Rim Brakes, the most common mistakes you make.

[@alexharbron]

I'm quite happy my rim brakes are unfashionable. I just bought a new set of 105 calipers for the unfashionable bargain price of £50! Breaking performance superb. Set up easy. Quite light and ultra reliable (my old 105 calipers are twenty years old and I'm only changing them because I want black not silver on my newly painted frame). BUT, my wheels are shagged with play in the bearings and slightly warped rims. I can't afford to replace them and so I have to put up with a bit of intermittent brake rub when climbing. Also major issues with wheel rotation on the rare occasion a spoke breaks. On these occasions, I'd tolerate disc brakes :)

[@DaveCM]

Is it possible to replace the bearings? Or is it like an old set that I have? The rear is garbage because the wear wasn't just in the bearings but also in the track.

[@alexharbron]

@@DaveCM they are shimano r500 with cup and cone bearings. Upon inspection I found the hub cups were pitted, so there's nothing I can do short of a wheel build. I bought them second hand and they are clearly more abused than I was lead to believe. Wish I had saved longer and bought new. I plan to get some handbuilt wheels made for next summer so I'll just keep these going till then 👍

[@11robotics]

Another mistake with rim brakes is to assume stock pads for aluminium rims (whether Shimano, Campagnolo or SRAM) are anything other than mediocre at best. However, Swiss Stop, Kool Stop, or even the BBB UltraStop HP brake pads (my current favourites) are in a completely different league in terms of braking power (especially in the wet), modulation, but also (and most importantly) rim wear protection. Every single person I've recommended to replace their stock Shimano, Campagnolo or SRAM pads with any of these was amazed by the difference they made.

[@Megadeth6633]

Shimano/sram pads are honestly disgusting, they last quite a bit but in exchange you wear your rim and have less breaking power. Even Carbon specific pads are better than those, funny enough.

[@danc1829]

Campy Red pads on the Bora AC3 brake tracks are the best I've used

[@11robotics]

@@danc1829 I was talking about aluminium rim specific pads. They are the stock ones anyway, your red Campagnolo ones are bought with the wheels or separately.

[@danc1829]

@@11robotics a set came with the wheels but u can purchase separately aswel around £20 a set

[@11robotics]

@@danc1829 yes, exactly, so they don't come stock with the brakes. Most people just assume that whatever pads their rim brakes are sold with must be good enough. They just aren't.

[@Cyclingchoice]

Only Shimano retail packaging (bkackbox) comes with multiple length bolts, wholesale packing only has one bolt.

[@fernandodisola6675]

Great video👍 just showed in how easy it is to set up rim brakes, at lot easier to live with, love it ...

[@bikesavvy3654]

Loved how the work bench was all most bare compared to with the Disc. Another thing I see people using carbon pads in alloy rims as they don’t like swapping out between race and training wheels

[@sbccbc7471]

This is basically asking for trouble.

[@Paganizondaf650]

And kill the carbon rims with the alloy shavings? 😮

[@keithreed5009]

Disc brakes rule

[@11robotics]

@@keithreed5009 no they don't

[@531c]

My 1998 Shimano RX 100 calipers work very well, in part because i use quality pads, Salmon koolstop or similar, aligned perfectly, rims and pads cleaned regularly, lubricate moving parts and use Ultegra cables. My view on brakes is that its imperative to set them up correctly, and pay close attention to their operation as your life depends on them. Great video, and hopefully people will pick up some useful tips. Nice one!

[@AG17_1]

My tips.... 1) clean the rims and pads. I see pads full of metal flakes and greasy/oily rim so often. Amazing how much better a clean system works. 2) toeing in thr pads. On newer higher quality calipers, a thin peice of cardboard (bar tape box works for me) under the trailing edge of the pad is sufficient. On older brakes, v-brakes or brakes with low quality pads, a more significant toe-in can be needed. For that I use a 1p coin. 3) the pad retaining screw can easily round off when trying to remove it. Knipex Twingrips usually get them free but a light dab of grease or antiseize on the threads of the bolt really helps. 4) if the calipers are not operating smoothly and the spring efficiently returning them back, give the calipers a clean and lubrication. The caliper may need to be fully stripped to do this effectively. Any competent mechanic can do that if you are not comfortable with that job.

