How do I know when my brake blocks are worn?

[Danny]

My newish touring bike has calliper brakes. Prior to that I have always ridden bikes with good old centre pull brakes.

I have no problem telling when then brake block on a centre pull brake needs replacing, but the ones on my calliper brakes are so much thinner to begin with that I am struggling to work out when they need replacing.

 

[Radius]

There should be a wear indicator line

 

[Randochap]

Most bikes have a "warning signal" -- a loud screeching noise accompanied by spirals of aluminium exiting the caliper area.

 

[Tynan]

you'll know

in theory when the grooves across the face of the pad is worh through to although quite how you check that is beyond me

as said the telltale sound of metal on metal

 

[Bigtwin]

as said the telltale sound of metal on metal

And don't ignore it for a few miles thinking you have grit on the pads or summat. Or you end up with a rim with a realllllly big groove round it.

Don't ask me how I know.

To be fair, they were new blocks, but one had the "T" inside onto which the rubber was moulded on the skew, so it started life barely below the surface. One long laiden hill later.....

 

[Danny]

you'll know

in theory when the grooves across the face of the pad is worh through to although quite how you check that is beyond me

as said the telltale sound of metal on metal

My aim was to avoid the telltale sound of metal on metal