Squealing brakes please help.

[punkypossum]

Are you sure it's the pads? Mine used to squeal after it rained, but after a lot of fiddling it turned out it was actually the lever - a spray of lube into the inside of the brake levers in damp weather has cured 99% of the problem...

 

[shimano]

as Fossyant said somewhere above it's your cheapo (not a personal slur) brakes that's doing it. I had the same problem until I was given a crashed top mtb for free and took the v brakes off it and fitted them to my cheapo MTB - result? no squeals and excellent stopping power. The only trouble with this is I now realise how poor some of the other components are and am now casting about for a new bike - who said cycling was cheap?

 

[k turner]

Punkypossam - I suggested to my friend and the shop guy today the rain may be getting in the handle thingy, and they both said no. I had in the back of my mind to spray some lub in there, but didnt till I asked someone.

I may have left washing up liquid on the rims, and then the rain made them wet and the squealing came back.

I used white vinegar today to make sure they were clean. Didnt help.

Anyway I bought some better brake pads today. With diagonal lines cut in them which apparantly the water goes out through???? The ones that came on the bike are just 3 blocks spaced a little appart. The new one is more of a one piece thing with slits in.

Will probably take about 3 hrs putting them on tonight with the help of the videosite that was recommended. I will have my friend check them tomorrow if I can get him, otherwise walk till I see him again.

I want to try myself, because I am sure he will get fed up with all the little problems and the sooner I learn the better.

Any comment on the pads I got, they were £7.99 per set for back and front.

 

[k turner]

Punkypossum Do you mean spray the things at the handle bar or the brake arms which hold the brake pads, because I was told not to spray anywhere near the brakes, as that is where I sprayed first.

 

[fossyant]

If they squeal it's at the wheel, not lever. Better pads will help, but don't expect to get rid of it all together - really don't worry about it ! It's more important that the pads stop you - cheap ones don't - especially when wet !

 

[k turner]

fossyant = I know you say it doesnt matter, but it is really very very loud, and not just a squeek. It is like a fox howling in the night. It sounds like metal grinding on metal like you get from the steelworks up the road.

Cant ignore it as I use the brakes nearly all the way home as most is down hill and it is in the houses. Pony is on outskirts of village.

Can the gears slow me down like a car does????

 

[dantheman]

no, gears on a bike cannot slow you down...

and, with due respect, apollo bikes are pretty cheap, so the pads will be very cheap, try getting your friend to rough them up again, they should squeel when they're smooth again, IMO showing you that it is the pads..- mine dont squeel, never yet, after 500 miles, and they stop well in the wet.. but they do seem to be wearing down rather quick, softer, i guess..
i found it a little worrying that you were told to use gt85/wd40 for everything- defo keep it away from your chain...

 

[k turner]

datherman - they specifically gave me the gt85 for the chain !!!!



horses are much easier than this.

 

[008]

My lbs advised me to only use GT85 on the chain... in fact they don't stock any other chain lubricant. GT85 is a lubricant as well as water disperser.

However, I decided to use finish line dry lube (red top) instead but have no problems using GT85 after every wet ride just to disperse the water from the chain and cassette to stop it from rusting.

 

[k turner]

You guys on here have such opposite opinions and it worries me that I may do something hiddeous to my shiny new bike :?:

 

[dodgy]

GT85 is absolutely not an appropriate lubricant to use on a chain, but never ever should it be used to clean braking surfaces :?:

 

[k turner]

Put on the new pads, still squealing, maybe it is not coming from the rim/pad and it is coming from somewhere else?

 

[dodgy]

I don't think anyone's asked yet, are your rims (that's the wheels) steel or alloy/aluminium? If they're steel, it's likely they'll always give you trouble with noise.

Dave.

 

[k turner]

dodgy - dont know, they are silver the bike cost £120 reduced to £90 if that helps.

neighbour said ring the shop and ask for the money back or them to fix it or change it for another one.

problem is I am partially disabled and sold the car last week and cant get it back to the shop. cant ride it, cant carry it on a bus, one and a half hours on two buses anyway.

phoned the manager and he said he would phone back in a few minutes that was half an hour ago.

FED UP and had to get someone else to feed the pony this morning because I cant get there.

it went back to the shop 3 times in the first week!!! for brakes and chain falling off.

 

[dodgy]

Oh dear, £120 possibly means it has steel rims. Not impossible to get them quiet, though. The rims really need a damn good scrubbing with a degreaser and something mildly abrasive (either a stiff brush or fine wire wool - but go easy). You've applied oil to the rims, I know you've cleaned them but you've no idea how pervasive oil is on a braking surface!
Give them a real thorough clean, no messing about.
Finally, Kool Stop pads will almost certainly help, though it might grate to have to spend 10 - 15% of the value of your bike on blocks.

I'm sorry to say this is why bikes in this price range are seldom reccomended by experienced cyclists. That's not to say you can't get the bike into a better condition.

Dave.