[@Mapdec]

I feel another vid coming. Cheers.

[@kevinfrost1579]

I use old store clubcards for toeing in, they won’t compress and durable 😁

[@jimbrittain402]

Pads going into the shoes usually have a flat side (toward the hub) and a rounded side (toward the circumference).

[@sbccbc7471]

And I still see idiots mess up this simple step.

[@PeakTorque]

Toe in/out for best performance! Business card at the leading edge when tightening the block. You knew but forgot that one!

[@olekmehera7256]

Hmmm empty desk, barely any problems and super cheap to maintain and really predictable without annoying rubbing, dings, zings, screeching etc :) thank you for convincing me to stick to rim brakes and never change to go with the latest trend :)

[@Mapdec]

Don’t read into that. I could have easily filled it.

[@olekmehera7256]

@@Mapdec why didnt you? 😉😉 is it because you didnt have anything 😉😉 yeah figured 😂

[@Jedsonmcfarly]

Great vid as always. Liking the almost daily content. Keep it up! I'm not a #savetherimbrake-er , but I do have rim brakes on my summer bike. When they are well set up and in the dry they are great. Swissstop pads combined with carbon rims work a treat.

[@Mapdec]

Thank you Peter.

[@Xerp4Life]

A workstand, toe-straps or reusable zip ties, and good lighting/torch make setting brakes up easier. A dual head Stubby Ratchet with 4mm & 5 mm hex bits also speeds things up. The barrel adjuster can also help, set brakes on rim with adjuster wound out, then wind in for perfect clearance from rims. Always keep some spare pads and cables stocked as brakes need to be kept A1 all the time. Caliper and v-brakes are easier to set than cantilever brakes and their yoke angles.

[@kevinfrost1579]

One more to add to the list - use the specified number of star washers in the right place, in the right number when mounting brakes.

[@GNX157]

I was praying for it on this video, however no joy, but could you do an in depth video on that little screw that sits in the side/top of the one brake arm (Shimano)? What is it used for? What does the adjustment correct? How do you know if the adjustment is wrong? Thanks. Also a talk about how the pads should be slightly angled on their leading edge so they bite fully when applied.

[@Mapdec]

The balance screw. Ok. We can arrange that.

[@SherazChoudhary]

Used to make sure that the pads on both sides touch at the exact same time 🙂

[@nellyx1x493]

That little screw does more than just balance the side to side - as a byproduct it also changes the mechanical advantage and feel of the brake. The shimano manual precisely specifies the starting position that screw should be in when you initially centre the calliper on the main mounting screw, this is a visual position the screw should be in relative to its insertion point. I've seen that screw wrongly adjusted, then calliper re-centred with the main mounting screw, which is the wrong way round and it ruins the lever feel. Also, this screw position makes an even bigger difference to lever feel if you're maxing out the rim width beyond what the calliper was designed for, and the window for correct feel seems to get narrower.

[@SherazChoudhary]

@@nellyx1x493 Thank you for the additional info. I have direct mount rim brakes so it's easier because that screw has only one purpose. Will keep this in mind for traditional rim brakes!

[@nellyx1x493]

@@SherazChoudhary Ah yes, direct mount is not affected by this. When the screw is used to make the brake pads hit the rim at the exact same split second it definitely gives the best lever feel... to easily know when it needs adjusting, watch the tyre from the top as you squeeze the lever- if the wheel moves from side to side then the braking power is flexing the wheel to the side instead of clamping evenly and tends to feel mushier, as well as wasting lever force in rim flex. Adjust by eyeballing closely from the front of the calliper while repeatedly pulling the lever turning allen key CW/ACW until it hits precisely even. For 'next level' feel also adjust the pad angle looking from the front to ensure the pad is driven into the rim squarely, sometimes its necessary to adjust the brake holder up/down and correct the angle to achieve this - for some dual pivot callipers owing to the geometry of the levers this may require a different angle left vs right.

[@dylangrantz8124]

Was expecting canti brakes and talk about them also. I do use them a good bit still got a great older cx bike set up as a ss that gets plenty of use.

