Category Archives: Brakes

Various

Long time, no see. Well, it’s been another couple of busy weeks here at Andy’s Bike Clinic, so here’s a whistle stop tour of what’s been through the doors.
Voodoo Hoodoo in need of a new chain, cassette, Fibrax Limited gear cable, rear hub service and a general check-up.
A GT Paloma whose chain went SNAP! So on went a spanking new KMC Chain USA chain.
A Giant Terrago which needed some work in order to pop its mountain biking cherry at Beecraigs Mountain Bike Trails. Interim Service plus a full headset service and bearing renewal and it was ready for anything.
Another Giant…an XTC this time. An Interim Service, drivetrain clean, hydraulic brake adjustment and a replacement rear tube. Done.
A Scott Sub that had braking issues; virtually no pad material left on either set of brakes had it in need of some braking goodness. Replacement Shimano Cycling pads at the front, and a brand new Shimano MTB Deore lever and caliper meant this is one bike that now stops as well as it goes.
A lovely Cube which needed some Shimano Road pedals fitted and various components correctly torqued. With a carbon frame and components this nice, you don’t want to take any chances!
Finally there’s another Cube…this time it’s an Agree. New Shimano Road RS010 rear wheel, replacement cassette and chain. Boom!
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Revolution Pathfinder

Finally, a Revolution Pathfinder…this was in a bit of a sorry state as its commute takes in the worst of what West Lothian has to offer. It needed a new Raleigh Bicycles rear wheel with Sturmey-Archer (SunRace) 7 speed freewheel, a replacement KMC Chain USA 7 speed chain, new Raleigh Bicycles brake pads front and rear and a Fibrax Limited rear gear cable to ensure those gear changes are accurate and consistent.

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Specialized Allez Sport

Next up, a cracking Specialized Bicycles Allez Sport. An Interim Service, a drivetrain clean, the headset stripped and re-lubed and both brake calipers cleaned and lubed. The bike successfully completed the Tour de Lauder last weekend (well done to its rider…the conditions sounded challenging to say the least), although it did suffer two broken spokes so will need more work in the coming week.
 
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Be-One

Silly busy at Andy’s Bike Clinic at the moment…hence the updates haven’t been as numerous I would have liked. Anyway, what’s been happening (apart from the changeable Scottish weather?) First up we have a Be-One Spirit which was in for its Annual Service. Like a lot of other bikes with disc brakes, this one needed replacement front pads as well as the existing items had been coated in contaminants (undoubtedly picked up from the road where oil etc gets thrown up).
 
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Specialized Crux Elite

Now on to a Specialized Bicycles Crux Elite. Part cyclocross monster, part road bike, some say this is the only type of bike you’ll ever need. SRAM road Apex groupset with FSA Gossamer crankset and SRAM road Avid BB5 mechanical disc brakes, this is one sorted machine. An Interim Service, and a decontaminated pads and rotor and it was back with its owner (and now up for sale!)

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Trek Domane

This Trek Domane is the owner’s winter bike, and as such, had seen a fair amount of rain and muck over the last 4 or 5 months. An Annual Service, Raleigh Bicycles pads front and a rear (and a new rear mudguard) and new Fibrax Limited gear cables means this is one bike that can be put away for 6 months before tackling the worst the Lothian’s weather can throw at it all over again.

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Specialized Myka

Finally, we have a Specialized Myka Expert whose front brake was about as spongy as a spongy thing. Put simply, the Tektro Auriga Comp hydraulic brake didn’t stop the bike. Not even close. So, with the help of my trusty Epic Bleed Solutions kit, the front brake was bled and immediately showed signs of improved lever feel, and more importantly, stopping power. The pads and rotors were also decontaminated as they had been caked with a mixture of oil and dirt. The front hub also needed a service and the chain which was sat at a reading of 0.75 was duly replaced by a long lasting KMC Chain USA 9spd number. Ready to hit the trails with the dogs once more.

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Saracen Tufftrax

Next up, a sorry tale of a Saracen’s brake lever breaking in two and embedding itself in its rider’s leg. Ow! Fortunately, the rider was OK (apart from some bruising), whilst the bike needed a new Shimano MTB shifter, a Fibrax Limited front brake cable and a fair bit of gear adjustment. Here’s hoping the owner doesn’t come a cropper again.

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