The Chainlink

Disk breaks

I've been a bicycle commuter for about 4 years now and just bought a Giant Transend EX in May. After ruining a couple of cheapo bikes over the years, I've decided to turn a new leaf and try to do simple maintainance myself. I'm checking tire pressure and pumping everyday. Every two weeks I clean and lube the chain and wash my bike. Here's the rough part: what do I do to keep my disk breaks healthy? Anything simple I can do?

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Permalink Reply by Adam on August 29, 2008 at 10:42am
You spelled it wrong it's disk brake not breaks.. that is like i want to break up with a girl friend etc...
Permalink Reply by DRU Williams-Clark on August 29, 2008 at 11:05am
WRONG:

These are the breaks. Break it up. Break it up. Break it up. Break down!

jk...thanks for the spelling lesson
Permalink Reply by Tommie on August 29, 2008 at 5:07pm
nothing. effing up disc BRAKES = PITA for bike shops......

and, for what it's worth, when you remove your tire make sure to put something in between the BRAKE pads so that if you happen to hit the BRAKE lever you don't prevent yourself from putting the wheel back in.

incidentally. for cleaning a chain: 1) buy pro gold lube. 2) clean your chain 3) put pro gold on. 4) wipe off the black sh(*#)$ that comes off. 5) apply pro gold again. 6) every 2 rides or so wipe off your chain 7) apply pro gold.

wash bike with simple green. avoid spraying water directly into any areas that have bearings (bottom bracket, headset, wheels, rear derailleur).

dry it off. wax it with Honda motorcycle polish (that stuff is the shiznit--i'm learning sub-urban jargon excuse me please) and once it's dry, kiss it. kissing is the most important part. Your bike is close to your sweaty @$$ more often than your significant other is. It deserves a kiss.
Permalink Reply by evanK on August 30, 2008 at 12:40am
And another thing...

Internally-geared hubs are, in general, not even something most bike shops will be able to deal with. It's something, like sealed bottom brackets and headsets, that, when it goes, it goes, and you have to replace...in this case, the whole rear wheel.

That's what the word is on the street, someone else might know something better.
Permalink Reply by Tommie on August 30, 2008 at 12:54pm
Dunno where the conversation about internal hubs came from BUT . . . . I will pontificate on it:

**NOTE: pontification has been edited down to the essential because I need to get my ass to the gym before the Don Caballero show tonight.

work on 1963 dirty ass 3 speed internal hub? HELL NO. I tell the sad person that it will cost them as much as a new bike and suggest they buy a new bike or buy a new wheel.

Work on a post-warranty 14 speed Rohloff? ABSOLUTELY? I've never even seen one in real life BUT I'd gladly order the expensive repair manual and rip that baby apart (tenderly) and then put it together with the kind've care one gives when saftypinning a cloth diaper on a squirming slug. I'd then polish it with Honda motorcycle polish and kiss it to make it happy. It would come back to the owner smelling like baby powder and innocence.


evanK said:
And another thing...

Internally-geared hubs are, in general, not even something most bike shops will be able to deal with. It's something, like sealed bottom brackets and headsets, that, when it goes, it goes, and you have to replace...in this case, the whole rear wheel.

That's what the word is on the street, someone else might know something better.
Permalink Reply by vxla on September 4, 2008 at 8:39pm
To the original poster, you can read more about Disc Brake Maintenance on the Park Tool website; it's a good primer. They're pretty basic once you get the general concepts down and some experience. Note: you may need a specialized meter if you wish to fully service your brakes.

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