[@Mapdec]

4 mins is long enough 😂

[@mtbboy1993]

Common issue I see is neglected brakes, so pads came out out of adjustment, so they are too low sit skewed, are touching the tyre, way too slack wire. Frayed wire. on cheap bikes plastic brakes might be seen, that's an mistake in it self, super flexy, will likely crack in an crash.

[@jean-philippethomas1607]

One of the issues I get with my rim brakes (single bolt callipers not direct mount) is that they get out of alignment at times. (when changing wheels, after a crash...) The mounting bolt is tightened to 10Nm or so, but it still allows some rotation of the calliper when forcing it. Is there something I can do ?

[@Mapdec]

Rotate it back. 🤷‍♂️

[@ridhwannasution5085]

rotate back, or re align with adjustment bolt (hex bolt in tektro caliper). make it center

[@johnstrac]

What;s that tool you used at 0:40 please ?

[@Mapdec]

It’s a dentist tool. Gage Spring Measuring caliper

[@johnstrac]

@@Mapdec cheers, I'll get one.

[@Omen1512]

Tip, when you align the pads, gently pull the brake lever and hold it in place with zip ties or something. This way, it's much easier to get the brake pads in the correct position and make sure they stay there while you torque them down.

[@Mapdec]

im going to have to do a tutorial I think.

[@mtbboy1993]

On v brakes without brake shoes, but regular pads, I push the brake arm in and hold the pad with my fingers, while I tighten the bolt. I've done it on many kids bikes over the years. Often questions start and then a session of what's wrong with my bike. But I am happy to improve things make the kids bikes safer. But not all things are quick fixes, not everything can be fixed outside quickly. Even did quick wheel true for some. Alot of parents should keep their kids bikes maintained, sadly many kids bikes are neglected, atleast where live. I hope this changes.

[@germanhugger41]

Great vid..Its true that rim brakes only require fairly minimal maintenance.. New cables once a year, and new pads perhaps three times per year.. As a former bike shop mechanic and avid cyclist, it's pretty apparent that disc brakes are just a clever money spinning idea from the bike industry.. Just like press fit bottom brackets and road tubeless tires... The rim brake isn't dead yet, and your were a bit premature in writing it's obituary....

[@Mapdec]

I like disc brakes 🤷‍♂️

[@borano2031]

Maybe you should have mentioned the quick opening lever, which BTW in your clip is set at "wheel replacement" setting, not at "pedaling" setting. Rgr

[@Mapdec]

i am going to have to do a full tutorial I think....

[@borano2031]

@@Mapdec Most probably. A second clip would explain that Campagnolo has a button in the lever instead.. "Press the button like this".... Rgr

[@jaredfontaine2002]

Thank you see how easy it is to set up rim compared to disc???

[@Mapdec]

Huh?

[@Bonky-wonky]

Really? Do disc pads need to be set up toe in? Do they need regular readjustment? Disc are basically set and forget for at least a season, after which they might need a bleed (dead easy on shimanos, certainly doable on srams) and perhaps fresh pads which is a doddle. There’s way too much misinformation in the road cycling world about discs being a nightmare to maintain and being noisy while mtbers have made the switch over 15 years ago and never looked back.

[@jaredfontaine2002]

@bonky wonky I have worked in the industry for years and yes disc's are more maintenance. Even time you take your wheel out you have to adjust the pads it is so easy to misalign your pads. Rotors can be bent then you have to true them. Bleeding until recently was a pain you had to take the shifters off the bike. It is much easier for a home mechanic to change a cable instead of a bleeding brakes. You also have to worry about resin vs metal pads and all kinds of stuff. Keep them on your mountain bikes. Leave my road bike alone. Innovation that helps customers I like and agree with. Innovation for to just sell stuff you don't need is silly.

[@sbccbc7471]

​​​@@jaredfontaine2002 I never had to realign disc brakes every time I removed and reinstall wheels once they're aligned. Rims can go out of true too and I'm aware a well-built wheel won't go out of true easily. If you think I'm anti-rim brakes, think again. I'm OK with both. My current one uses rim brakes, my second bike will be on disc brakes, but I'm definitely keeping my rim brake road bike.

[@jaredfontaine2002]

@Yong Ling Ng You are lucky. Even the best cyclists in the world have problems with rubbing disc brakes especially after hard braking on a descent.

