How To Fix Bicycle Brakes

Learning how to fix bicycle brakes is essential in practicing safe bicycle riding. Brakes are important components, or in some cases only safety mechanism in stopping a moving bicycle. This article will guide you through the inspection, repair, and replace if necessary of various types of bicycle brakes.

1. Identify your brake type. Method to fix bicycle brakes varies greatly depending on the type of brakes that your bicycle have. Currently, the most common brakes are hydraulic rim brakes, rim brakes, delta brakes, and disc brakes. While rim brake is perhaps the most common brakes out of them all, but disc brake has been slowly gaining attractions. Therefore, before you fix bicycle brakes, make sure you can identify your brake type.
2. Check the steel cables. For most brakes, the steel cables that run through from the handle all the way to the brakes are the heart of the brake system. Check to see if you are too tight or too loose. If they are too loose, then you may brake properly when trying to stop. If they are too tight, you may brake unintentionally all the time, thus shorten the life of your brake pads.
3. Adjust or replace your brake pads. With the exemption of disc brakes, most other brakes uses a pair of brake pads. You need to inspect those brake pads closely. Make sure that they are not too close or too far from the wheel. You also want to make sure that they are even and not terribly used up. They may require replacement if one or both of the pads are used up.
4. Test your brakes. You want to do some testing after fixing bicycle brakes. Make sure that there is no unintentional friction between the brakes and wheels. Make adjustment accordingly.

Tip: If you want disc brakes, you may need the specific type of disc brakes in order to replace your current one. Contact a local bicycle shop for more detail in order to fix your bicycle brakes.