Brake blocks

"soup" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

I fully realise this is a "how long is a piece of string" question but
how long/far roughly should a set of blocks last? Had a set on my 'bike
for roughly 8~900 miles and they are through to the metal ("time for a
change" "huh ya think"😉. Now I am not a speed up to lights then brake
heavily type of guy but surely a set of blocks should last more than
8~900 miles.

This does sound like rapid wear. In my limited experience, it's usually
wimmin who wear brake blocks faster, perhaps because they are cautious
downhill.

Have you done much riding in the rain?

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

On 06/07/2005 16:09:28 'soup said:

I fully realise this is a "how long is a piece of string" question but how
long/far roughly should a set of blocks last? Had a set on my 'bike for
roughly 8~900 miles and they are through to the metal ("time for a change"
"huh ya think"😉. Now I am not a speed up to lights then brake heavily
type of guy but surely a set of blocks should last more than 8~900 miles.

Sounds about right for general commuting, brake blocks are a relatively soft material.
--
Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

www.catrike.co.uk

"soup" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I fully realise this is a "how long is a piece of string" question but
how long/far roughly should a set of blocks last? Had a set on my 'bike
for roughly 8~900 miles and they are through to the metal ("time for a
change" "huh ya think"😉. Now I am not a speed up to lights then brake
heavily type of guy but surely a set of blocks should last more than
8~900 miles.

My previous road bike had done, at a guess, >40,000 miles over 10 years with
barely any appreciable wear. It was used mainly in fair weather on open
roads requiring little braking.
OTOH I've worn through a set of mtb pads in one wet ride of <30 miles in 5
hours in the Peak District.

So there you have it: any distance between 30 to >40,000 miles and any time
period between 5 hours and >10 years :-)
(Of course the time period can be increased by not riding wheras the
distance wear rate will remain the same ;-)

You really need to let us know when & where you ride.

--
Pete
http:[email hidden]/P

Helen Deborah Vecht said:

"soup" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

surely a set of blocks
should last more than 8~900 miles.

Quoted message said:

This does sound like rapid wear.
perhaps because they are
cautious downhill.

Taking all the blocks off I can see the blocks have not worn down evenly
ie one corner has worn away completely whilst the opposite opposite (?)
corner has not worn at all, when I "adjusted " them must have put them
back at an angle hence ¼ worn but unusable . Your right I am "cautious"
downhill but not excessively so.

Quoted message said:

Have you done much riding in the rain?

Living in Scotland if I didn't ride in the rain I would never cycle at
all. :o)

--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

On 06/07/2005 17:59:52 'Peter B said:

My previous road bike had done, at a guess, >40,000 miles over 10 years
with barely any appreciable wear. It was used mainly in fair weather on
open roads requiring little braking. OTOH I've worn through a set of mtb
pads in one wet ride of hours in the Peak District.

That was those really old pads that were made of obsidian coal.

--
Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

www.catrike.co.uk

soup said:

I fully realise this is a "how long is a piece of string" question but
how long/far roughly should a set of blocks last? Had a set on my 'bike
for roughly 8~900 miles and they are through to the metal ("time for a
change" "huh ya think"😉. Now I am not a speed up to lights then brake
heavily type of guy but surely a set of blocks should last more than
8~900 miles.

I went halfway through a set of 105 rear pads on a wet 60 mile ride. In
dry conditions the wear is at glacial rates. It really depends on the
weather.

"Buck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On 06/07/2005 17:59:52 'Peter B said:

My previous road bike had done, at a guess, >40,000 miles over 10 years
with barely any appreciable wear. It was used mainly in fair weather on
open roads requiring little braking. OTOH I've worn through a set of mtb
pads in one wet ride of hours in the Peak District.

That was those really old pads that were made of obsidian coal.

Which, the road ones or the mtb ones?

Pete

soup said:

Taking all the blocks off I can see the blocks have not worn down evenly
ie one corner has worn away completely whilst the opposite opposite (?)
corner has not worn at all, when I "adjusted " them must have put them
back at an angle hence ¼ worn but unusable . Your right I am "cautious"
downhill but not excessively so.

Sounds about right to me, as long as it was the leading corner that's
worn. You're supposed to install them with a bit of toe-in. Maybe you
overdid it - I use a bit of card under the leading edge.

--
jc

Jeremy Collins said:

On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 18:01:15 +0100, soup <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Taking all the blocks off I can see the blocks have not worn down
evenly ie one corner has worn away completely whilst the opposite
opposite (?) corner has not worn at all, when I "adjusted " them
must have put them back at an angle hence ¼ worn but unusable .
Your right I am "cautious" downhill but not excessively so.

Sounds about right to me, as long as it was the leading corner that's
worn. You're supposed to install them with a bit of toe-in. Maybe you
overdid it - I use a bit of card under the leading edge.

Yup brakes were "squeeling" so "adjusted" them to have a little toe-in
obviously over did this, ah well LBS for replacement blocks tommorow.

Will definately try the bit of card but with the brakes being a tad
mobile, when I try to tighten the bolt holding the blocks everything
seems to move about anyone any ideas on tightening bolts on blocks
without the entire brake moving about and what is the general consensus
of using a penny to introduce a gap rather than a piece of card?