[@philr696]

I always find the curved washers bind a bit so just drip a tiny amount of lube between them.

[@mtbboy1993]

Some bikes have so bad brakes you can't tighten the pads securely, as the pad spins, cus the tolerances are ba don the spherical spacers, I've seen it on cheap bikes. So you need an extra spacer or file the tip of the threaded rod on the pad then. Shame such bad quality parts exist and crappy bikes liek this still exist. I've also seen electronics store branded bike with male hex on the brake sinstead of female hex head bolt, so you can't fix it with an multi-tool. Haha, they gave those bikes away if you shopped, at certain sum, but then you had to pay for assembly which was the price of the bike. And bikes were so bad they became an news story everywhere, and I see ppl riding these with the fork backwards. 😁

[@kevinfrost1579]

Concur wheels are always the start datum. Customer had visible rim surface lift, hence brake rub. Response to ’need new rim immediately’ ………. “I’ve only had 9 years wear out of it”. Death trap, thankfully on 30 seconds reflection they agreed.

[@robertkeefer1552]

One thing I would do was to use a zip tie on the brake lever to close the pads just enough to do the proper adjustment.

[@Mapdec]

tutorial incoming

[@cosinus_square]

Never knew you had to properly setup rim brakes. I always thought you had to jump off the bike screaming 'out of the way, I have rim brakes, I can't stoooop'. So happy we have disc brakes now, none of that 'proper setup' is required because disc brakes. Tubeless and rim brake failures are always caused by human error. Always. I don't ride anymore with riders that don't maintain their bikes, much smaller group but I can live with that.

[@alienalloy604]

I appreciate the advancements in bicycle technology, but rim brakes and inner tubes are still perfectly fine for a vas majority of people. Unless youre very serious abouy your riding, or are a literal professional, you dont really need either rim brakes nor tubeless tires. If you get a puncture, you probably have a mini pump and spare tire that you can change in 10 minutes. And youre probably not going 45-50+KM/h to need that much breaking power. Im sorry if i sound like a normie to you, an elitist, but thats how it is

[@larrymcgoldrick3471]

One big thing you missed is pad toe-in to prevent any noise. Commonly overlooked.👍

[@Mapdec]

lol. mostly folk just do it the wrong way forgetting the rotation direction. flat is best on new rims. toe in helps on worn or wonky rims.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@Mapdec interesting, I never knew the toe in thing. But interesting it reduces noise on worn rims.

[@nellyx1x493]

I spy a SC Chameleon Carbon being built up possibly with an RS1...or is it rigid carbon? Aspirational time-lapse ASMR build video with mood music and sultry lighting requested....

[@Mapdec]

It’s going rigid. Maybe we will do build review. Bit busy for Timelapse

[@godwindracing6056]

What would triple chainring be like on a 12 speed

[@Mapdec]

I’m not aware of a triple designed for a 12speed chain

[@godwindracing6056]

@@Mapdec I wonder why it never existed, they existed for 10 speed but not after that

[@gildassamzun5265]

I m still on Cantilever on my gravel (Cx in fact) 😅 definitely no so easy to set it right but it works OK at the end . (I admit, I'm looking for a new gravel disk bike 🤫)

[@Mapdec]

We won’t tell 😉

[@31.8mm]

Dang i miss rim brakes... I just need a good power on wet condition and have good lifespan both the rim and pads... But on a budget.

[@gokaygs]

See how easy that was? How can one not love rim brakes on the road? 😘

[@richardhaselwood9478]

Because they're awful. Because they should have died out 5 years ago. Because disc brakes are vastly easier to live with day to day. Because disc's give better power and modulation all day every day and frankly, the idea of rim brakes is absolutely stupid.

[@Mapdec]

Nope 😂

[@gokaygs]

@@richardhaselwood9478 let’s see some facts instead of bias, rim brakes are lighter, cheaper, more aerodynamic, easier to maintain and live with everyday, they last longer, they don’t rub make noise or warp. IMO rim brakes also modulate way better with a more direct feel of forces at play, grip, wheel speed, lock up etc. I never found myself looking for more stopping power on a road bike with a set of aluminum rims and shimano calipers and swissstop pads, never. if I may add, I love descending and I am pretty good at it. I’ve heard your comments from many pandemic era cyclists who have hardly ridden 10K miles on the road.

