mgarl10024
Über Member
- Location
- Bristol
Hi all,
I thought I'd post this story of what happened today to see what people more knowledgeable than myself thought about it. I'm still learning, so advice welcome.
My girlfriend has a Giant 2009 CRS 4W which we bought new in May 2010 for around £200-£300. She didn't have a bike since her childhood but she's got on well with it, and it is kept in a garage, maintained, and only really ridden on dry weekends. Her cycle computer says it's done 375 miles.
So we're cycling along today and as the wheel is turning there is a scraping sound coming from the front wheel which gets worse if she brakes.
"Sounds like a bit of grit in the pads" I said. We stopped, I unclipped the quick release and ran a rag over the pads to free anything stuck there. "See how it goes".
So we set off. A bit further along, more scraping. I unclipped and checked the pads, nothing obvious. I checked the rims, nothing. "It's probably just a bit of dirt there, perhaps see how it goes".
A bit further on, she brakes hard and notices a thin whispy spiral of metal stuck to the brake blocks. "Wow, you're scraping the rims" I said. So, I take the pads off completely and see metal.
"Looks like these pads are worn through - but that doesn't make sense as you've only done 375 dry miles". To be fair, she is a heavy braker as she feels unsafe doing anything over about 15mph, so it could be. "Let's cycle to the local bike shop and ask them for some new pads".
I take the bike in and speak with sales lady1. She says "New pads? They don't look worn enough. But the technical guy will help".
Tech/Sales guy 1 puts the bike on a stand, takes out the wheel and and says "I can see metal, yep, new pads". He looks at the rear ones too and says they aught to be changed. I was a bit shocked given the distance. He priced me up 2 new pairs of pads at £9 each, or I could have some with replaceable shoes and 2 sets of shoes for £11 (sounded a good deal). He then wanted £10 to fit them, which I felt was a bit pricey. Total £32. "I'll go ask what she wants to do".
When I came back, Tech/Sales guy 1 was busy so I speak with Tech/Sales guy 2. I explain that I'd like new pads as advised. "Really? They don't look worn." So I explain the story. "Hm, doesn't look right to me." he says. He then phones a neighbouring shop who confirm his diagnosis. He explained that being a cheaper bike that they don't always finish off the join in the rim nicely as it's expensive to do. So, the front wheel's join has a lip, meaning that when braking the pads keep smacking into this lip (which makes sense as there is a click-click-click with the wheel rotation as she brakes). He explained that some of the metal from this join had lodged itself in the brake pad. He took the wheel out and gently sanded the joint to smooth it off, then using a tool took all the metal he could find from the pads. He also changed the "direction of travel" by flipping the wheel round (involved taking the tyre off so that the direction of the tread was the right way) so that the pads would now 'fall' over the join rather than bumping into it, if there was one left. As the bike was under a year old, this was all done for free.
The brakes were fine all the way home - perfect.
Just goes to show you that it can be down to who you speak to. Could have ended up spending £32 for something that wouldn't have solved the problem.
Hope this helps someone,
MG
I thought I'd post this story of what happened today to see what people more knowledgeable than myself thought about it. I'm still learning, so advice welcome.
My girlfriend has a Giant 2009 CRS 4W which we bought new in May 2010 for around £200-£300. She didn't have a bike since her childhood but she's got on well with it, and it is kept in a garage, maintained, and only really ridden on dry weekends. Her cycle computer says it's done 375 miles.
So we're cycling along today and as the wheel is turning there is a scraping sound coming from the front wheel which gets worse if she brakes.
"Sounds like a bit of grit in the pads" I said. We stopped, I unclipped the quick release and ran a rag over the pads to free anything stuck there. "See how it goes".
So we set off. A bit further along, more scraping. I unclipped and checked the pads, nothing obvious. I checked the rims, nothing. "It's probably just a bit of dirt there, perhaps see how it goes".
A bit further on, she brakes hard and notices a thin whispy spiral of metal stuck to the brake blocks. "Wow, you're scraping the rims" I said. So, I take the pads off completely and see metal.
"Looks like these pads are worn through - but that doesn't make sense as you've only done 375 dry miles". To be fair, she is a heavy braker as she feels unsafe doing anything over about 15mph, so it could be. "Let's cycle to the local bike shop and ask them for some new pads".
I take the bike in and speak with sales lady1. She says "New pads? They don't look worn enough. But the technical guy will help".
Tech/Sales guy 1 puts the bike on a stand, takes out the wheel and and says "I can see metal, yep, new pads". He looks at the rear ones too and says they aught to be changed. I was a bit shocked given the distance. He priced me up 2 new pairs of pads at £9 each, or I could have some with replaceable shoes and 2 sets of shoes for £11 (sounded a good deal). He then wanted £10 to fit them, which I felt was a bit pricey. Total £32. "I'll go ask what she wants to do".
When I came back, Tech/Sales guy 1 was busy so I speak with Tech/Sales guy 2. I explain that I'd like new pads as advised. "Really? They don't look worn." So I explain the story. "Hm, doesn't look right to me." he says. He then phones a neighbouring shop who confirm his diagnosis. He explained that being a cheaper bike that they don't always finish off the join in the rim nicely as it's expensive to do. So, the front wheel's join has a lip, meaning that when braking the pads keep smacking into this lip (which makes sense as there is a click-click-click with the wheel rotation as she brakes). He explained that some of the metal from this join had lodged itself in the brake pad. He took the wheel out and gently sanded the joint to smooth it off, then using a tool took all the metal he could find from the pads. He also changed the "direction of travel" by flipping the wheel round (involved taking the tyre off so that the direction of the tread was the right way) so that the pads would now 'fall' over the join rather than bumping into it, if there was one left. As the bike was under a year old, this was all done for free.
The brakes were fine all the way home - perfect.
Just goes to show you that it can be down to who you speak to. Could have ended up spending £32 for something that wouldn't have solved the problem.
Hope this helps someone,
MG
