The Brake System; Brakes - How They Work And What To Do About Wear - Canyon road bike Manual

54 BRAKE SYSTEM

THE BRAKE SYSTEM

In general the brakes of your Canyon are necessary
to adjust your speed to the traffic situation. However,
in an emergency the brakes must be able to bring
your Canyon to a halt as quickly as possible. Such
emergency stops are also a study in physics. In the
process of braking, the rider's weight shifts forward,
thus reducing the load on the rear wheel. The rate of
deceleration on a dry and grippy ground is primarily
limited by the danger of overturning and only in the
second place by the road grip of the tyres. This prob-
lem becomes particularly acute when riding downhill.
In the event of an emergency stop you have to try to
put your weight back as far as possible.
Actuate both brakes simultaneously and bear in mind
that, due to the weight transfer, the front brakes can
generate a far better braking effect on a surface with
good grip.
The assignment of brake lever to brake pad, e.g. left
lever acts on front brake, can vary. Have the brakes
changed, as you want them.
With rim brakes long lasting braking or permanent
dragging of the brake pads can overheat the rim. This
can affect the inner tube negatively or cause the tyre
to slip on the inner rim. Sudden loss of pressure while
cycling can result in a serious accident.
Therefore, check your riding manners and make it a
habit to brake hard and then to open the brake again,
whenever the road surface and the situation allows it.
It is better to stop for a moment and let the rim cool
down rather than to risk anything.
Brake lever
Brake calliper
Braking leads to a forward shifting of the rider's weight
Be careful while getting used to the
brakes. Practise emergency stops in a
place clear of traffic until you have perfect com-
mand of your Canyon. This can save you from
having accidents.
Wet weather reduces your braking power.
!
Be aware of longer stopping distances
when riding in the rain!
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 rotating
braking surface, and the resulting friction slows down
the wheel. The rate of deceleration is not only deter-
mined by the force with which the brake pad is pressed
against the braking surface, but also to a decisive de-
gree by the coefficient of friction, which depends on
the two materials that are rubbed against each other.
When water, dirt or oil gets in contact with one of the
engaging surfaces, this changes the coefficient of
friction. This is why brakes respond at a slight delay
and less powerfully in wet weather. The friction gen-
erated by braking causes wear to the brake pads as
well as to the rims! frequent rides in the rain hasten
wear on both engaging surfaces.
Rims are provided with wear indicators, i.e. grooves
or circular indentations. If the rim is worn down to the
point where the grooves or indentations are no longer
visible, they need to be replaced. Once the abrasion
of the rim has reached a certain critical point, the rim
may break under the tyre pressure. This can make the
wheel jam or the inner tube burst, both of which can
cause an accident!
We advise you to have the remaining thickness of the
rims checked at the latest when you are through your
second set of brake pads.
When replacing brake pads, be sure to
i
only use marked original brake pads
matching your rim.
Ensure that braking surfaces are abso-
!
lutely free of wax, grease and oil. Ask a
skilled mechanic to examine the rims at the latest
when you are through your second set of brake
pads. Worn down rims may make the inner tube
burst, thus leading to a crash! In order to maintain
their effectiveness brakes need to be checked
and readjusted from time to time.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Brake pads with worn down wear indicators, i.e. grooves, (bottom
brake pad) must be replaced
Have your rims regularly inspected and measured
Carbon rims require special brake pads according to the instructions
of the wheel manufacturer
Damaged brake cables that are for exam-
ple frayed should be replaced immediately,
as they can otherwise fail in a critical moment,
possibly causing a crash.
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