

I just use 91% isopropyl alcohol to clean the rotors. Works perfectly. Also there are hard plastic non marring rotor truing tools that are common. One came with my bleeder kit. It is very simple to true your rotor. You can use a plastic tire lever to split your pads apart and also press your pistons back in.

[@donadams8345]

That's what I use also, isopropyl and a soft, clean cloth. Works fine.

[@joneaton3366]

Thanks Olly . Is car brake cleaner aerosol safe to use please

[@michaeldoise8672]

Very good advice as always! The tip about using plastic levers to separate the pads was very welcome.

[@DuddiiZ]

Judging by the number of freshly unboxed factory-bent Shimano rotors I“ve bought, I thought it“s a feature. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@klarkolofsson]

I’ve seen a lot of other brands have that feature too. Probably a shipping issue.

[@cb6866]

Thanks Dr O... Park tool, tools aren't plastic ?

[@BikingWithMischqa-fw4mo]

It looks like metal 😄

[@benschuttenbeld]

I wonder if after I cleaned my rotors and pads, should I brake them in again as if they were new?

[@gcntech]

You may find they take a while to get the same bite 🙌

[@sbccbc7471]

Yes, because you've basically "reset" the braking surfaces.

[@SM-yh7rs]

Off topic. I don’t understand the applications for road tires. What’s the difference between racing, training, and all weather? Slicks vs different treads? Thanks.

[@sbccbc7471]

The main differences across different tires are the compound and casing. Treads don't matter so much especially when you're talking about hydroplaning because road bike tires are too narrow to make it possible.

[@WarHammerWH]

As far as the GCN presenter using the wrong size rotors, it has to be Hank.

[@kennethward9530]

Hank doesn't use brakes from what I've seen-and I say that with the deepest respect.

[@mlee6050]

Those brake pads I'm thinking Si on style they are but I prefer to think it is more Axel doing it

[@Daveyboyroy]

4:50 - Avoid using something metal and sharp? Like the park tool you're holding?

[@guyelliott1286]

Helpful video as always.

[@jerehada]

They are much more hassle than pull brakes. I’ve spent hours and a fortune on Giant conduct replacement bleeding by shops and myself and pads. They still give me less confidence than pull and are only better in some conditions.

[@FunMushizzle]

Disagree. Had many bikes since the 1970s, disc brakes are vastly superior for braking in all conditions especially off road or in the wet.

[@kaspervestergaard2383]

Also way superior for constantly being a pain in the ass. @@FunMushizzle

[@TonyWest-j6p]

Shit O man is a bloody good presenter-love the humour- keep up the great work to the whole team

[@highfived]

All this stress just to ride your bike. I am keeping my rim brake tcr

[@robertandrews3055]

My goodness this video and many of the comments make a good case for rim brakes.

[@bestsony4933]

I’ll stick to good old Rim brakes they are absolutely perfect and reliable rim brakes are my best choice

[@beaublessing4766]

This might be okay for road but at speed, rim just doesn’t hold a torch to disk on MTB

[@erli974]

Be careful when you put your wheels back in after taking them off. The rotor could scrape against the droupouts and stays, gouging away both paint and metal. Not had it happen myself, but seen it happen to others.

[@immortalclass]

Nervous riders ride slowly downhill dragging their brakes thus putting 90% of their gravitational potential energy into the brakes. They are toasted. Ride down same hill with minimal braking, putting that same energy into wind drag then brake to a stop at the bottom of the hill (or whatever if you need to make a turn) and only much smaller fraction of the energy goes into the brakes. Prove this to a newbie friend and save their brakes from becoming toast!

[@sbccbc7471]

I fear brake draggers because of this, then they wonder why their brake consumables wear out so quickly.

[@benjaminwilson4558]

Aside from "Racing",which Disc Brakes allows one to decend like a Madman without rim brake fear,what is the advantage(s) of DB on a road bike...?

[@maxm6931]

By far the main advantage is that you can run carbon wheelsets without a brake surface. If you don't care about those, I don't see any.

[@kwitwerikok8o863]

In a panic situation the front disc brake will be glad to lock on you, throwing you over the bars and letting your wife collect on your life insurance policy.

