Noises from the brakes can be disconcerting, even if they’re not actually preventing you being able to come to a halt.
Rim and disc brakes are very different – so we’ve looked at them separately.
The Pros and Cons of Disc Brakes on Road Bikes
Diagnose the noise your rim brakes are making
Rim brakes are usually fairly simple and quiet when they’re set up correctly, so any noises definitely indicate a problem.
Squealing or scraping noise: This is often caused by some sort of dirt, grease, or a sharp object on or in the brake or the braking surface – the rim. A sharp object can create grooves in the rim, which weaken it – so this does need fixing before damage takes place. Give your bike a bath and pay special attention to the brake pads and rims.
Clattery, clunky noise: This is likely caused by something in the area being loose – check the brake caliper by wiggling it, it shouldn’t move. If it does, it can be tightened with an allen key. It’s also possible that the noise is actually coming from your headset, in which case this needs adjusting.
Diagnose the noise your disc brakes are making
Howling disc brakes can seriously ruin a ride – even though you know they’re still working, you find yourself petrified of every descent, or desperately hoping the lights don’t change on your commute.
The brakes are new: If the bike is pretty new, then give it a couple of rides – disc brakes do need to be ‘ridden in’ and if this is the case the noise often goes away on it’s own.
Squealing or scraping: As with rim brakes, the most common cause here is that some grease, grit, or even particles of non-bike-friendly soap are causing the problem. Give the pads and rotors a very careful clean, using proper disc brake cleaner.
Grinding noise: The disc brake pads may not be properly set up, causing the wheel to be off centre in the pads and rubbing on one pad more than the other. Remove the disc brake pads and return them, making sure they are straight. The other option is that the wheel is not sitting straight in the frame, so remove and return it too.
