Squealy brakes!!

[bigguy]

Im not sure if this is the right section, Ive been riding my Claud butler for some months now... I have a small problem.. My brakes are making a squealing noise akin to a heavy lorry pulling up!

Its really starting to f***in annoy me!

its not that the brakes are not bedded in, I have done quite a few hundred miles on this bike now.... they were fine when the bike was brand new...

I have tried messing about with toe in etc, but to no avail.... Any advice....please!

 

[domtyler]

Easy, buy some decent pads. Kool Stop or Swiss are the best. Aztec will do.

 

[Globalti]

Toe-in is the answer. It can be annoyingly difficult to get right with certain types of brake. When I had rim brakes I used to wedge a folded cereal packet lid under the trailing endge of the pad then try to tighten the bolt, with more or less success, which left the pad in the correct posture contacting the rim at the front first.

I have thought about this for years and I believe what happens is that with the pads parallel to the rim, when you brake the pads are forced forwards, which alters their angle in respect to the rim. As they have partially lost contact they spring back then grab again, many times a second, which sets up the squeal. If you set them already in a "tail out" posture they are pulled into roughly the correct parallel posture under braking force.

I guess that worn or loose pivots might produce the same effect too.

Others might be able to advise you about changing to a different pad, but I have no experience in this area.

Edit: must type faster.

 

[bigguy]

I guess your right dom... mine are of the plastic variety, ( sorry I'm not too knowledgeable in this subject) I suppose if I went to my LBS and asked for any of the brands you mentioned they should have them... I might do that later.... Many thanks.

 

[bigguy]

Hi rigid, my bike is still practically new, so I'd hope that my brake pivots would'nt be worn too badly yet, my brakes are the Vee type I think, where the brake arms are attached to the fork arms and clamped by the cable attached between the two, I'm thinking about maybe taking the whole bike into the LBS, maybe the guy who knows could adjust them better for me...

 

[Perry]

This might be worth a try:

1) Remove all oil and grease residue from the rim and brake pads.

2) Rub the blocks on sandpaper to give it a fresh surface.

 

[Scoosh]

I've had really squeally brakes on my hybrid for ages - and find it very useful around cycle paths/ suburban roads. When people don't respond to my 'ting-ting' on the bell (often because they have earphones in), I touch the brakes - and they MOVE !