Jump to content

Brakes not releasing properly!! Please Help!!


RavenShield

Recommended Posts

Hi guys and girls, so today i got my first proper MTB (Giant Trance x1). Rode it around the block but it seemed to be harder than it should be to pedal. When home i picked up the bike and spun the wheels and saw that both front and rear only makes about 1 - 1.5 revolutions before coming to a standstil. Is that normal?? I dont think its normal, looks to me like the brakes are not releasing enough to let the wheel spin freely. How can i fix this?? Please help as i am not so clued up with MTB!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your post doesn't say if this is a new or 2nd hand bike so I assume the latter. It could be loads of things, worn pads but at a rough guess, I'd say you probably just need to bleed....the brakes.

 

The quickest way to learn is to read... That or take the bike to your nearest LBS and watch.

Very poor advice this. The symptoms described don't require brake bleeding. Brake bleeding is not the panacea for all brake-related ills.

 

OP - you need to give us much more info on this. If the wheels turn by themselves for 1 1/2 revs after being spun and you find it hard to pedal, you will have to adjust your perceptions of what is hard and what is easy.

 

No binding brake will let the wheel spin that much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Very poor advice this. The symptoms described don't require brake bleeding. Brake bleeding is not the panacea for all brake-related ills.

 

OP - you need to give us much more info on this. If the wheels turn by themselves for 1 1/2 revs after being spun and you find it hard to pedal, you will have to adjust your perceptions of what is hard and what is easy.

 

No binding brake will let the wheel spin that much.

 

Sorry lads, that's exactly what I went through in the last couple weeks, bled the brakes and it solved MY problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, it is a second hand bike. Let me ask this, if the wheels are in the air and you give them a spin as hard as you can, how many revs should they make before coming to a standstil, if everything is 100%

Link to comment
Share on other sites

' how many revs should they make before coming to a standstil '

 

You should become bored counting the revs.

Edited by rUpton
Link to comment
Share on other sites

' how many revs should they make before coming to a standstil '

 

You should become bored counting the revs.

 

Hahahaha!

 

Could be that the pistons pushed out while the wheels were off, or maybe the calipers are not set properly. As it's second-hand, I'd take it to the LBS for a once-over.

 

Enjoy the new ride.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Disk brakes, rim brakes? if they are binding you will see or hear it. With rim brakes you can release the cable/calipers and spin the wheel and see if there is a difference. With Disk brakes you can normally look down at the caliper and see if the pads are rubbing. I know mine rub a bit sometimes as one of the pistons don't always retract right away.

 

Remember MTB feels and just is waaaay harder than a road bike.

 

30kmph on a road bile with the same effort on an MTB will prolly be about 23-4kmph on MTB for the same route if you are lucky.

Edited by Dick
Link to comment
Share on other sites

' how many revs should they make before coming to a standstil '

 

You should become bored counting the revs.

 

hahahah what a winning first post. You should be loads of fun :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Undo the quick release, remove the wheels, hold them by the axles and let somebody spin the wheel for you. If still the same your wheel bearing may be shot or need a service and proper adlustment. Put the wheels back properly. Make sure the axles seat properly in the dropoutes. Close the quick release. Finger tighten the retaining nut. Release the QR and tighten the nut one turn. The QR should close with a some difficulty. If not readjust untill it does, not too much and not not too hard.

 

If it is not the wheels let us know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

tyre is propably not seated correctle or the brake calipers arent aligend properly. reseat the wheels properly and then have a go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi guys and girls, so today i got my first proper MTB (Giant Trance x1). Rode it around the block but it seemed to be harder than it should be to pedal. When home i picked up the bike and spun the wheels and saw that both front and rear only makes about 1 - 1.5 revolutions before coming to a standstil. Is that normal?? I dont think its normal, looks to me like the brakes are not releasing enough to let the wheel spin freely. How can i fix this?? Please help as i am not so clued up with MTB!

Get your first PROPER mtb. Sell the Giant and get a Commencal or a Merida or a Kona. They're proper bikes.... :P

 

If not, take it to you Local Bike Shop and ask them to have a look. Easier still, have a look yourself. The advice Eccentric has given will help you figure out whether your bearings in the hubs are shot or if the brakes are binding. How big was the old owners legs? Maybe he didn't care if they were buggered or not and it made him strong ;)

Either way, I still see a trip to the bike shop on the cards

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Get your first PROPER mtb. Sell the Giant and get a Commencal or a Merida or a Kona. They're proper bikes.... :P

 

If not, take it to you Local Bike Shop and ask them to have a look. Easier still, have a look yourself. The advice Eccentric has given will help you figure out whether your bearings in the hubs are shot or if the brakes are binding. How big was the old owners legs? Maybe he didn't care if they were buggered or not and it made him strong ;)

Either way, I still see a trip to the bike shop on the cards

 

Not nice shooting his first bike down. Your choices are not much more spectacular and are made in the factory right net to the Giant factoy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Get your first PROPER mtb. Sell the Giant waffle waffle waffle.... :P

 

If not, take it to you Local Bike Shop and ask them to have a look. waffle waffle waffle ;)

Either way, I still see a trip .....

 

Indeed, Who Needs Drugs, when we have you around mate??

 

Stunning advice.

 

Here's mine. Stick with your day job. :thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No worries! I fixed it! took off the calipers, pressed back pistons and pads, put the caliper back on, pulled the brake lever so the caliper can center itself over the disc, tightned the calipers and bob's your uncle!! Now i get bored counting the revs if i spin it!! No trip to the LBS needed, and btw, my LBS is 120km away...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No worries! I fixed it! took off the calipers, pressed back pistons and pads, put the caliper back on, pulled the brake lever so the caliper can center itself over the disc, tightned the calipers and bob's your uncle!! Now i get bored counting the revs if i spin it!! No trip to the LBS needed, and btw, my LBS is 120km away...

Should be plenty of mountains for you in Vryheid, I started riding a mountain bike when I lived and worked in Utrecht. Not much else to do!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Get your first PROPER mtb. Sell the Giant and get a Commencal or a Merida or a Kona. They're proper bikes.... :P

 

If not, take it to you Local Bike Shop and ask them to have a look. Easier still, have a look yourself. The advice Eccentric has given will help you figure out whether your bearings in the hubs are shot or if the brakes are binding. How big was the old owners legs? Maybe he didn't care if they were buggered or not and it made him strong ;)

Either way, I still see a trip to the bike shop on the cards

 

Lol, poor chap if he has seen any review by the major players that puts merida or a kona ahead of a Giant he should go revisit his pshycologist, especially the Trance got bike of the year three years in a row by one of the best known magazines in the world for trail bikes, not only for its reliability and awesome ride but for its pricetag which is not utterly ridiculous. And commencial is known for their downhill bikes not their trail rides.

 

So OP many happy miles you have a gorgious bike and she will give you a million happy miles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout