I’ve got an issue with the rear brake on my Pompetamine commuter. Have a look at the photos below. I know, it could do with a clean etc.

Basically the caliper is mounted as far back as it can be on the slotted dropout mounts but the pads are still hanging off the edge of the disc, meaning they develop a lip which would eventually touch and stop the brake working.

So far I’ve been taking the pads out halfway through their life and filing off the overhang, then putting them back in until they’re done and that works but it’s not a good long term solution.

As you can see the wheel is mounted about halfway back in the slotted dropout and if it could be moved right to the front then the issue would probably be solved but the problem is, the wheel cant go any further forward otherwise the tyre touches the screw that holds the guard to the seatstay bridge. The guard is closest to the wheel at that point. Also I need to leave a bit of forward gap so I can move the wheel forward to get the chain link undone.

So, solutions. Here’s a few I’ve been pondering:

1. File the caliper slots longer to the rear. Can probably get another few mm but the caliper will touch the front of the upper slot before I get enough movement backwards.
2. File the underside of the seatstay bridge to allow the guard to move away from the wheel a bit. Don’t know how thick the threaded ‘cap’ on the end there is. Dodgy IMO.
3. Somehow modify the caliper adapter to move the caliper back a bit. The geometry makes that awkward.
4. Buy a bigger rotor and retain the same adapter. Costs money.
5. Combination of the above.

Am I missing something obvious?

Opinions please!

Your rear wheel is a bit too far back in the dropout slots.
I would recommend using a half link, or increasing your rear cog by 1t to move the rear wheel forwards (rather than taking a full link out).

Where are you based? Happy to loan a 180mm disc and see if it works before you do anything drastic.
I’m near Lewes, East Sussex.

Brant – either of those solutions won’t work because the tyre touches the guard-seatstay bridge mounting screw if the wheel goes any further forward. The guard is probably a good 10mm closer to the wheel at the seatstay bridge than it is at the chainstay bridge.

timbur – Thanks muchly, I’m in Southampton, will see if this can’t be solved by other means first!

OK, just thought of something else…

That’s the view on the seatstay bridge. I could enlarge the mounting hole in the guard so that the bit sticking down sits inside it, that would give me a couple more mm of clearance. That’s probably how it’s meant to be anyway?

Try a button-headed bolt instead of the capscrew I suspect you’re holding the guard with, should give a touch more clearance. Could be worth getting Hope to make you a custom sized rotor too, I’ve got one with a deeper braking surface than normal, only cost a few quid more than a normal one.

lower profile bolt under the mudguard? Or zip tie.

I’d prob just get a bigger rotor.

Or zip tie.

That’s the way I bodged the SKS bridge clip on mine. Didn’t want to drill a hole in the ‘guard, as there looked to be little clearance (DT Swiss rims & Schwalbe Kojaks).

I think it’s already a fairly shallow button headed screw holding it on.

How does the zip tie thing work please?

I think I went for the size adaptor down and lengthened it back up using the conical washers fro v brakes. That is how avoids commonly are anyway.

Well, CRC have 180mm centrelock rotors for a £6 odd atm so probably worth a go.

Zip tie worked for me as the SKS ‘guards have a clip to allow mounting to the brake bolt on the seat stay bridge. Haven’t got a pic handy of my bodge, but this is the clip:

Having had “fun” bending the stays at the front to clear the brake & trimming with junior hacksaw, really couldn’t be @rsed to remove the back wheel & do a proper job; larger rotor is probably the best long-term solution.

Biscuitpower, that’s the bike you bought from me. The main issue is the tyre size as they are 32 Marathon Plus which are a tall tyre and fitting with mudguards is the compromise. It’s just a pan head machine screw holding the guards in place. Removing that will give you about 2-3mm extra clearance. Filling down the top bridge isn’t a great idea as there isn’t a great deal of thread in there.
A narrower tyre with the guard fitted is the actual answer but they roll well, bomb proof and give a nice ride hence why I went for the compromise.
I have a mount like Drlex as shown if you want it let me have your address and I’ll send it to you but I don’t think that is the answer.

Alright Craig!

Yeah it’s all good, rides well and I’ve been very happy with it. Just this little niggle to get over.

Ordered a 180mm rotor off CRC to try, easy solution if it works.

I’ll take that mount though! Would enable the screw head inside to be completely removed, cheers!

Are you sure there is clearance for a 180 disc against the chain stay?

Let me have your address and I’ll pop the mount in the post for you

Yeah it looks like there is. I’ve only lost £6 if I’m wrong!

emailing now…