How to upgrade your brakes

[Slowbee]

 

 

 

The two most important things to remember about upgrading brakes for the first time are, (1) having brakes to upgrade in the first place, and (2) most importantly, having someone else's bike to work with since you have never done this before and would never trust yourself with your own steed.

 

So, having got over the first stumbling block of telling the wife she needs new brakes, you have to find them. Once found (in this case juicy 3's, and two months later) you will need some kind of work stand. You cant work kneeling down all the time can you? Tell the wife the project is going to be a little over budget since you need to have a workstand (in this case it  a parktool, home mechanic stand). Assemble the stand, and note an odd nut and bolt left over. Put them in the drawer, you may need them later.

 

Now you are ready to start. So first you get a plastic ice cream bakkie thingy (empty) cause you just know there are going to be bits and pieces. Get your allen key set out and start undoing things. Remember to take off the cable ties. Preferbly with a knife so you can mark the frame to indicate to yourself where you must put the ties when the cables are connected.

 

After removing the old set of brakes and try fit the new ones and realise they dont fit. They keep hitting the steel plate thingy. Replace the old steel plate thing with a new one (that came as part of the set), noting that it says something about 5.2nm and 160mm.  Just use JB's advice and tighten opposite ones till you hear a squeak, snap, oh wait thats for carbon. Problem still occurs. Ok, go onto the hub and ask a few questions and realise there is post mount and IS mount, which all use different adapters based on steel disk size (which I believe is called a rotor or disk/c). Make sure to do this in normal work clothes, as you will always stay clean, and do it just as you drive in from work without looking in the kitchen door. Always leave things to the last minute, realise its 17H00, drive to LBS, explain problem, get black adapter thingy. When home open fridge to get a beer, always helps focus the mind on the job. Put adpater thingy on bike, making sure the arrow is forward, still doesnt fit. Blame blinken LBS, wondering if you should post a lynch hunt on the hub that the LBS is pathetic and clueless. I mean they only stripped it off a bike on the floor for you and told you to pay the next day if it worked. Its now 17H25, call another LBS, they say come in and show us the adapter. Rush down to the LBS, (avoid the granny walking the dog and pushing a pram) let the LBS  look and say you need spacers (what they heck are they I ask?) Get given the spacers for free and grumble about bad LBS service.

 

Drive home, finish beer. Fit all bits and pieces. Use cables ties that you have to get from your father-in-law because you forget to get them the first and second time you went to the LBS. Accept the squeak, its not your bike. Look inside ice cream tub - and notice two bolts. Check bike and see everything is bolted on the bike. Put bolts into same drawer as with the park tool bolts. They can be friends. Call the wife to test ride the bike - but DONT warn her the new brakes work well ...actually very well. Have your running shoes on to run and help her back on the bike. Her smile that she actually fell from br(e)aking makes it all worth it. Always have a glass of wine handy for her to celebrate that it all actually worked. Feel lucky.

 

And the most important take home message !??!....... make sure you have fuel in the car, cause driving up and down to the LBS's uses fuel and you may run out on your way to the fuel station the next day.

 

 

 

Slowbee2009-07-01 00:58:32

[Wernervdmerwe]

This is excellent!

[Piernas Flacas]

Did you keep it real and drank Windhoek?

[Slowbee]

 

 

Did you keep it real and drank Windhoek?

 

pppfffff I am an up and comming first time knynsa attempt cyclist (this weekend) so need to watch my weight so it was a peroni thank you very much.

Slowbee2009-06-30 09:21:32

[Slowbee]

 

PS: will be posting how to fit a rear derailuer hopefully thursday. Busy having a glass of wine and looking at all the screws. 

Slowbee2009-06-30 10:33:40

[crasher]

CLASSIC

[leet22]

Nice 1 Slowbee

[intern]

Slowbee do you do house calls? my brakes aren't looking so hot....

[fandacious]

i found this website a while ago.

 

its insanely useful

 

http://bicycletutor.com/

[Christopher Brunsdon]

 

i found this website a while ago.

 

its insanely useful

 

http://bicycletutor.com/

 

That and parktools site. Between the two I was able to set my front derailleur, now it shifts perfectly and chain not longer falls off

 

[javadude]

 

i found this website a while ago.

 

its insanely useful

 

http://bicycletutor.com/

Very cool link, thanks.

 

[Slowbee]

 

i found this website a while ago.

 

its insanely useful

 

http://bicycletutor.com/

 

usefull smuschfull.

 

why on earth would you want to read a manual, do some research, chat to some knowledgable people, ask for help, when you can do it yourself and cock it all up and then go find a big hammer, and then have the mrs ask if you know what you are doing and if you have the manual ? manual shmanual...

 

[Slowbee]

oh yes I know of that link. on biketutor.

 

I will look at it once the RD cannot be beaten anymore with a hammer.

 

At this moment still trying to figure out how to take the chain off. yes it does have a quick link.

 

[Slowbee]

 

Slowbee do you do house calls? my brakes aren't looking so hot....

 

no problem, I'll drop in and have it sorted in no time ... how many beers you have ?

 

and is Mr Yang still on your payroll? does he have friends in CT ...aaahh dammit, gave you my location ..

 

[leet22]

Hmm Slowbee , u intrested in being my mech for the Epic next year?

[Slowbee]

 

Hmm Slowbee ' date=' u intrested in being my mech for the Epic next year?[/quote']

 

you cook, i'll fix your bike ...