# Rubbing disc brakes on a new bike



## Anorakus (10 Oct 2011)

Just after a bit of advice as a newbie to hydraulic disc brakes... the brakes on my new Trek hybrid are making a rubbing noise. The shop says it's normal for disc brakes and I should brake sharply for the first few hundred (!) miles to break them in.. however a couple of weeks later, the rubbing noise persists.

Looking at the brakes, the disc doesn't seem to be quite central between the pads. When I apply the brakes, the disc is squeezed very slightly off to one side.

It doesn't seem to drag on the bike (it's no slouch going down hills), but the other bikes I tested didn't do this. I'm thinking of returning the bike to the shop to ask them to tweak the brakes, but I want to make sure they need adjustment and aren't just bedding in.


Thanks 

A.


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## HovR (10 Oct 2011)

Although I have no experience with hydraulic brakes, this sometimes happens with my (cable) disc brakes - In which case I would fix it with minor adjustments of the brake pad positioning, not by waiting for it to bed in. 

Although I am not quite sure how you would go about adjusting hydraulic brakes.






Good luck!


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## threebikesmcginty (10 Oct 2011)

Take it back and get them to adjust the brakes.


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## Cyclist33 (10 Oct 2011)

It's dead easy centering the disc in between the pads. Loosen the two main bolts on the mount, then depress the brake lever fully, then re-tighten the bolts. When you release the lever the disc should be centered.

But make sure the wheel itself is centered or sat properly in the dropouts first.

Stu


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## Ibbots (11 Oct 2011)

Have a look on the Hope website, there's a good video abouy setting up hydraulic disc brakes. Basically you need to ensure that the calipers are in line with the disc as mentioned above, then balance out the calipers so they both operate equally. You might still get some ringing but should not rub or impede the rotation.


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## CopperCyclist (11 Oct 2011)

I had this on my bike, it was caused by a bent front disc that rubbed for about a quarter turn every rotation. Spin the wheel slowly watching the disc and the pads - if they touch, even slightly, then separate take it back to the shop and ask for a new disc.


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## threebikesmcginty (11 Oct 2011)

It's a new bike!!!! 

Get the bike shop to sort it out, if they're half decent they'll show you how to adjust them so you can do it yourself next time. If the disc is knackered they can fit a new one. All under warranty


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## wheres_my_beard (11 Oct 2011)

Do the pads on both sides move when you pull the levers?


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## ufkacbln (11 Oct 2011)

wheres_my_beard said:


> Do the pads on both sides move when you pull the levers?



Not always

It tends to be the case in hydraulics though


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## Stantheman (12 Feb 2014)

Cyclist33 said:


> It's dead easy centering the disc in between the pads. Loosen the two main bolts on the mount, then depress the brake lever fully, then re-tighten the bolts. When you release the lever the disc should be centered.
> 
> But make sure the wheel itself is centered or sat properly in the dropouts first.
> 
> Stu


Just tried this on my front wheel and it worked a treat. Thanks


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## Cubist (13 Feb 2014)

threebikesmcginty said:


> It's a new bike!!!!
> 
> Get the bike shop to sort it out, if they're half decent they'll show you how to adjust them so you can do it yourself next time. If the disc is knackered they can fit a new one. All under warranty


It may be a new bike, but rubbing discs will happen sporadically through the bike's life. He needs to learn to do it now.


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## Cyclist33 (13 Feb 2014)

User14044mountain said:


> It is an easy adjustment but as has been said by others, just get the bike shop to do the work (while you wait)


 
It's quicker to do it yourself, it takes about two minutes, than riding or otherwise transporting your bike to the shop!


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## Kestevan (13 Feb 2014)

User14044mountain said:


> It is an easy adjustment but as has been said by others, just get the bike shop to do the work (while you wait)



Anyone with a mountain bike should know (or make the effort to learn) how to carry out basic maintenance on their bike. 
Things like centering brakes, indexing gears, replacing chains ( if you're #dan_bo this includes twatting pringled wheels against trees). Being overly-reliant on the LBS will eventually lead to a long walk pushing or carrying a bike.


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## threebikesmcginty (13 Feb 2014)

Cubist said:


> It may be a new bike, but rubbing discs will happen sporadically through the bike's life. He needs to learn to do it now.



Christ that was over two years ago, I don't care now!


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## threebikesmcginty (13 Feb 2014)

User14044mountain said:


> When you are as old as we are, TBM, two years ago seems like yesterday.



Speak for yourself gramps, I'm only 48 and 3/4.


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## Stantheman (13 Feb 2014)

Sorry for the thread resurrection, I searched for binding brake and this one came up and sorted my problem.


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## BikeLife (28 Aug 2017)

I just got my new mountain bike today and the front disc brake is rubbing and it's about 1/4 of the disc brake. Can someone tell me how to fix this?


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## ColinJ (28 Aug 2017)

BikeLife said:


> I just got my new mountain bike today and the front disc brake is rubbing and it's about 1/4 of the disc brake. Can someone tell me how to fix this?


If you mean that it rubs for about 1/4 turn of the wheel then that sounds a bit like the disk might be bent. Lift the wheel off the ground and give it a spin while you look along the edge of the disk to see if it wobbles while it is turning - it shouldn't! Assuming that you didn't buy the bike mail order, could you pop back to the shop with it to get them to take a look at it?


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## Cycleops (28 Aug 2017)

Unless you can't take it back to the shop because it's a mail order jobby check this vid:

View: https://youtu.be/M-T5a6r6RNg


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## Ticktockmy (28 Aug 2017)

BikeLife said:


> I just got my new mountain bike today and the front disc brake is rubbing and it's about 1/4 of the disc brake. Can someone tell me how to fix this?


Take it back to the supplier if you can, and get them to fix it because they should have fixed all the problems before selling it to you.


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