roadrash
cycle chatterer
- Location
- sitting on the edge of wigan pier
allthough my brakes sre working fine... why do they squeal so loud sounds like a wailing banshee 
brakes please help
- Thread starter roadrash
- Start date
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mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
It's because, either your brake blocks are not 'toed-in' correctly, you have 'bunnies' or you have a contaminant on your rim surface. Or a combination of two or more of the above.
Your brakes should be adjusted so that the front edge of your brake blocks contact the rim first when activated, and there should be a 2 to 3mm gap at the back. Looked at from above it gives the effect that the rim is passing through a funnel.
It's not unusual to get tar or other crappola on the braking surface and this can cause the supersonic juddering which is the horrendous screeching. Cleaning your rims of with a 'Scotchbrite' type kitchen scourer and mild detergent is an easy way to remove it.
if you have excess 'bunnies' (play in your bushes!) the only option is new brakes.
Your brakes should be adjusted so that the front edge of your brake blocks contact the rim first when activated, and there should be a 2 to 3mm gap at the back. Looked at from above it gives the effect that the rim is passing through a funnel.
It's not unusual to get tar or other crappola on the braking surface and this can cause the supersonic juddering which is the horrendous screeching. Cleaning your rims of with a 'Scotchbrite' type kitchen scourer and mild detergent is an easy way to remove it.
if you have excess 'bunnies' (play in your bushes!) the only option is new brakes.
growingvegetables
Guru
- Location
- Leeds
+1allthough my brakes sre working fine... why do they squeal so loud sounds like a wailing banshee
mine do too but i think part of it is the combination of new rims and new brake blocks. it did it for a while until it bedded in, and then after going down a really steep hill and having to brake hard, after that it stopped.
.... until i took the wheel off and put it back on again.
at first i found it
but now i find it 
because it makes me laugh when drivers jump out of their skin, and no one can say they didn't hear me coming.
if you have new rims try a brillo pad on them, if you have new brake blocks try a bit of meths on them, and if that don't work it is prob as said above, that your brakes need toeing.
Really tho, once you get over the embarrassment, its funny making drivers jump out of their skin when you pull up next to them. they think you're going to crash lol
.... until i took the wheel off and put it back on again.
at first i found it
but now i find it because it makes me laugh when drivers jump out of their skin, and no one can say they didn't hear me coming. if you have new rims try a brillo pad on them, if you have new brake blocks try a bit of meths on them, and if that don't work it is prob as said above, that your brakes need toeing.
Really tho, once you get over the embarrassment, its funny making drivers jump out of their skin when you pull up next to them. they think you're going to crash lol
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
As mickle says you either need to toe in brakes or they are contaminated or damaged. Having said that I've toed in all my brakes and kept rims/pads clean and this has successfully worked for me, up until my last pair of pads (Ed Co Ops own brand) and although they have eventually went silent it seems like some pads are just bad for noise.
OP
OP
roadrash
cycle chatterer
- Location
- sitting on the edge of wigan pier
thanks for the advice ,all taken onboard
I had the same issue a few months ago and when braking approaching some lights I had some woman in her car scream at me about watching where I was going despite me braking with plenty of time. I said a few choice words to her and cycled off but their reactions aren't always as funny as you'd like