[@maxm6931]

@@kwitwerikok8o863 I've seen my dad fly over the handle bars in such a situation with V-brakes, and I still consider those quite unsafe. Discs on the other hand give you much better modulation even if stressed, so this is a disadvantage that I am not seeing. Therefore they make perfect sense on MTBs or e-bikes, but on a road bike you can use a much smaller rim brake because they are lighter.

[@sepg5084]

For me, it is not about the discs: it is about the hydraulics. Once i tried hydraulic brakes, i never looked back. It's like cutting with a slightly dull knife vs. a newly sharpened knife.

[@JohnDoe-bw3tz]

Corporate profits.

[@williampompella3928]

Really just want to go back to rim brakes.

[@PsyKeks]

I appreciate the special permission fornthe A-Team to us babyoil. (Did they ever ride bicycles? Indid not rewatch since becoming interested in bicycles.) I doubt, they would have had hydraulic brakes on bicycles back then, though. 😜

[@aliancemd]

Can it be that brakes rub because the fork slightly bent over time, especially the ones made from soft metals like aluminium? Mine started rubbing, so I fixed them with a tool, after a while, the calipers “straightened” them back and started rubbing again -> I swapped to the wider 105 caliper and were still rubbing and “straightened” my fix -> swapped with new brake discs and the new ones straight away were rubbing on the new “wider” 105 -> left me with the conclusion that the aluminium fork must of changed shape over time.

[@twatts4436]

If you're concerned about the fork bending, you might see paint damage. A permanent flex would need significant bending to have occurred, so should be visible. However, I'd be surprised if the fork was bending over time, unless it was taking major knocks or you were over the weight limit with bags, etc. Things which are more likely: Rotors can warp from prolonged heavy braking, knocks, etc. So check if they've warped. This has been most of my issues I the past and doesn't need much! The pistons can also stick if you ride in wet/dirty conditions a lot. This happened on my winter bike, isopropyl alcohol helped to clear the pistons and prevented the stick. Grime on the pads also leads to consistent rub. However, given you described the rub continuing with new calipers I don't think these are the likely culprits. If the bolts are coming loose, the caliper will move over time. From what you've described, assuming everything was aligned properly, I think the original disc may have warped. Having fitted the new one you may need to align the caliper again and (if you haven't already) reset the pads. Best of luck!

[@aliancemd]

​@@twatts4436 I did all of that(cleaning with alcohol, applying Shimano oil and pushing the caliper pistons, re-aligned calipers, etc) - if it's not a slight bend somewhere in the fork(I used it on gravel for a few years), I think that maybe I just got "unlucky" that the combination of new rotors and new pads is rubbing(too much material on the pads) and maybe I should just re-align the calipers again, after I lost some material on those pads and it might fix it.

[@simonm1447]

It depends if you have QR axles or through axles. With QR the wheel can shift slightly in the fork, since the caliper is on the rear and it pushes the axle downwards at braking. In this case you can just adjust the caliper again if the axle has shifted slightly and it likely will be fine. With through axles this should not happen, but here it can also depend on the torque you apply on the axle. Road bike forks will never be as stiff as a far more massive mountainbike fork, so a little bit flex will be normal

[@SteveNinetyski]

If there is a single component where at least 7 things can "ruin" your bike....I'd say steer away from that component.

[@cuebj]

Ok. Further on in video and reading comments... Time to park the 2018 Roubaix with Ultegra hydraulic disks and get back on 2007 SystemSix. Except: UK road surfaces are so bad nowadays that 23C tyres and narrow rims get damaged more than old days. Still, (27*1¼)" tyres on Weinmann concave rims with Shimano 105 dual pivots to replace Weinmann 500 brakes had plenty of stopping power and control in 1970s, even in wet, and could handle the wide rims and tyres

[@Up2L842moro]

You could look for a cantilever or V brake cyclocrosser and run 32+ mm tires while still having rim brakes. Cheap too. There are carbon cantilever frames and bikes if you look for one, or all the Al/Fe/Ti metals too.

[@sebjak76]

I needed that video ... sooo much !!! ;)

[@jansonmur4362]

Of all of the tools in this video I only have the digital calipers lol

[@Mark_Williams.]

