Squeaky V-Brakes?

[GP-TJ]

Why did my front brake start to squeak all of a sudden? Last night it started squeeling like a pig. Nothing changed. Tonight I cleaned up the rim with alcohol and it still squeaked. I then sanded the pads a little
bit. NG. Then I tried to toe them a little bit with a quarter. NG. Then I took the pads off, sanded them on my bench real nice nice and reinstalled them. NG. Then I toed them again after all that and I think they may be OK
now but I am not sure. I will probably ride Sunday and find out.

Any ideas? I did put a new fork on recently. I rode about 5 times with no problems at all. It just started during a ride. The brakes are Kool-Stop MTB (red/black dual compound). Someone else told me he had some red pads that started to squeak and he replaced them. These pads aren't old. Only about 1 month.

Thanks
GP

[Dino Sore]

You seem to be doing all the right things (although try a business card for toe-in; a quarter is probably too thick).

What kind of brakes are they?

I'm curious because I installed LX brakes on one of our older bikes a couple of years ago and they squeal pretty badly. Can't do anything to get rid of it. Conversely, all our other bikes have Avid brakes with the cartridge style pads, and they NEVER sing.

Anyone else have problems with Shimano brakes? Could the brake mechanism itself be a problem (vibrations?)?.

[mtbtom]

are you using these pads here? I just installed these on my commuter and they are pretty noisy as soon as I get any moisture on the rim but fine when it's dry or really raining hard. pretty weird. I haven't tried toeing them in yet.

[Z]

Shimano brakes suck! They are notorious for getting a lot of play over time, and they'll start to squeal. Especially when it's humid out, for some reason.

I was out on a ride on a humid summer day (doesn't that sound nice right now?) with about 6 others, and every single one of us that had Shimano V-brakes - like 4 of us - had squealing brakes.

It seemed to happen to me all of a sudden, too. It kept getting worse. When I replaced my brakes with Avids, it went away.

I've heard you can rebuild them, but it was easier to just buy new ones!

[GP-TJ]

I didn't ride today because I didn't finish my painting yesterday. That Kool-Stop pad pictured is the one I am using. I had used Aztec pads (black) for a while with no problems. This is what they had when I went to the shop. My brake arms are 3 years old. Maybe it is time to replace them. Maybe new pads are worth a shot first. I will try the business card toe trick also.

Thanks
GP

[pk]

Shimano's "parallel push" might give a very slight bit more brake modulation, but it's most likely the reason Sh*tmano brakes tend to squeal a lot.

Before I junked them, my XTR brakes developed a nifty feature of diving up into the tire because the linkage got so sloppy. I re-bushed them, and before long it started to do the same thing... squeaking all the while.

I recommend avids.... or even Shimano LXs over XT and XTRs.

pk

[rathrbfast]

I definitely second (third, fourth, whatever) the vote for Avids. Mine have been quiet as a mouse since day 1. Though I've only had the stock pads. I notice you said you put a new fork on recently, and I wonder if that might be the problem. A fork with different stiffness may introduce new vibrations that could cause the squeal. Yes? Maybe, I'm just guessin.

On a similar note, since a few of you apparently have Avids, what pads do you recommend? I have the SD20s ( I think) with the Rim Wrangler cartridge dealies, and the pads are on their last legs. Thanks.

-Nate

[GP-TJ]

My brakes are Avid SD 1.0 or 10 that came stock on my 2000 trek 7000. I have used the aztec pads the last two changes with no problems and this is what they had when I went to get new pads. They didn't have the aztecs that I used. These were OK on the back for about 1 month or so now and on the front for a few weeks. They were on before and after the new fork. The new fork which is just broken in is a Marzocchi Z.3 Coil 80 which seems to be stiff enough to not cause any problems. I don't know when I will get out with x-mas and snow coming. Maybe I will be out of work earlier tomorrow and go out and do a quick one to see if they squeak under real usage and not in my basement..

GP

[Dino Sore]

On a similar note, since a few of you apparently have Avids, what pads do you recommend? I have the SD20s ( I think) with the Rim Wrangler cartridge dealies, and the pads are on their last legs. Thanks.

-Nate


I've been using Aztek pads in my Avid 2.0s. They have good stopping power (Mavic Crossroc or 3.1 UST rims), are quiet, and last a long time. Believe it or not, but I can get 800 miles out of a set, even under the inertia of my fat arse.