V-brakes: a quick check-up to help ensure performance every ride

However casual you are about bike maintenance, you need to make sure that your brakes are working properly every time you set off on a ride. This doesn’t need to be a lengthy procedure – just give your bike a careful visual check before you head off.

The steps below make up a quick and regular check to keep your brakes in good running order and they give you warning when it’s time for a more serious overhaul. Each of the steps below includes relevant page numbers, so that if any of the checks show a problem with your braking system, you can sort it out straight away. Whatever you do, don’t set off on a ride with brakes that don’t work properly. Lift each wheel and spin it, to check the brakes don’t rub on the rims or the tyre as the wheel turns. Look at the gap between the brake block and the rim on each side of each brake. See pages 53-55 for more. You’ll need to disconnect the brake cable so that you…

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Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques (Digital) - 1 Issue, Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques 3rd Edition

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