"Breaking in" New Rotors and Pads in the Wet?

[PaulSB]

I'd like to avoid discussion on whether this is necessary or not as I plan to do it regardless.

My question is this. I had planned to do this today. It's wet, not raining but the roads will be wet.

Should I wait for a dry day or does it make no difference?

 

[mustang1]

To bed in the disk brakes, you need to produce a lot of heat so the brake pads' material rubs into the disks. The point of disk brakes is they work well in the wet because they're at the centre of the wheel thus less likely to get water picked up from the road.

However, I'd imagine a tiny bit of water probably gets onto the disks and cools things down but probably not enough to make too much difference.

This is what I would do: in the grand scheme of things, if the road is damp, I would just bed the disks in. If the road was kinda wet, i would still bed the disks in. But if I was truly OCD about it, then I'd wait. But I'm not OCD so I would just do it.

 

[ianrauk]

It won't make any difference. Have bed in new discs in both wet and dry, all good.

 

[Pale Rider]

My concern would be braking firmly several times to a standstill on a possibly slippery surface.

 

[cougie uk]

You don't brake to a standstill ? Just walking pace ?

Braking to a stop would cause problems on the rotor ?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Never purposely did anything with new discs/pads or on a new bike.

 

[Ridgeway]

I usually find a big hill and head downwards, by the time i reach the bottom they are typically well bedded in, i have in fact a favourite hill for this

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Get on with it. As above brake to walking pace then repeat. Don’t do it on steep hill where traction in wet may be an issue if braking firmly.

 

[mickle]

Unless you're a professional cyclist preparing for an imminent event this is a complete waste of time and effort.

 

[cougie uk]

Unless you're a professional cyclist preparing for an imminent event this is a complete waste of time and effort.

So it makes a difference for the professionals - but not to amateurs ?

How do you figure that ?

It's only the work of a couple of minutes anyway. It's hardly a big task.

 

[Adam4868]

I've never bothered doing anything other than riding to discs and pads...never even thought about breaking them in.

 

[Chislenko]

One doesn't break in pads and discs on a car. Not disputing the OP, I'm genuinely baffled as to why it would need doing on a bike, any bike?

 

[cougie uk]

One doesn't break in pads and discs on a car. Not disputing the OP, I'm genuinely baffled as to why it would need doing on a bike, any bike?

I've never heard squealing brakes on a car but plenty of times on bikes.

I guess it might be to do with the light weight of the disc and wheel. Any build up of material from an early emergency stop could throw it off balance ?

I'm no expert but if the manufacturers say to do it - I'll do it.

 

[Arrowfoot]

One doesn't break in pads and discs on a car. Not disputing the OP, I'm genuinely baffled as to why it would need doing on a bike, any bike?

Done as matter of routine for serious MTB riders as constant and hard braking to negotiate sudden bends and twist is their thing. There is somewhat of a sheen on new pads to be taken out. When not done, the first bend and a hard pull might not bite. 10 minute job.

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[MichaelW2]

One doesn't break in pads and discs on a car. Not disputing the OP, I'm genuinely baffled as to why it would need doing on a bike, any bike?

https://www.ferodo.co.uk/blog/give-brakes-a-break.html

This is how SRAM tell you to bed in their brakes.

View: https://youtu.be/iUV2Eo9ERSk