Viewing 33 posts - 1 through 33 (of 33 total)
  • Do i really need a front brake…? In swinley.
  • gaberin
    Free Member

    Going to Swinley tomorrow, and my front brake is rubbing and squealing really badly, so thinking of taking it off, or should i just file down the pad?
    Can you ride round Swinley with just the rear brake? or will i die…

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    You’ll probably die (maybe while riding Swinley or maybe in many years time in old age).

    I’ve ridden most of Swinely on a BMX (so no front brake) with a pathetic excuse for a rear brake and lived to tell the tale, and know someone who went for 6 months without a front brake, just a V-rear and coped fine, if anything he’s now too f***ing fast and I can’t keep up.

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    i tried this in th elakes once due to it failing mid ride

    From experience I would put the back on the front if I only had one brake to use.

    Never been to Swinley so no idea re steepness but the rear does not slow you down much and it certainly wont stop you- was steep in places obviously

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    shortcut
    Full Member

    Try pushing the pads out, and resetting the brake! Straighten the rotor or otherwise fix the problem.

    Riding with only one brake is a silly idea!!

    gaberin
    Free Member

    yh, i don’t pull my front brake much, it just happens that i have 3 front brakes to chose from (2 avids and 1 stroker trail) and they are all F**ked…

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Never been to Swinley so no idea re steepness

    Junky, it is all of teh gnaaaarrrr radnezz.

    You need body armour and at LEAST 6″ of travel. For the car park. 😉

    njee20
    Free Member

    No major downhills in Swinley, so in that respect i’d not be worried, but if someone comes the other way on one of the bi-directional trails it’s unlikely to end well!

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    From experience I would put the back on the front if I only had one brake to use.

    IDK, my rear failed in the Peaks, which led to more front brake being used, and I’ve the scars to prove it.

    gaberin
    Free Member

    Shortcut, i have spent much of the day doing that, they were fine until i pulled them, might have another go at putting one of the avids on… GOD i need some SHIMANOS

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    Have you tried a little dab of brake fluid on the pistons (obviously use the right fluid for your brakes), that usualy gets the pistons retracting properly.

    gaberin
    Free Member

    don’t have any of this fluid.. 🙁

    Milkie
    Free Member

    Take a little fluid out of one of your non working brakes. You only need a little to lube the pistons. 😉

    highclimber
    Free Member

    spray some WD 40 on the rotors. the’ll stop squeeking then! 😛

    Rorschach
    Free Member

    I’ve done a lap of Llandegla red with no brakes (not,not working…..missing).And survived.Quite good fun tbh.

    genghispod
    Free Member

    A few years ago I went to Puddletown Forest for some “DH” with my then teenage son. With a singlespeed jump bike, rear brake only and street tyre he left me standing, and me on a ‘hardcore’ hardtail! similar thing happened in the Purbecks when he saw a 40 something bloke trying to go down Godlingston hill fast on an expensive full suss. “I’m gonna have him” son said, and handed the guy his ass on a plate half way down. Don’t like having one brake myself though but I’m not used to it.

    gaberin
    Free Member

    How do i even get fluid out of avid elixirs… never tried.

    footflaps
    Full Member

    I lube sticky pistons with GT85 – works fine on Maguras.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Do not put gt85 on brakes – it could attack your seals.

    ampthill
    Full Member

    Oh know where on GT 85 and brake seals

    I think 2 brakes is a good idea. I rarely use the rear brake its the front that has the power…….

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    just go to halfords tomorrow on the way, there’s one in Bracknell and one in Winnersh, or any other bike shop/car shop/garage, you just need some dot4 and a cotton bud from boots failing that a bit of tightly rolled tissue, just use enough to wet the seals and pump out/push back the pistons a few times.

    NEVER LUBE BRAKE PISTONS WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE CORRECT FLUID UNLESS THE MANUFACTURER TELLS YOU TO (e.g. SRAM sell a dot compatible grease which will work if smear it on the piston seals before assembly).

    gaberin
    Free Member

    i’ve managed to get it to stop squealing, but its still rubbing.
    As long as the noise is relatively quiet i don’t mind that much, i’m used to rubbing brakes while cycling.
    If it start squealing, i’m taking my avid which is in need of a bleed, but should be ok
    will do the dot4 thing some other time, as i’m going by train, so won’t be passing these places.

    Thanks for the suggestions guys,
    and btw don’t buy hayes stroker trails, they drive you nuts-this is what they are like a few weeks after a service.
    😀

    spacemonkey
    Full Member

    There may not be any ‘true’ DH sections at Swinley but there are several bits you’d want to ride fast. I’d prefer having a front to a back.

    gaberin
    Free Member

    Well i won’t be going that fast as both my brakes rub, just the front rubs more.. 😛

    gaberin
    Free Member

    Anyone want to buy some Avid elixir cr mags, by far my favourite brake (out of the ones i own) ?

    They just need new internals for the levers,

    See: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-avid-elixir-cr-mag-brake-set

    Open to offers..
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    Cheers

    dashed
    Free Member

    Just go with a rear brake only and use it excessively, skidding into all the corners. Everyone else seems to so you’ll fit right in 😆

    toaster93
    Free Member

    Last time I rode with just the rear brake, I came off and massively sprained my wrist 😆

    jedi
    Full Member

    if i only had one brake i’d put it on front

    HermanShake
    Free Member

    The sand may help wear the rub away 😉

    slimjim78
    Free Member

    seriously, buy some spares, fix your bike

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    trainer on the front tyre seems to be the accepted alternative to a brake for the bmx riders around here.

    philconsequence
    Free Member

    if i only had one brake i’d put it on front

    +1

    i only use the rear for scrubbing off a little speed before entering corners i’ve misjudged my speed when approaching…. the front gets used for everything, especially when pointing down!

    gaberin
    Free Member

    Well I survived, and only fell off once, which i think is a record for me 😀

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    We like updates ! Perhaps you should design a T-Shirt, “I conquered Swinley with just a rear brake” well clearly something more snappy than that.

Viewing 33 posts - 1 through 33 (of 33 total)

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