REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Front Avid mech rubs slightly

535 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by HTail, Jul 29, 2004

dissonance

Discussion Starter · Jul 28, 2004

I recently got a '04 Giant Rainier. I haven't rode a bike since I was a kid so I'm not real up to date on some of the newer equipment. When I bought my bike I had to take the front wheel off to fit it in my car. When I got home and put it back on I've been noticing a very slight rubbing on the front disc. It doesn't appear to be hindering the wheel movement. I had the bike upside down and thought I fixed it but the next ride it started again.

I know Avids are pretty straight forward but I've messed with the inside knob from the full spectrum of adjustments. Until it wouldn't let me go further each way. Still there's a faint rubbing sound. It's not a squeak or anything. It just sounds like a small part of the pad is rubbing.

Any ideas of what this could be? I've had a couple of good rides on it where I've been using lots of brake but I haven't noticed it fading.

If you guys have any ideas of what it could be then I'll figure out whether I can fix it or whether I need to take it in. Again it's a pretty faint sound but it's a little distracting. Thanks!

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yogreg

· #2 · Jul 28, 2004

dissonance said:
I recently got a '04 Giant Rainier. I haven't rode a bike since I was a kid so I'm not real up to date on some of the newer equipment. When I bought my bike I had to take the front wheel off to fit it in my car. When I got home and put it back on I've been noticing a very slight rubbing on the front disc. It doesn't appear to be hindering the wheel movement. I had the bike upside down and thought I fixed it but the next ride it started again.

I know Avids are pretty straight forward but I've messed with the inside knob from the full spectrum of adjustments. Until it wouldn't let me go further each way. Still there's a faint rubbing sound. It's not a squeak or anything. It just sounds like a small part of the pad is rubbing.

Any ideas of what this could be? I've had a couple of good rides on it where I've been using lots of brake but I haven't noticed it fading.

If you guys have any ideas of what it could be then I'll figure out whether I can fix it or whether I need to take it in. Again it's a pretty faint sound but it's a little distracting. Thanks!

couple things.
The slight rubbing is the pad in contact with the rotor that is obvious. What happens is that when you take the front wheel off and reinstall it it is hard to get the tension in the quick release just right every time. The trick is to set the brakes up with the quick release as tight as you can get it. That way it will never be any tighter thus throwing the calipers off.
I would reset the brakes with the tip I just said using Avids set-up instructions. Try to get the inboard pad (right pad when you a standing on the bike) as close to the rotor without rubbing. That will give you the most power from the brakes.
I bet this will solve your problem.

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HTail

· #3 · Jul 28, 2004

yes agree

Very common occurance with the front wheel and discs. The prev post had a good tip to mount the wheel firmly in the fork blades and tighten the skewer down. Then realign the caliper with the proper spacing by loosening the mounting bolts, then twist the red adjustment knobs till they squeeze the rotor. This will get the proper position for the caliper and you can tighten the mounting bolts again. Just with a twist of the red knobs, back the pads off the rotor till the wheel spins freely again.

This is what makes Avids so easy to mount and adjust. I still twist the knobs and adjust the pad spacing everytime I ride... I'm finicky about pad spacing and even the slightest amount of scraping.

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dissonance

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 28, 2004

Thanks for the help guys. I'm just having a hard time figuring where to start after tightening the quick release.

I've got the instructions. http://www.avidbike.com/7_techinfo/02 BBDB-MTN v3.pdf

Which numbers should I do? I'm kind of a noob so I'm not sure if I should just take it to the shop. I believe I have all the tools though.

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yogreg

· #5 · Jul 28, 2004

break down

Heres what you do.
1. tighten the quick release as tight as you can.
2 Completely back out both pads
3. squeeze the brake lever a few times
4. Loosen the CPS bolts a bit
5. Move the pads in evenly untill they compress the rotor firm
6. re-tighten the CPS bolts evenly.
7. back both pads out a few clicks
8. set the inboard as close to the rotor without any rub. Set the outboard pad to what ever feel you like at the lever.

Done.

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dissonance

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 28, 2004

Thanks for the replies. I think this is a sign I should go to the shop since I'm too noob to understand most of that. Also I noticed the rotor appears slightly warped in that the sound isn't a smooth constant drag. If I watch it spin from the side then I can see the rotor is not straight by watching the edges.

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HTail

· #7 · Jul 29, 2004

No don't go to the shop!

Just follow the instructions...2-6 and then follow up with the adjustments.
Trust me, if there are any set of brakes you want to learn to adjust yourself, these are it! Believe me it's worth taking a stab at doing these kinds of tuneups. After a while you'll learn to do most everthing yourself- no shop needed!

The other possibility after having remounted the caliper is that the rotor might be slightly out of true (bent). Mine came bent upon first installation, but truing the rotor was surprisingly easy. Just email me if you need instructions on that.

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