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70
BRAKE SYSTEM
RIM BRAKES
Readjusting and synchronising the side-pull brakes
With dual pivot brakes, turn the small (headless)
screw, located at the side or on top of the calliper,
until the left and right brake pad are at the same
distance from the rim.
Furthermore, check whether the bolt connecting
the brake to the frame is still tightened to the pre-
scribed torque, as specified in chapter "Recom-
mended tightening torques".
Turn the knurled nut through which the brake ca-
ble passes at the brake body until the travel of the
brake lever suits your needs. To synchronise the
brake, turn the little bolt on the side of the brake
arm or the other bolt in the top area on the other
side.
Screw this small bolt until the clearance between brake pad and rim
is the same on either side
Turn the knurled nut to adjust the necessary brake lever travel
Damaged brake cables that are for exam-
ple frayed should be replaced immediate-
ly, as they can otherwise fail in a critical moment,
possibly causing a crash.
Adjusting the position of the brake pads
relative to the rims requires a considerable
degree of skill. Replacing and adjusting the brake
pads is a job best left to your bicycle dealer.
MECHANICAL AND HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES IN THE
CASE OF CYCLOCROSS BIKES
Brakes – how they work and what to do about wear
Actuating the hand lever on the handlebar causes a
stationary brake pad to be pressed against a rotat-
ing braking surface, and the resulting friction slows
down the wheel. The rate of deceleration is not only
determined by the force with which the brake pad is
pressed against the braking surface, but also to a
decisive degree by the coefficient of friction, which
depends on the two materials that are rubbed against
each other.
In the wet, disc brakes respond much faster than rim
brakes. They also require fairly little maintenance
and do not wear down the rims as rim brakes do. One
drawback of disc brakes is that they tend to be noisy
when they are wet.
When water, dirt or oil gets in contact with one of the
engaging surfaces, this changes the coefficient of
friction. This is why disc brakes respond at a slight
delay and less powerfully in wet weather. The friction
generated by braking causes wear to the brake pads
as well as to the rotors! Frequent rides in the rain has-
ten wear on both engaging surfaces.
Make sure that the rotors and brake pads
!
remain absolutely free of wax, grease and
lubricant. Brake pads, once contaminated with oil
cannot be cleaned, but have to be replaced!
Wet conditions and/or a heavily clogged
i
brake can lead to squeaking noises during
braking.
When replacing brake pads, be sure to
i
only use marked original spare parts
matching your brake.
DISC BRAKES
BRAKE SYSTEM
Disc brake
Disc brake
Leakages in the lines of hydraulic brakes
may render them ineffective. Remove such
leakages immediately, otherwise risk of accident!
Damaged cables should be replaced im-
mediately, as otherwise they can tear. Risk
of an accident!
Disc brakes are susceptible to overheating
during braking. Therefore, do not touch
the disc or brake caliper after extensive usage of
your brake, e.g. after riding downhill.
71
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