So my commuter disk brake pads are contaminated (wd40) so ordered two new sets, but after replacing the rear pads, I noticed that I have only one brake pad in the packaging for the front!

So asking, do you think I can get away for a week or so, with just one effective pad working on the front?

I’d run the dodgy pair on the rear rather than the front?

Just clean the old ones. You probably don’t need new pads at all!
Pop them in the dishwasher if you have one, or scrub in hot soapy water, rinse in boiling water from the kettle, then rub the surface up with sandpaper.
Remember to clean the discs as well… 🙂

cheers PP

will give that a go

Well its set up now, with safe rear braking and not so safe front.

You need a pair to clamp the disc between them for proper friction. Braking power will be very poor to say the least with just one pad.

Bake in the oven is another option. Burns off the contaminants (and makes a horrid smell) in my experience.

Just ride down a big hill, braking hard when you get to a decent speed.
Repeat this a couple of times and hey presto, no more ‘contaminated’ pads.

No need for sandpaper or ovens.

I got brake fluid on my disc and pads when being careless.

brushed a thick layer of swarfega on the disc and span the wheel gently holding the brake on and used a clean rag that was soaked with warm water rub the disc with.

then washed off with hot water.

boom fixed.

No need for sandpaper, ovens, big hill braking hard, or swarfega.

Get a can of clutch / brake cleaner. IT DOES WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN!

🙄

(seriously, sometimes I think STW is full of Heath Robinson clones)

i think it does depend a bit on what pads they are but yes I would be inclined to go with some brake cleaner and try it.

Use your feet

If you are choosing front or rear brakes, then having a good front brake is more important than having a good rear brake.

IMHO – “Brake cleaner” doesn’t work well*. I’ve tried a few and the result may be better than the straight-up contaminated pad, but is rarely satisfactory.

New pads, ASAP.

*though it’s great at causing dermatitis.

I’d clean the rotors (lighter fluid is as good as anything) and then swap the two new pads to the front and use one new, one old for the back brake while you wait for replacements.
Or is this too obvious?

“Brake cleaner” doesn’t work well*. I’ve tried a few and the result may be better than the straight-up contaminated pad, but is rarely satisfactory.

Using Shimano per chance? I don’t think Brake Cleaner works as well on those, nothing does, if the pads get contaminated on those systems (and they will), throw away the pad. Or better, throw away the whole lot and get something that uses proper brake fluid.

lighter fluid is as good as anything

Apart from it is not. Naphtha (lighter fluid) is obviously very flammable, fairly expensive, and may have contaminants in it. Again the STW preference for suggesting anything other than the correctly designed consumable for the job 😆

Q : “Hey, can anyone suggest what I can clean my hair with?”
A1 : “Did you try washing up liquid?”
A2 : “I use a bar of soap, it saves me £0.75 a year!”
A3 : “Hot water is enough, don’t buy into the marketing.”
A4 : “I use Turtle Wax, it makes my dome nice and shiny, and it gives me a new car smell as well!”

I have to say, WRT the hair question I would genuinely answer 1,2 or 3

Bingo 😆

Heh. Not ashamed to be a cheapskate 😉

Anyway – Brake cleaner. Try it, but a $5 a can you may be yet disappointed…

Save £5 and use a hill.
Or find a hill with a pub at the top and treat yourself.
🙂

I know buying pointless toss is seen as an essential part of cycling these days, but it’s not compulsory.
Yet.

i sometimes wonder if anyone on here has working brakes…..

some of the methods of cleaning described on here scare me.

ive yet to find a method that gets brakes back to 100% but then outside of racing i have no need to have them work at 100% but id never do any of this on a customers bike anyway.