hydraulic brakes squeaking

riamu

riamu

riamu

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Joined
10 Sep 2003
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930
i have a mountain bike with hydraulic disc brakes and i cleaned the bike using Muck-Off fluid, but i think some of this must have got ontothe front disc brake since it squeaks a lot when i apply the brake and it is a very rusty, chronic squeak, which won't go away despite my drying the brake disc thoroughly and apologising to it vigorously.

I fear that if i take it to my local bike shop (Evans) I will end up with a big bill which i cannot afford.

Is there any way of getting rid of the squeak.

Also, as time goes on, i have to press the brake lever more to get the same amount of braking, can i tighten the brake in any way myself.

I need to avoid big bills.
 
sounds like you have contaminated pads - take the hit and spend a tenner on a new set. Thoroughly clean the discs BEFORE installing your new pads.

Edit - look at the lever, you should see a small screw which aligns with the piston rod - this can be adjusted to push the piston in and reduce brake lever travel.
 
thanks shoes you sound like an expert. Is there much difference in performance between avid juicy 3 and avid juicy 5 ?
 
No idea, I ran Avid Juicy 3's with 203mm discs on my bike and could stop on a dime - I think the Juicy 5 and 7 were actually more configurable rather than actually giving more stopping power. Juicy 3 were more than enough for a casual cannock chase rider like me :)
 
yes i must say the avid 3 has very sharp braking, i used to have mechanical disc brakes and i decided to take the plunge and get avid 3 hydraulics which i am currrently using, but it cost a fair bit to have them supplied and fitted at Evans, but it feels so great to have them. It has already saved my life once at a zebra crossing.

What is bleeding and how often does it need to be done?
 
Bleeding is removing air in the hydraulic fluid in the pistons and pipe between the two. It can also refer to draining the system completely, and then refilling with new fluid (aka blood) and then removing all air. Some people recommend doing it yearly, some three yearly. I never bothered with mine and never noticed any degradation in braking.

I can't tell you how easy it is as I've never done it, but if it's anything like a car then it's a piece of cake.

I found the Juicy 3's to have decent modulation, only really giving you braking power to be reckoned with when you asked for it. That's a good thing - you don't want on/off brakes, especially downhill on uneven terrain.

I'd stick with the juicy 3's myself, they're very good. What size rotors are you using?
 
i am not sure of rotor dimensions, i just chose the brakes at Evans and they fitted them. They offered either juicy 3 or 5, i chose 3, but the mechanic suggested getting better mechanical disc brakes rather than hydraulic ones, he said instead of getting hydraulic, it was better just to buy a new bike which had those brakes. I had a big bill but Evans are people i trust to do a good job. I also had new, wider tyres fitted (Panaracer Cinder). My only fear, living in south london, is that it might get nicked if i don't watch it day and night. I feel safe riding in Richmond park, but not in Clapham Common.

I have to say i really hate standard disc brakes (clamp-style).
 
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V-brakes can be very very good, you just have to keep them maintained - clean pads, clean wheel rims and above all else, keep them properly adjusted (preload and cable position). If you do it regularly the adjustments are generally tiny. They do offer a superb amount of modulation and stopping power though.

Personally, however, I'd choose hydro discs over V's or cable discs.
 
i have never seen a racer with hydraulic brakes, even the top-end ones have v-brakes. why is that?

have you ever ridden a 29er mountain bike?
 
The mechanic was right in saying to go over mechanical discs over hydraulic discs at your price point. Either way you have them now and they need a bleed. It will cost between £10 & £15 per end. Plus pads if needed.
 
If it's not a high pitched squeel then I'd say it's contanimated pads.

New pads and cleaning the rotors should fix it. You have to pull the lever harder to get the power as they are lacking in friction. If the lever is still pretty hard and the feel hasn't gone all spongy I wouldn't bleed them.
 
I did the same thing not too long ago, hidden deep in the internet was a great idea that I discovered...

Take out the pads and stick them in the oven at gas mark 5 or some such for 30 mins. It WILL smell but that's the smell of whatever's in muc-off being evaporated. I have no squeak now, only when my bike's been sitting in the wet do the brakes squeak the first few times I apply them.
 
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