Another tip with steep descents where you need to ride the brakes. Alternate between using front and rears every few seconds. Still gives you the braking effect but you allow your brakes a brief breather to recover. Obviously only do this on straight bits of road.

[@Hertzultra]

Yea using the wrong fluid... I have tried Baby Oil but that didn't do it too well. Am running my Shimano XT's on Citroen hydraulics and not so bad really.

[@graemejwsmith]

If the rotor is heavily contaminated and the expensive cleaner doesn't do the trick and they still squeak..... Or they have light scratching from the bit of grit that got caught between the pad and rotor. Remove rotor from wheel. Put some 120 grit sand paper on a flat surface. Move the rotor in a figure of eight pattern over the paper till the rotor acquires a uniform dull finish. Both sides. Wash off with rubbing/isopropyl alcohol. Check thickness is still in permitted limits. In other words - don't overdo the rubbing on the sandpaper. Refit to wheel and use new or very clean pads. Treat as a new setup and bed/break in the brakes per manufacturer's instructions.

[@shawnington]

Alternatively buy a bike with rim brakes.

[@edwardsjohnpaul]

Very good final tip, I'd bet many riders simply don't use their brakes as efficiently as they should when descending - rim or disc.

[@jamieokane989]

Add information?

[@ayowser01]

​@jamieokane989 don't drag your brakes on long descents

[@bkmontgomery]

I love it when a plan comes together. 😂

[@JK-dv3qe]

I ALWAYS LUBE UP MY DISCS TO AVOID SQUEAKY NOISE! works wonders

[@gcntech]

😬 Please don't do this !!!

[@Up2L842moro]

(A message from the afterlife)

[@julianmartin8356]

Teflon grease does it!

[@maxwellspeedwell2585]

Makes my rim brakes very appealing. I’ve used both. I prefer rim brakes in the dry, disc brakes in the wet, and long descents.

[@jamesmoros1274]

I find that the benefits of riding them in the wet weather it’s not all it’s supposed to be, grim and oil off the wet rd easily gets on the rotor’s and stopping is not that great if anything worse than rims, luckily it’s not like that on all the wet rides.

[@AlysaDunn-r6o]

I've had brand new bikes, straight out of the box, need the rotors trued. I won't name names though.

[@MichaelK-4]

thoughts on using rubbing alcohol to clean disc brakes?

[@Up2L842moro]

It works and is cheap

[@sbccbc7471]

I've used 99% isopropyl alcohol on rotors multiple times, no issues. Even automotive brake cleaner should be OK. Either way, they're more affordable than the likes of Muc-Off.

[@emt3889]

One big mistake: forcing a screw on a 6-bolt rotor, which resulted on the Hub threads being damaged and bolt not holding on tight.

[@gcntech]

😬

[@3Max]

It'd be great to have a GCN science video where you go over how/why certain materials turn your brakes into banshees. This happened to me after I washed my bike, and I'm not sure what mistake I made (degreaser onto the brake pads/rotors? dish soap onto the brake pads/rotors?). I'm now afraid to wash my bike :/

[@khosrove2222]

if, due to extreme circumstances, you run a Shigura setup what kind of oil should you use...? 🤔

[@ravennexusmh]

both shimano and magura use ether mineral oil, it does look like people who do it use the magura oil so go with that. alternatively use 2009 on hope m4 calipers and swap the seals in them with hope RX4 shimano seals for mineral oil useage. 09 on have an o-ring sealed bleed nipple so you can syringe bleed up from the caliper like caliper with a dedicated bleed port. . i'm using 09 on X2 calipers on my sram apex levers by doing just this. the x2 having a bigger 22mm piston vs the 18(?)mm gives a much lighter lever feel and more power, admittidly at the expense of a bit more lever travel.

[@khosrove2222]

@@ravennexusmh, so much happiness when you find your experiment turns into customization... 😂

[@larryt.atcycleitalia5786]

Hard to believe people are dumb enough to shove a 140 mm rotor onto a bike set up for 160 mm, but what do I know? When it comes time to clean, simple alcohol-based spray window cleaners work well for me at a fraction of the cost of the specialty products. Just avoid ammonia based cleaners! And why remover the wheels? Just fold your rag in half once wet with window cleaner, hold it in contact with both sides of the rotor and spin the wheel with your free hand.