C5ALIVE Forum
C5 Help => C5 Faults & Solutions => Topic started by: pso-buzz on 15, January, 2013 - 14:24:06
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Hello all
Ok so I went to put new front brake pads on today after the front brake being useless at the weekend and I found the front wheel looking like this:
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l43/pso-buzz/photo1-1.jpg)
Its appears to have a grey ring of material stuck to it. I am not sure if it should be there as a surface for the brake to gain friction. Or what I think is possible is that the old brake pads have melted and stuck to the wheel!
Here is the brake pad:
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l43/pso-buzz/photo2-4.jpg)
What do you think.
Thanks for your advice in advance
Simon
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Hi Simon. You can avoid or at least lower the damage by using leather or leather faced bicycle brake blocks. They usually come under the traditional category from wooden wheels. At around £6- £8 a pair, straight fit into the caliper fitting . M
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Thanks Marra
I have just replaced these with ones from the club but was not sure if I should chop off this grey coating.
Simon
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Hi Again Simon. Found some, these are the faced :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quad-Traditional-Cycle-Bicycle-Brake-Blocks-Leather-Face-Pair-/320943104488?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item4ab9b321e8
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FULL-SET-OF-4-LEATHER-FACED-SPECIAL-ALL-WEATHER-BRAKE-BLOCKS-FOR-STEEL-RIMS-40mm-/400387661858?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item5d38f6e022
They advertise for steel rims only, however this is usually stated as the other wheel option is Alloy and these can cause a bronzing on the rim.
Here are some old used ones from a chopper, as you can see these are also leather as the leather polishes up and does not cause the friction as rubber :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Set-of-4-Raleigh-Brake-Blocks-Shoes-Chopper-Vintage-Bicycle-/230911052933?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item35c35f0c85
Or if you want a very strong steel wheel, this could work if the inner fork size is the same.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BICYCLE-WHEEL-SUPER-STRONG-HEAVY-DUTY-12-IN-52-SPOKES-/120936715315?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c2863d433
M
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Hi Marra, thanks for all the links.
So the brake pads the club sells are not as good as the one you advise?
I am slowly getting my head around this C5 lark!!
So should that grey stuff be on my wheel? Should I chip it off?
Simon
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I don't know what this 'grey stuff' is, but my C5 was practically unused when I bought it. After the first few applications of the front brake this 'grey stuff' started to appear, not sure if it's normal but it hasn't given me any problems.
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Well mines not like that :-\ :-\
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The grey stuff is the rubber from the pad melted to/into the plastic wheel. you can either leave it or ,very carfully using emery cloth-2k with olive oil using a full circular motion round the rim to remove it, which is what I would advise ! It is not meant to be there regardless if others have it , afterall was it there before or manufactured like that..... no .
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Ah right. Thank you.
I will start removing it I think as it makes the braking pretty useless. Unless it is just useless?
I think it might chip off. I will take a look at it tomorrow.
Thanks
Simon
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Right I have taken your advice Marra and ordered a set of these brake pads.
I have had a look at the wheel today and it's gonna be a big job to get this grey stuff off.
After fitting these new pads do you think it might wear off?
Luke could you please advise us what pads you have on as they are obviously not the same as the ones I had or the ones kamelb1988 has.
Thanks.
Simon
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Could wear off the wheel, or the wheel could be abrasive against the pad ? Just keep your eye on it.
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Right I have taken your advice Marra and ordered a set of these brake pads.
I have had a look at the wheel today and it's gonna be a big job to get this grey stuff off.
After fitting these new pads do you think it might wear off?
Luke could you please advise us what pads you have on as they are obviously not the same as the ones I had or the ones kamelb1988 has.
Thanks.
Simon
I'll see if I can have a look ;)
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My front pads are the originals. I don't use the front brake as it's rather crap anyway and I find the rear sufficient. I may look at upgrading the front pads though, just in case the rear brake fails I guess it would be good to have a back up that actually slows me down.
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Are the originals the grey ones? If so then I would say it is a serious design flaw.
I guess if you have black pads then it's possible that there is a coating of black melted brake pad in your wheel.
If it is a flaw then I would have thought more people would have this problem.
I have to say my front brake is rubbish! I am hoping that if I sort this out it may be better.
Thanks
Simon
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I have to say my front brake is rubbish!
Both the original callipers and brake blocks are quite good when looked after, maybe not the best, but together with a plastic wheel the trouble starts. It's not unknown for the inner tube to burst out because the plastic was worn through or the rim has melted due to the heat.
For this reason I'm going over to a metal rim (ali) or to fit a disk brake. As I quoted in another post, regardless of how old I am I'm too young to die. ::) ::)
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I have to say my front brake is rubbish!
same ::) :P
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I have to say my front brake is rubbish!
same ::) :P
Then why do they work well with metal wheels?
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I have to say my front brake is rubbish!
same ::) :P
Then why do they work well with metal wheels?
What???????
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What do you mean by 'What'. Sorry but I'm no mind reader.
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I don't get what you mean by this ??? ??? ???
why do they work well with metal wheels?
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I have to say my front brake is rubbish!
same ::) :P
Quite simple, this type of brake was the only brake type in production for many years (over 40) and they are not rubbish, they are still used on top class racing bikes even today.
They work well with metal wheels because the metal can withstand the heat produced when braking, plus metal has a better heat conduction that plastic, therefore the heat produced is dissipated over the complete rim and not just on the braking surface like the plastic wheels.
Metal wheels do not suffer as much as plastic when it comes to brake wear, when braking on long hills the heat produced by braking starts to melt the plastic surface of C5 wheels, firstly the outer surface of the plastic rim starts to granulate wearing the surface off even quicker, then the plastic starts to soften as the heat increases, and if the brakes are applied for an extended period on a worn rim the inner tube blows out of the rim. This blow out can and does also happen with metal rims, mainly with ali wheels, when the rim has been subjected to very heavy use e.g. MTBs that are often used for downhill racing. But, a metal wheel will hold out 100 times longer than a C5 plastic one.
Some of the new plastics that have been produced since 1985 are harder, stronger, and can withstand much more heat than that that was used for the C5 wheels.
If you say the C5 front brake is no good then I disagree with you, but if you say the braking system, which consists of callipers, blocks, cables wheels etc. is no good then I agree with you. OK olé?
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OK, thanks
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I am just confused I think. I used to think that we are just like a collection of chemicals that have turned into these things and evolved and we are born live and then die. That we make all these ideas of god and spirits and afterlife theories to make us feel like we have a reason and to distract us from the fact that life is pointless a ware of time and has no meaning whatsoever. We are bound by emotion and feelings but that these are just there to stop us killing each other and have enabled the human race to carry on for so long.
Not sure I understand this.
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I have seen this problem a few times due to using the brakes incorrectly, incorrectly fitted and also bad brakes.
Like others I have tried to remove the grey of the rim but have given up and bought a new wheel £5 - not worth the effort.
Lance
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I'm not too sure but I think the grey is probably discolouring of the plastic caused by heat. I have slight grey on #1 but none on #2.
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I have seen this problem a few times due to using the brakes incorrectly, incorrectly fitted and also bad brakes.
Like others I have tried to remove the grey of the rim but have given up and bought a new wheel £5 - not worth the effort.
Lance
Hi Lance
Did you go the metal wheel route or buy a plastic one?
Thanks
Simon
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Hi Simon stayed with the original sinclair plastic wheels.
Lance