--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

On 06/07/2005 19:06:46 'Peter B said:

"Buck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

On 06/07/2005 17:59:52 "Peter B" <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My previous road bike had done, at a guess, >40,000 miles over 10 years
with barely any appreciable wear. It was used mainly in fair weather on
open roads requiring little braking. OTOH I've worn through a set of
mtb pads in one wet ride of hours in the Peak District.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

That was those really old pads that were made of obsidian coal.

Quoted message said:

Which, the road ones or the mtb ones?

Quoted message said:

Pete

The road ones, I remember pads like that.

--
Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

www.catrike.co.uk

"Helen Deborah Vecht" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I fully realise this is a "how long is a piece of string" question but
how long/far roughly should a set of blocks last? Had a set on my 'bike
for roughly 8~900 miles and they are through to the metal ("time for a
change" "huh ya think"😉. Now I am not a speed up to lights then brake
heavily type of guy but surely a set of blocks should last more than
8~900 miles.

This does sound like rapid wear. In my limited experience, it's usually
wimmin who wear brake blocks faster, perhaps because they are cautious
downhill.

Have you done much riding in the rain?

I had a "roadized hybrid" for 14 years. Rode heavily for about 5 years,
5,000+ miles. 10 months a year, all weather, all season. (Canadian winter
sucks)

Never wore out a set of brake blocks. (!) I don't know if that's just my
riding style or what (go fast and don't stop 'til you see cold soda pop).

One thing I did have happen: I rode in rain once, kicked up some grit and
managed to "sand" my rims where the blocks came in contact so they had
little grooves in them. 🙁

Is that common? (I'd buy disc brakes just to avoid the rim damage - but
perhaps mud flaps would have worked)

OTOH, my father replaces blocks on his hybrid about every 1000km or so while
my mom, his riding partner, rarely does! (and they ride side by side,
probably not varying annual KM by more than 10% from each other)

Wierd!

Chris

"C.J.Patten" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

OTOH, my father replaces blocks on his hybrid about every 1000km or so
while my mom, his riding partner, rarely does! (and they ride side by
side, probably not varying annual KM by more than 10% from each other)

Will he be dragging his brakes gently to keep at the same speed? That'll
really kill them.

cheers,
clive

"Clive George" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Will he be dragging his brakes gently to keep at the same speed? That'll
really kill them.

LOL! NO! Having ridden with them before... not a chance. 😉

My mom thinks it has to do with components but I don't see how. (her bike's
a bit higher end)

C.

"soup" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Have you done much riding in the rain?

Quoted message said:

Living in Scotland if I didn't ride in the rain I would never cycle at
all. :o)

It's even worse in the Wet of Scotland...

Riding in the wet increases wear on the blocks enormously IMHO. Grit
mixes with water and abrades the blocks, water lubricates the rims, so
you have to brake for longer...

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

soup said:

I fully realise this is a "how long is a piece of string" question but
how long/far roughly should a set of blocks last? Had a set on my
'bike for roughly 8~900 miles and they are through to the metal
("time for a change" "huh ya think"😉. Now I am not a speed up to
lights then brake heavily type of guy but surely a set of blocks
should last more than 8~900 miles.

Somewhere between 1 and 3 rides for a set of front V brake pads if it's at
all wet.

C.J.Patten said:

"Clive George" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Will he be dragging his brakes gently to keep at the same speed?
That'll really kill them.

LOL! NO! Having ridden with them before... not a chance. 😉

My mom thinks it has to do with components but I don't see how. (her
bike's a bit higher end)

There's a definate difference in pad wear on parrallel push and normal V
brakes. The fancy ones take loads more time to knacker a set of pads.

in message <[email hidden]>, Peter B

(') said:

"soup" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I fully realise this is a "how long is a piece of string" question
but
how long/far roughly should a set of blocks last? Had a set on my
'bike for roughly 8~900 miles and they are through to the metal
("time for a
change" "huh ya think"😉. Now I am not a speed up to lights then
brake heavily type of guy but surely a set of blocks should last more
than 8~900 miles.

My previous road bike had done, at a guess, >40,000 miles over 10
years with barely any appreciable wear. It was used mainly in fair
weather on open roads requiring little braking.
OTOH I've worn through a set of mtb pads in one wet ride of <30 miles
in 5
hours in the Peak District.

In 1972 I rode over the Kirkstone pass. I had fitted new brake blocks
two days before. I fitted new brake blocks in Ambleside the day after.
And that was in the dry. Mind you, brake blocks weren't so good in
those days.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Wise man with foot in mouth use opportunity to clean toes.
;; the Worlock

In article <[email hidden]>, Helen Deborah

Vecht said:

Quoted message said:

Living in Scotland if I didn't ride in the rain I would never
cycle at all. :o)

Quoted message said:

It's even worse in the Wet of Scotland...

It hasn't rained for 37 hours 49 minuets and a few seconds!

I had to water the garden tonight.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

"doki" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

There's a definate difference in pad wear on parrallel push and normal V
brakes. The fancy ones take loads more time to knacker a set of pads.

No kidding! Who knew?!

Should I look forward to long block life on my new bike with linear pull
brakes?