brake pad replacements<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Slack or Loose Brakes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Slack brakes are mostly a case of improper brake tension. In such a case, you apply the brakes, but nothing happens, or the impact is negligible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, the solution is to adjust the brake tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Tight Brakes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Tight brakes won’t work just as much as slack ones. So, you’ll need to adjust them properly to ensure the cable tension is not excessive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are the steps on how to loosen bike brakes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, adjust the brake pads as shared above<\/li> Press the brake lever to determine the point at which the brake pads touch the rim<\/li> If the brakes are still tight, loosen the brake pads using an Allen key<\/li> Move the brake pads up and down<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nIf the pads move seamlessly, then it means they are loose. If not, then you’ll have to redo the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you are sure that the brakes are slack, retighten them using an Allen key.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n
5. Bike Brakes Won’t Release<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Issues like dirt, grime, and dust buildup can prevent your bike from releasing. This problem is common with disc brakes and cantilever brakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAll it takes is proper cleaning, which you can do using these tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try removing as much dust, grime, dirt, and mud as you can from the brake pads and wheel<\/li> You can use a toothbrush or any other brush and a piece of cloth to do it<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nIn most cases, just a proper cleaning will release your brakes, and they’ll start working. If that doesn’t work, then proceed with these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Loosen the screws that hold the brake cable<\/li> Use pliers to pull out the brake cable until you completely disengage the brakes<\/li> Now clean the brake cylinder<\/li> Ensure you don’t add any grease to the brakes as that may make the brake pads stick<\/li> Finally, remount the brakes and adjust the brake cable properly just as everything was<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n6. Sticky Brakes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n More often than not, the brakes stick because of grime, dust, and mud or dirt buildup. So, it’s the same as the brakes not releasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But still, an issue like rust can also make the brakes sticky, more so on one side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are the steps on how to fix bike brakes sticking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Replace the brake cable and its housing if the stickiness is a result of a faulty brake cable and its housing<\/li> Sand the brakes to get rid of rust if they are rusty<\/li> Remember to lubricate the cable after replacing<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nHow about bike brakes sticking one side? (how to fix bike brakes that don’t work)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIf the sticking is not due to dirt, you can try to lubricate the sticky brake pads. Essentially, proper greasing of the affected parts can unstick the sticky part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Bike Brakes Not Gripping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Your bike brakes not gripping could be due to any of these issues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A loose brake cable<\/li> Grease contamination<\/li> Worn out brake pads<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nSolution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nYou can fix bike brakes that won’t grip by tightening the brake cable if it’s loose. If that approach doesn’t work and your brake pads look contaminated with grease, consider degreasing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But if it’s an issue of worn-out brake pads, you should consider getting newer ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Spongy Brakes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n If one of your brake calipers works more than the other, you’ll feel the brakes becoming spongy. Simply put, it’ll feel like the brakes are not applying enough pressure when engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This problem could be due to a buckled wheel, which often means less brake pad surface. But still, it could be a case of a misaligned brake pad that needs adjusting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nYou must diagnose the issue behind the sponginess. If it’s a buckled wheel, then you’ve to adjust the brake pads as shared above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the case of hydraulic brakes, you’ve to bleed out the brakes (get rid of air bubbles) because the problem is with the brake fluid.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n
How To Fix Brake Handle On Bike<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Here are common bike brake handle problems and the quick fixes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stuck brake handles<\/strong> \u2013 Remove the brake cable to determine if the brake lever has a problem before fixing it using the tips shared for adjusting the brake lever<\/li>Stiff brake handles<\/strong> \u2013 Consider lubricating the brakes. If that doesn’t work, adjust the brake pads.<\/li>Loose brake handles <\/strong>– You’ll need to tighten the brake levers.<\/li>Broken brake handles<\/strong> \u2013 If the brake handle is damaged, replace it with new brake handles<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nHow To Fix Bike Brakes Cable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n When it comes to a faulty brake cable, you only need to adjust it, and that’s about it. Overall, you can adjust the brake cables at the barrel adjuster or caliper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s see how to go about it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adjusting the barrel adjuster<\/strong> \u2013 You’ll need to either loosen or tighten the barrel adjuster. Turning it clockwise will increase the cable tension, while doing it counterclockwise will decrease the cable tension.<\/li>Adjusting the caliper<\/strong> \u2013 If you’ve been unsuccessful in adjusting the barrel adjuster, consider loosening the caliper using an Allen key. Do it anticlockwise but be careful not to unbolt the brake caliper completely.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nHow To Change Faulty Brake Pads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n If your brake pads are faulty, your brakes won’t work no matter how hard you try. So, you’ll need to replace them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You’ll need to loosen the washers and nuts of your old brake and then pull out the brake pads. After that, install the new bike brake pads but be sure to align them properly<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow To Fix Brake Levers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n If the brake levers are not working, consider fixing them using any of these approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brake repositioning<\/strong> \u2013 In case of mechanical disc brakes, adjust the dials on the caliper to draw the brake pads close to the discs (rotors). But if the brake pads are badly worn out, you’ll need to replace them.<\/li>Bleed the brakes<\/strong> \u2013 This applies to hydraulic disc brakes where you need to purge out air bubbles from the hydraulic system. You’ll need to use a hydraulic hose.<\/li>Clean and grease<\/strong> \u2013 Sometimes, all it takes is to clean and grease the brake levers, something you can do with the CRC SL3301 Brake & Caliper Grease<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nTools You’ll Need To Fix Bike Brakes That Don’t Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Are your bike brakes not working? Then you’ll need these tools:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Allen Keys <\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nAllen keys come in handy in adjusting the brake fasteners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are looking for a complete set of Allen keys, consider the Amazon Basics Hex Key Allen Wrench Set<\/strong>. The 26-set has all the Allen keys and wrenches you need to adjust your brakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPliers <\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nPliers are essential in accomplishing tightening, pulling, and bending duties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check out the Craftsman Pliers<\/strong> if you are looking for quality pliers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAdjustable Wrench or Ring Spanner <\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nYou’ll need an adjustable wrench or ring spanner to adjust the bolts on the brake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I recommend the Craftsman Adjustable Wrench Set<\/strong> for the best joint tightening experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRelevant: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nHow To Raise Handlebars On Mountain Bike<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nClosing Thought:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n Now you have the guide on how to fix bike brakes that don’t work. As you might have realized, not every problem requires you to go to the mechanic. Most are DIY, and I hope that the guide will help you do them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There are several reasons why your bike brakes don’t work. It could be that they are sticky, too tight, slack, contaminated, over-heated, or just worn out. Luckily, most issues are … <\/p>\n
Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":295,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[39],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=294"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"How](\"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/How-To-Fix-Bike-Brakes-That-Dont-Work-2.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/How-To-Fix-Bike-Brakes-That-Dont-Work-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"how](\"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/how-to-fix-bike-brakes-that-dont-work-300x222.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"Bike](\"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Bike-Brakes-Wont-Release-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/bikefinest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/How-To-Fix-Brake-Handle-On-Bike.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n