Brake Pads for BMX, Road, Mountain and Commuter Bikes

FITTING AND CHANGING YOUR BRAKE PADS FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE

All bikes have various tiny little components that make it possible for you to ride out in the sunshine. The brake pads are an example of that. As small as they are, they are integral to your comfort and safety as you ride. They wear out naturally over time. The effect of your road or mountain bike brake pads becoming worn out is that they won’t be as effective at bringing your wheels to a stop as before, so you’ll need to fit and change them at intervals.

You’ll know that it is time to change your road bike brake pads when your bike takes a long time to stop, or it makes a screeching sound when you apply the brakes. In addition, a close examination of the grooves on the pads should give you pointers on the need to change them.

If you don’t know how to go about that, then this article is for you.

Riding your bike in cold weather is likely to wear out your brake pads quicker. They also wear out quicker if you frequently ride as part of groups. This is because you’d likely need to constantly apply slowdown to be on the same speed with your group.

How to Switch Your Old Shimano Brake Pads Out

To remove them, the first thing you should do is to remove the wheels. When removing the rear wheel, put the chain in the smallest chainring in front and the smallest chainring at the back. This would make the chain slack and make the whole process easier.

The next step is to undo the grub screw. This is the screw that is outside the brake shoe and it holds the pads together. You don’t have to remove it all the way, just enough to remove it.

Then, slide it towards the back portion of the bike. How easy this would be depends on the length of time you have used them and the weather condition you used them in. In some instances, grit and particles might create some resistance. You might have to use pliers or a screwdriver to force it out.

One thing you should note is that you should always remove the pad towards the back of the bike, not the front. The front of part is blocked to prevent it slipping out during use.

When you want to replace the old parts with new ones make sure the directional arrow is pointing to the right direction. They usually have a label for the Left or Right Side. You need to install them in their proper places for them to function well.

After checking, just push it into place.

In some instances, new ones come with new grub screws. If your new disc brake pad has new screws, then use the new screws. This is because new screws can easily become rounded harder to remove.

After this, tighten the screw. Then you should spin your wheel and squeeze the lever to be sure things are working fine. In the end, you might have to make little adjustments to the brakes.