Best and safest way to clean rim

[roubaixtuesday]

I have tried everything and the left brake pad still squeals. Its a new rim that has less than 200 miles on it and ive taken good care of it. Its a swytch wheel btw. Would baby powder work?

If you'd said "how do I stop my brakes squeaking" you'd get a radically different set of responses.

If that's your question, I suggest staying a new thread.

I could do with an answer myself.

 

[Biker2772]

Oh squeaky v brakes. TBH I don't bother on my old MTB with canti's - you can remove it and it will come back at some point.

Remove what?

 

[fossyant]

Remove what?

The squeek. I can get rid of mine by adjusting the toe in again, but the pads soon wear. Some pads squeek worse than others. It's a canti/v-brake thing. MrsF's V brakes don't squeel, just my cantis. Not too bothered as it's my commuter bike I use on the canal and squeeky brakes are useful on canal tunnels etc as well as the bell.

 

[Biker2772]

If you'd said "how do I stop my brakes squeaking" you'd get a radically different set of responses.

If that's your question, I suggest staying a new thread.

I could do with an answer myself.

Could you help?

 

[Profpointy]

I've always used meths and a rag. I'm less keen on anything potentially oily like paraffin or turps as the rim is after all what the brakes operate on.

 

[Biker2772]

I've always used meths and a rag. I'm less keen on anything potentially oily like paraffin or turps as the rim is after all what the brakes operate on.

Ive did everything but still doesnt go away. The right side rim and brake pad is dirty but still doesnt squeal.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Could you help?

Alas not, my tandem sounds like a flock of trombonists high on coke and operating in a helium atmosphere. I am entirely unable to remedy.

 

[Profpointy]

link please

ebay.co.uk

:-)

 

[Profpointy]

Ive did everything but still doesnt go away. The right side rim and brake pad is dirty but still doesnt squeal.

Think I've missed something but cleaning them isn't particularly pertinent to them squealing or not not

 

[Biker2772]

Think I've missed something but cleaning them isn't particularly pertinent to them squealing or not not

I also set toe on both of them properly but the left one still squeals. The pads are in good condition. Any other reason why?

 

[the snail]

I also set toe on both of them properly but the left one still squeals. The pads are in good condition. Any other reason why?

Worth taking the arms off and greasing the pivots. Otherwise, try different pads. Koolstop, Jagwire, Giant brands are good and quiet on my bike. OTOH a bit of brake squeal is great for getting pedestrians out of your way...

 

[fossyant]

I also set toe on both of them properly but the left one still squeals. The pads are in good condition. Any other reason why?

I'd just ride.... Brakes don't squeel on road bikes - it's the leverage brakes etc that cause it on some brakes.

Many folk have screaming discs. I only get it if the disc is wet before braking - so after a long climb on an MTB, then shuts up once I've applied the brake and got rid of water !

 

[PaulSB]

surprises me - I quite often get black deposits on front and rear rims.
Don't you ever ride in the rain?

Completely agree with you on this and I'm very surprised to read opinions suggesting dirty rims have no impact on braking efficiency.

After wet winter rides my rims often had black and/or oily deposits on them. Its to be expected when the roads are wet and covered with a damp mixture of debris, oily residues from vehicles etc. I can't say I cleaned the rims after every ride but did often give them a wipe with white spirit and then immediately dry it off. Some may feel it unnecessary but I'd argue it's a five minute job which will have some benefit on braking to which we can add a valuable visual inspection.

All in the past tense because my current winter bike has discs so this is no longer an issue.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I'm very surprised to read opinions suggesting dirty rims have no impact on braking efficiency.

OTOH, I'm astonished that anyone thinks they do

Go through a puddle and you're back to square one. Makes zero difference to braking.

OTOH debris embedded in the blocks definitely does.

 

[Blue Hills]

True, but as my bike lives indoors I clean it after mucky rides. So the rims get cleaned for other reasons. Any improvement, or no change at all, to braking is incidental.

getting confused here mr trousers, so you do clean rims, even if only "accidentally" by the by when doing other stuff.
I'll keep on cleaning mine now and again - they definitely get black oily grubby debris on them - mostly from the road I think. Definitely not imagining it. I also ride a fair old bit in certain rural northern parts where roads can be particularly mucky. Seems to me a good idea not to have an extra layer of hard gunk slime (ready to be mixed with more water) between the two braking surfaces. There's also inevitably bits of micro muck in there.
I do remember going into the famed Roberts bike builders once, somehow getting into a diversionary natter about rim brakes and being told that it was important to keep an eye on rim cleanliness. Was also by the by congratulated on the cleanliness of mine.