Loud brakes

[Midmichigangal]

Today when take my Diamondback comfort bike for a ride I noticed that my rear brakes are squeaking really loud. How do I get the break not be so loud? Does the fact the wheels are wet from riding through puddles from an earlier rain shower?

[DebW]

If the noise just started, I would try cleaning the rims and brake pads. Use rubbing alcohol on the rims, remove any grit embedded in the pads, and lightly sand the pad surface.

[VeloVT]

For canti's (not sure what you have on that bike), if you don't have them toed in they will squeal like a stuck pig.


I **actually** have no idea what a stuck pig sounds like, but it seemed like an appropriate analogy . Poorly adjusted canti's can be pretty loud.

[Melalvai]

In the rain, my brakes squeal like a freshman girl.
or a stuck pig, if you prefer a less crude analogy.

[Tri Girl]

To get them toed in correctly, the front part of the brake should make contact first, right?

[spokewench]

Yes,but there is a bit of an art to get the toe in adjusted perfectly. I don't have the patience nor the practice myself

[DebW]

One easy method is to take a business card, fold it in half, and hold it against the rear 1/3 of the shoe while you press the shoe flat against the rim and tighten the bolt. Perfect toe-in every time. Be sure the top and bottom of the shoe contacts the rim at the same time and the shoe hits the center of the rim braking surface. Most pads will have convect washers that let you swivel the pad in three dimensions until you get the desired contact angle.

[shootingstar]

And fix those brake prad positions...it can wear out your wheel rims.

Mine were installed backwards by the bike mechanic.. and hence that's why they kept on squealing no matter how much he played with repositioning it.. it took another mechanic to see the install error.