cantilever brake pad adjustment

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>
Anthony Jones <[email protected]> wrote:
> Rob Morley wrote:
> >> The face of the block will soon wear to have the same angle to the rim
> >> whether initially toed-in or not. So it's a short lived effect whatever
> >> you do.
> >>
> > That will happen if you only ever brake lightly, in which case squeal
> > probably won't be much of a problem anyway. When you brake heavily with
> > toed-in blocks the block is pulled parallel with the rim so wears
> > evenly.
>
> You seem to be assuming that I'm saying that the block face will
> necessarily wear to be parallel to the rim -- I'm not. Sorry if that
> wasn't clear.

It was the "short-lived effect" that threw me - I assumed you meant the
toe-in would go away, while you were actually saying that initial setup
would be irrelevant after sufficient wear. I agree, unless the
squealing is so embarassing or painful that you try to avoid using the
brake, in which case it could take ages to bed in properly.

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>
Mark McNeill <[email protected]> wrote:
> Response to Rob Morley:
> > > The face of the block will soon wear to have the same angle to the rim
> > > whether initially toed-in or not. So it's a short lived effect whatever
> > > you do.
> > >
> > That will happen if you only ever brake lightly, in which case squeal
> > probably won't be much of a problem anyway. When you brake heavily with
> > toed-in blocks the block is pulled parallel with the rim so wears
> > evenly.
>
> I was just wondering about that, having been fettling my cantis this
> morning [sounds like something Rambling Sid Rumpo might do]:

Ooh Matron.

> I toe in
> the blocks as a matter of course, and they're now worn parallel to the
> rim on the rear brake [which I generally use for gently slowing down],
> much more than on the front [which I generally use for stopping]. Just
> one data point, YMMV, &c.

It sounds right to me, given your brake use.
>
>
> TBH, I never did it to stop squealing: IMlimitedE the brakes which
> squealed still did it after toeing in, and the ones which didn't, um,
> didn't; perhaps I was doing it wrong. In any case, I never really
> objected to my brakes squealing, it tended to gain the attention of
> dopey peds.
>
It's funny how much quicker they react to the squeal of brakes than the
tinkle of a bell.
>
> Now I come to think of it, on the bike which used to squeal, I got into
> the habit of blipping the rear brake when approaching peds who were
> about to step into the road, solely in order to gain their attention: is
> there an easy way of making my present brakes squeal, I wonder?
>
Toe-out. Although it depends on the brake block compound and rim
surface too, and it might not be advisable if it affects the power or
modulation of your brakes - the squeal might then mean "I'm going to hit
you" instead of "look where you're going".

 

[Ben Barker]

Wow... lots of responses

Actually, it is hardly noticeable, but I've tweaked it a but anyway. I
was only worried because I can only hear it when it's wqiet - at night
for instance, going swish...swish...swish. And its the Dunwich Dynamo
this weekend, hence the desire for a smooth and silent bike

Cheers,

Ben




Rob Morley wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>
> Anthony Jones <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Rob Morley wrote:
>>>> The face of the block will soon wear to have the same angle to the rim
>>>> whether initially toed-in or not. So it's a short lived effect whatever
>>>> you do.
>>>>
>>> That will happen if you only ever brake lightly, in which case squeal
>>> probably won't be much of a problem anyway. When you brake heavily with
>>> toed-in blocks the block is pulled parallel with the rim so wears
>>> evenly.
>> You seem to be assuming that I'm saying that the block face will
>> necessarily wear to be parallel to the rim -- I'm not. Sorry if that
>> wasn't clear.
>
> It was the "short-lived effect" that threw me - I assumed you meant the
> toe-in would go away, while you were actually saying that initial setup
> would be irrelevant after sufficient wear. I agree, unless the
> squealing is so embarassing or painful that you try to avoid using the
> brake, in which case it could take ages to bed in properly.
>

 

[Paul Boyd]

On 05/07/2006 19:26, Ben Barker said,

> for instance, going swish...swish...swish.

Ah - you need your wheel truing as well

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

 

[Ben Barker]

I guess I must, but I've looked at it and it seems perfectly straight,
and is quite new. The clearance between the leading edge of the pad and
the wheel is so tiny that it wouldn't take much to cause the effect...

Ben



Paul Boyd wrote:
> On 05/07/2006 19:26, Ben Barker said,
>
>> for instance, going swish...swish...swish.
>
> Ah - you need your wheel truing as well
>

 

[Paul Boyd]

Ben Barker said the following on 05/07/2006 21:06:
> I guess I must, but I've looked at it and it seems perfectly straight,
> and is quite new. The clearance between the leading edge of the pad and
> the wheel is so tiny that it wouldn't take much to cause the effect...

I was being facetious

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

 

[Paul Boyd]

Rob Morley said the following on 05/07/2006 16:21:

> It's funny how much quicker they react to the squeal of brakes than the
> tinkle of a bell.

I don't think anyone knows what a bike bell sounds like any more. I've
got one of those great big old-fashioned bells that can be heard
offshore a mile away in fog, but people *still* don't seem to know what
that funny ringing noise behind them is. I even had people saying "You
should have rung your bell." What, this bl**dy gurt bell that you
couldn't possibly have not heard??????

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>
Paul Boyd <[email protected]> wrote:
> Rob Morley said the following on 05/07/2006 16:21:
>
> > It's funny how much quicker they react to the squeal of brakes than the
> > tinkle of a bell.
>
> I don't think anyone knows what a bike bell sounds like any more. I've
> got one of those great big old-fashioned bells that can be heard
> offshore a mile away in fog, but people *still* don't seem to know what
> that funny ringing noise behind them is. I even had people saying "You
> should have rung your bell." What, this bl**dy gurt bell that you
> couldn't possibly have not heard??????
>
>
What's with the little flick bells that seem to be fitted to everything
these days? If you're going to have a bell you might as well have one
that makes lots of noise - remember the tyre-driven ones that were
actuated with a bit of string attached to a trigger on the bars?

 

[Mark Thompson]

> What's with the little flick bells that seem to be fitted to
> everything these days? If you're going to have a bell you might as
> well have one that makes lots of noise

If they're going to take the bell off the moment they get out of the shop,
you might as well fit the cheapest one available

 

[Al C-F]

Rob Morley wrote:

> What's with the little flick bells that seem to be fitted to everything
> these days? If you're going to have a bell you might as well have one
> that makes lots of noise - remember the tyre-driven ones that were
> actuated with a bit of string attached to a trigger on the bars?

The cheapest way for a bike shop to be minimally compliant with the law.

 

[Paul Boyd]

Rob Morley said the following on 06/07/2006 13:33:

> What's with the little flick bells that seem to be fitted to everything
> these days? If you're going to have a bell you might as well have one
> that makes lots of noise - remember the tyre-driven ones that were
> actuated with a bit of string attached to a trigger on the bars?

I don't, but they sound like fun!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>
Paul Boyd <[email protected]> wrote:
> Rob Morley said the following on 06/07/2006 13:33:
>
> > What's with the little flick bells that seem to be fitted to everything
> > these days? If you're going to have a bell you might as well have one
> > that makes lots of noise - remember the tyre-driven ones that were
> > actuated with a bit of string attached to a trigger on the bars?
>
> I don't, but they sound like fun!
>
>
Air horns are fun, especially when you get a group of pedestrians
wandering across the road because they can't hear any cars coming.