Should brakes make noise?

May or may not apply to your case. The original brake pad that came with my bike was just horrible. It has this horrible metal grinding noise and when examined, it has lots of embedded metal shreds. Despite multiple cleans, I could never get it cleaned out. Further, brake powder was spreading everywhere and when wet, it was a black sludge that runs everywhere. I suspect that the companies would put on the cheapest pads they can find and be done with it. Which buyer is going to examine the brake pad on their potential purchase? Anyway, I replaced it with pairs of Kool Stop salmon and the braking feel has improved tremendously. No noise. 😄

The other possibility would be the geometry of the pads wrt the brake track.

Jsull try this. Take off you brake pads from the caliper [it will require a 4 or 5mm hex] and inspect them for tiny rocks or debris that could have been lodged in the channels from years of use. If needed, replace.

If you find that the pads are OK and in decent shape, try this. Get some rubbing alcohol and a clean rag. Douse some of the Alcohol on the rag and then take the rag and set it to the braking surface of the rim. Spin the wheel about 3 full revolutions on each side for both the front and back wheel.

Now go test your bike. This should fix the noise when braking. 🙄

jsull14 said:

I have 105 brakes and they make a lot of noise when I brake. It doesn't seem normal. Do you think it's the brakes or the rim? Should I get new pads?

Thanks

jsull14 said:

I have 105 brakes and they make a lot of noise when I brake. It doesn't seem normal. Do you think it's the brakes or the rim? Should I get new pads?

Brakes shouldn't make noise.

When brakes are noisy, NOTHING that I've found works 100% of the time but here's a few ideas:

1. Steal one of your wife's fingernail emery boards. Use that to dress up the surface of your brake pads. That's fast and cheap and works most of the time.
2. Kool stop brake pads are always a good investment.
3. If you have black marks on your rim, clean them off. Scotchbrite pads work good for that.
4. Clamp a 6" adjustable wrench over your brake arm and gently bend it so the front edge of both brake pads hits about 1/32" before the rear.
5. I once had a set of LX V-brakes that defied all of my efforts. I eventually replaced them with a set of Avid 7's but that was an extreme case.

Good luck.

Retro Grouch said:

Brakes shouldn't make noise.

When brakes are noisy, NOTHING that I've found works 100% of the time but here's a few ideas:

1. Steal one of your wife's fingernail emery boards. Use that to dress up the surface of your brake pads. That's fast and cheap and works most of the time.
2. Kool stop brake pads are always a good investment.
3. If you have black marks on your rim, clean them off. Scotchbrite pads work good for that.
4. Clamp a 6" adjustable wrench over your brake arm and gently bend it so the front edge of both brake pads hits about 1/32" before the rear.
5. I once had a set of LX V-brakes that defied all of my efforts. I eventually replaced them with a set of Avid 7's but that was an extreme case.

Good luck.

I agree. Sanding the pad lightly will rough it up. When the brakes get hot it smooths the rubber out and it's like having a smooth finger rub over the rim of a wine glass, only that sounds good. Brake squeal is a bummer. This has worked for all the bikes in the family that squeal.

jsull14 said:

Do you think it's the brakes or the rim? Should I get new pads?

Thanks

They shouldn't. Get new pads of higher quality (105 pads and lower group are [censored]). Also, before using the new pads wash the rim then upon drying wipe it with a cloth damped with denatured alcohol. Also inspect the part where the rim is joined (usually opposite the valve hole). This part should be flushed with the rim brake surface even if there's a discernible joint-line. Any uneveness should be sanded off smooth with fine sand paper until everything is even with the feel of your fingers (again wipe with the 'alcohol-ed' cloth upon finishing).