[@Mapdec]

Asks for facts… gives opinion 🤷‍♂️. Thanks Richard. Let the argument reign until the last rim brake caliper is stolen from a museum. 😉

[@gokaygs]

@@Mapdec I gave facts and an opinion. How well we can use the equipment we have at hand will always be subjective from one rider to another, ie a rider who doesn’t know how to brake might think rim brakes suck but they won’t be braking skillfully on discs either. If anyone wants to argue against any of the real life facts as in lighter, aero, cheaper, easier to maintain, then please present your argument with facts or feel free to type out your delusional opinions for KZbin cyclist entertainment.

[@Bonky-wonky]

Biggest mistake is to go on a crusade in the yt/fb comments trying to “convince” others they are superior to discs. They simply are not and only serve as a budget or super lightweight option.

[@Mapdec]

Massive mistake. Huge! Gigantic.

[@davidburgess741]

Get non compressible cables!

[@antonicascio2143]

Bro forgot to mention that some brakes are shorter then others 😭

[@antonicascio2143]

I just got some ultegras and just realised they are too short

[@Mapdec]

Ah. The long drop caliper trap.

[@antonicascio2143]

@ long day but I just found out you can get offset brake shoe holders to make up the difference

[@antonicascio2143]

@ you should make a video on this as I was searching for hours and found nothing it would pop off I recon a lot of people have the same problem

[@antonicascio2143]

And nothing online to even say there is something like offset brake shoes

[@galenkehler]

The main mistake I see people making with rim brakes is not fitting Magura hydraulic rim brakes, those things are awesome

[@Mapdec]

haha yes. i have seen those actually bend rims before.

[@Onigure]

I thought those were only used in tandem bikes. Or girl's.

[@Mapdec]

Woah. They are for MTB trials and Dutch bikes

[@MAEBikr]

PS Great video!

[@Mapdec]

Thanks!

[@fergusdenoon1255]

rim brakes, disc brakes, hydraulic disc brakes... seriously Bike industry, electronic cableless brakes, where are they? it's hard to believe you spend any money at all on r&d.

[@Mapdec]

Invisible brakes. To the future!

[@Bellerophon17]

Forgot the best way to avoid these mistakes - buy a disc brake bike! Couldn't help myself, the rim v disc brigades sniping in your comments yesterday were ridiculous. Both are good.

[@redwinedrummer]

A rim brake bike is a disc brake bike with a bigger rotor! /s

[@Mapdec]

Love it 😂

[@69Deez_Nutz69]

@@redwinedrummer except a disc can last much, MUCH LONGER compared to rim brakes. Plus you don't have to buy a set of rims every month or so after the rim has galled and no longer mechanically safe to ride.

[@Megadeth6633]

@@69Deez_Nutz69 I used to be a messenger back in the day, I remember having a pair of mavic cosmics, the alu break surface lasted me 2 years of full daily abuse in wet/dry, didn't matter. It was in Paris so it rained a lot. I think that's pretty good, people tend top buy new sets a wheels after a couple years anyway. I've never been bothered by the rim wear thing.

[@PhiyackYuh]

@@69Deez_Nutz69 buy a set of rims a month? How many kms u ride a year?

[@MAEBikr]

Shouldn't we be moving on?

[@Mapdec]

Yes... Before someone gets upset. lol...

[@E.T_rode_bikes_As_well]

Rimjob9000

[@richardhaselwood9478]

Oh God. The number of luddites in this comment section upset that a technology that is actively worse than what replaced it says an awful lot about road cyclists..... Sorry, but the best solution for rim brakes is to toss the useless things in the trash where they belong and get a decent bike with brakes that actually work.

[@Mapdec]

🫣 feeling brave today Richard

[@richardhaselwood9478]

@@Mapdec not really. I just think it's important to stick your head above the parapet with things like this. These sort of comment sections get over taken by Luddites who are upset that their terrible technology of choice has been ignored by consumers who make rational choices in their purchasing decisions. Don't get me wrong, I'm as bad as the rest of them when it comes to E bikes though

[@DeanPattrick]

The first mistake people make with rim brakes is not choosing disc brakes 😂😂😂