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Ive just replaced the pads on my LX brakes and for the first 30 miles or so the the rear has been fine. Tried it today and it seems pretty inaffective at sopping the bike. The front is working great so I dont think it is the pads (unless I bedded the front in better seeing as that takes most of the mass under braking)
So do I need to drag the brake down some hills to get some heat into it or bleed the whole system? or any other suggestions?
swap the pads around - front to back
Has the change happened "over night",so to speak? If so have you done anything to cause this,have you maybe lubed the chain and sprayed a little on the disc accidentally, have you had the bike upside down and pulled the lever (allowing any air from the reservoir into the system.). If they haven't been right from the start then check the obvious first,no leaks from the hoses/fittings, are the calipers aligned so both pads hit the disc dead square and at exactly the same time, are the pads/disc glazed and very shiny(scuff both with 180 grit wet or dry) or contaminated(quite often seen as greasy looking smears on the disc-sort out their source, clean the disc thoroughly and fit new pads).
sounds like youve got oil on the rotor to me.
they should feel ok, just not work at slowing you if thats the case?
file off the top of the pad, to get a new clean surface, hold the pads in pliars and get them good and hot on a gas hob to burn off the oil.
clean the rotor!
start again on the fresh pad surface....
depends how much oil you got on them, but it worked for me this weekend....
They were fine and my rear mech hanger broke last week - just replaced all that and tested it last night and found the rear brake wasnt working - ill try cleaning it hopefully that will work! Dont think I did anything to get oil on them that I am aware. Cheers!
I get mystery contamination of my rear disks/pads. I have put it down to my bad technique when applying chain oil, which I am now doing much more carefully and less liberally. So far it seems to be working. I suspect you have done something similar. It is also worth checking if the calliper is leaking at all.