Cracked - the 'Black Art' of toeing-in rim brakes

[Jon George]

(Disclaimer: I am old enough to know that there's generally nothing new under the sun and that dozens of you have probably been doing this for a long time, but I'm just so pleased to have discovered it for myself.)

For years, I have struggled to achieve the perfect 'toe-in' following the advice of using something like a business card to give the brake pad the correct off-set. For me, it has always felt like an extra hand would be helpful as I was struggling with Allen key, pad alignment, brake lever and business card.
Well, today I realised I could replace the card with several temporary layers of masking tape stuck to the rim, giving amble dexterity to adjust everything correctly!

My Saturday Locky McLockface has had unexpected results!

 

[Domus]

I've seen a Park Tool video where Calvin uses a rubber band around the pad,

 

[Landsurfer]

I use a 1p coin and a grandchild to great effect when setting up my cantilever brakes ..... quiet as a quiet thing ....

 

[Drago]

I've seen a Park Tool video where Calvin uses a rubber band around the pad,

I do similar, with a small, thin cable tie.

 

[numbnuts]

Piece of cardboard does me

 

[Deleted member 23692]

I never bother - the pads will wear flat eventually.

 

[PK99]

I never bother - the pads will wear flat eventfully.

Predictive text strikes again !

 

[MontyVeda]

It was always a mahoosive faff for me but since moving to cartridge brakes, faff once and forget... but as Ffoeg says, they always wear flat eventually.