This job also requires some specialty tools. There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to bleeding brakes. If this happens, air bubbles can get in the system and reduce the braking force. You will also need to bleed the brakes if they were opened up or leaked for some reason. How often you need to bleed the brakes depends on the type of fluid that your brakes use (DOT brake fluid or mineral oil) and how much you ride. A racer may have to replace the fluid annually to keep the brakes operating at peak performance. Some riders go as much as 5 years between bleeds. The average rider will have to bleed the brakes about once every 2-3 years. Bleeding brakes means replacing the brake fluid. You will have to bleed hydraulic disc brakes periodically. For this reason, the pads are far less likely to rub on the rotor. There are no barrel adjusters to mess around with. There is no cable that stretches and needs to be adjusted or re-tensioned. The pads align themselves in relation to the rotors and adjust as the pads wear down. Hydraulic disc brakes are also self-adjusting. For this reason, are ideal for off-road riding and mountain biking. There is also nothing to rust or corrode. Hydraulic brake lines are pressurized and are air and water tight. This means the brake lines can’t get contaminated with sand, dust, mud, dirt, and other debris. The only regular maintenance you’ll need to do is to replace the brake pads as they wear out.Īnother reason hydraulic disc brakes need less maintenance is because the system is completely sealed. The main reason is that there is also no cable that stretches and needs to be adjusted. Hydraulic disc brakes require far less maintenance than mechanical. You can’t create quite as much stopping power so your stopping distance will be a bit longer. For these reasons, the brake pads can’t push against the rotors as hard to create as much friction. Some energy is lost when the cable stretches or compresses. When you pull the lever, some of the force that you apply is used to overcome the friction created by the cable running through the housing. The reason is that some energy is lost in the system. Mechanical disc brakes are less efficient because less force makes it from the brake lever to the caliper. For more technical info, check out this guide about how hydraulics work. The result is a very powerful brake system that takes little effort to operate. The brake fluid also doesn’t compress and produces little friction while moving through the line so very little energy is lost in the system. In other words, the hydraulic brake system creates more braking force than the force you applied to the brake lever. Hydraulics multiply the initial force that you put into the system when you squeeze the brake lever. The reason is that they are more efficient. Although pads are relatively cheap, for a child's bike I recommend a good brand like Koolstop as children do not have the arm strength needed if the brakes are not working well.Hydraulic disc brakes produce more stopping power than mechanical disc brakes. When you have got as much as you can, drip a light oil over the inner and slide the outer up and down a few times and wipe clean.Īlso consider putting on new brake pads – the pads harden with time and lose effectiveness meaning the braking is not as good as it should be. Unhook the cables so the outer can slide up and down the inner easily, using a clean rag, wipe the inner clean and slide the outer up and down. You do need proper cutters to do the job easily though – so it could be worth getting your local bike shop to do it.Īlthough the best option is to replace the cables (Inners and outers), you may get away with a clean and lube. Cables are considered a consumable item, and replacing them is not expensive or particularly hard. In your case, I suspect the problem is too much friction in the cables. Have a look at Park Tools website for advice on how to adjust the brakes
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