[mshred]

Ok, so I heard that if you spray or rub some stuff on your rims and pads (V-brakes) that it makes them work like new. I've heard of simple green, someother stuff, and rubbing alchohol.

Now I want to do this with rubbing alchohol, mainly because I have a bottle already, and dont really want to spend anything. So I just want to hear how to do it, do you just rub it on with a old rag and wipe it off, or do you rub it on and let it dry, or what?Because i don't want to do anything that might wreck my pads or something maddening like that.

thanks in advanced.

 

[binary visions]

Just wipe it on and wipe it off. Doesn't really matter if you just wipe it on and leave it, though, since it's volatile and will evaporate off.

It may or may not make anything work better, though. The only reason it would make something work better is if you have crap (oil or something) caked on the rims that is degrading brake performance.

Another good thing to try is taking a little sand paper to your brake pads.

 

[mshred]

thankyou. but yea it has ALOT of crap on it. I can wipe it with a dry rag for hours (it seems) and there is still black junk coming off.

 

[psychobiker]

wash then lightly sand the rim and clean with alcohol for best results, i learned this from living in the northeast and riding in the winter

 

[ChelanDHer]

If you get any amount of brake fluid on a disc rotor, definately try the rubbing alcohol. I remember somehow getting a little brake fluid on a rotor and the rubbing alcohol was the trick. I also used it for general cleaning as well, the pads do leave a little dust after a while and that can get caked on causing poor braking.

 

[BikeMike]

Easiest way to really clean a rim brake track: green plastic Scotchbrite pads. Cut a little piece, let the brake cable out enough that you can get in between the rim and the pad, ride around a bit lightly squeezing the brake. Switch sides. Boom. Clean rims. Works much better than scrubbing the rims. Take a file to your brake pads if they've worn funny from being misaligned in mounting. Sandpaper works fine of brake pads, but a file will generally get you a more planar surface (although you can use a sanding block, but they tend to be bulkier...)