Bicycle Brake Pads

Bicycle Brake Pads - Be sure you can stop!!

Do you remember pedalling backward to stop? The hub style does still exist. In the early years, some bicycles had only front brakes.

Nowadays, with just a sqeeze the lever and you will slow to your stop. The rim type are inexpensive and lightweight, but don't always work when they are wet. They can also get mud wedged in them. Over time, the rims can become worn and may need replaced. The Bicycle brake pads also need to be repleced periodically.

Bicycle brake pads can be made of leather or rubber and are mounted in metal "shoes". Many types are made of a a rubber pad with a metal housing. The levers are normally on the handlebars.Some have two or more levers so the rider can reach from several angles. The cables need lubricated occasionally. They can sometime wear out or become frayed or kinked as well.

Some of the styles include the calliper, often used by racers; U-brakes, used on on mountain bikes and Freestyle BMX bicycles, and the cantilever, also used on mountain bikes. Hydraulic disc brakes press fluid through a hose, pushing pistons in calliper and closing the pads.

Disc brakes have a metal disc attached to the wheel. Callipers connect to the frame or fork along with pads that squeeze together on the disc. This style has been used on motorcycles for a long time. They work well even in mud, water, and snow.