I’m having issues getting the brakes to work well on my Speed Concept with Zipp FC wheels.
I can get the brakes to open wide enough but there is play in the levers and when the brake returns to open position, it is a hair too close on one side (rear).
I thought it might be the dishing of the rear wheel so I replaced the end cap with a very slightly smaller one. It is a tiny bit better but still no bueno.
ideas on setting up the brakes on these wider rims?
There are two approaches I’ve used.
The whole brake can be shifted left or right. Pull the smiley face faring cover. Pop the cable pull the brake arms and you will expose a base plate held by two counter sunk hex bolts. Loosening them a tad will allow you to shift the brake in either direction.
Alternately you can shim one of the pads a bit tighter in than the other.
I’ve used both procedures with success.
YMMV
Hugh
There are two approaches I’ve used.
The whole brake can be shifted left or right. Pull the smiley face faring cover. Pop the cable pull the brake arms and you will expose a base plate held by two counter sunk hex bolts. Loosening them a tad will allow you to shift the brake in either direction.
Alternately you can shim one of the pads a bit tighter in than the other.
I’ve used both procedures with success.
YMMV
Hugh
I’ll give that a shot. Thanks!
Use FCs on my SC.
You can bring the pads out a mm or two by relocating one of the washers in each of the pad/holder assemblies to the outboard side of the brake arm.
That makes sense. It’s a bitch to take the cranks off to get to it though.
Any ideas on how to use a thinner training wheel w/o all of the adjustments?
integrated barrel adjuster levers:
http://bontrager.com/model/09848
They are stock now on all the SC9 models. I’m not sure I have to remove my cranks to get to the brake pads though…
integrated barrel adjuster levers:
http://bontrager.com/model/09848
They are stock now on all the SC9 models. I’m not sure I have to remove my cranks to get to the brake pads though…
I did this. I also changed the placement of the washers, and filed down my brake pads (to get HED C2 width wheels to fit).
As someone else mentioned, the rear brake can be moved side to side by removing some stuff (easy), and it doesn’t require you to remove the cranks to get at.
The front brake, each of the caliper arms has a allen bolt on the side that you can use to move the pads closer or further.
But (to the OP) are you also saying that your calipers aren’t returning to their original position after you pull your brake lever? Thats a different issue…
It looks like I’m buying new levers 
The brake returns intermittently. Sometimes there is rub, sometimes there is not. The LBS told me that they had to max out the springs to get it to fit the width and that there aren’t adjustments that can be done to resolve.
I’m going to play with it today to see if i Can move the washers around etc to get it to work better with the race wheels.
Thank you all for your help.
Yeah, the width issue is pretty straight forward, max out the cable position, then mess with the washers and file down the pads is still necessary.
But if the brake arms aren’t returning properly, than can either mean the cable routing is bad or gummed up, or the end of the cable may not be trimmed properly and could be hitting the spring.
Once you get the width/washers set, maybe pay the LBS to put a new brake cable and housing in?
If your LBS can’t help, then I’d message Carl from Trek here on the forum.
I had some issues with my rear brake as well. I came up with a solution that works great. Go to Home Depot and buy a small spring(kinda like what’s in a ball point pen, only stronger). Remove inner brake cable from brake wedge. Slide spring over inner cable. Slide wedge back on, tighten. With so many turns and lots of housing there is lots of friction in the brake cable, the spring helps assist the return spring on the rear caliper. I used to have to clean the rear cable/wedge often. Last year didn’t have to touch it. I will snap some pics of mine when I get home from work.
Bryan
and file down the pads is still necessary.
I’ve got a 9 series with HED C2 Jet wheels and have never once had to file down brake pads. For the front or rear.
Honestly, I never understand how people can’t figure the brakes out. Not enough room? Remove washers/adjust cable tension. Experiencing play? Somethings wrong with your housing or the finish on the end of the housing.
The only issue I’ve ever had is the routing of the front brake cable through a 10/100 stem. Its such a tight bend that sometimes there can be some play unless its done perfect.
Great idea. I’ve seen that sort of thing done on road bikes, like:
and file down the pads is still necessary.
I’ve got a 9 series with HED C2 Jet wheels and have never once had to file down brake pads. For the front or rear.
Honestly, I never understand how people can’t figure the brakes out. Not enough room? Remove washers/adjust cable tension. Experiencing play? Somethings wrong with your housing or the finish on the end of the housing.
The only issue I’ve ever had is the routing of the front brake cable through a 10/100 stem. Its such a tight bend that sometimes there can be some play unless its done perfect.
Maybe the Jets are different from Stingers? I know my ‘C2’ aluminum Belgain rims are narrower than my stingers (I think…).
I removed all washers except the concave one. I tried removing those too, but then the pad holder would not tighten up properly or adjust angle-wise properly. Removing about a third of the brake pad material gave me much more room.
Found this from someone elses post on the forum:
“The Jet9 and Stinger9 use different shapes. The Stinger is up to 26mm wide while the Jet is 23mm.”
Agree - can be a pain.
Concur with getting the Bonty levers with the barrel adjusters - I’ve got those and they work well.
Got ya. In your earlier post you only noted HED C2 and not stinger. But yeah, I’m on the Jets. No experience with the stingers on an SC but have read that its a bit more challenging.
Hey did you delete the pics?
No?? let me re post them.
to answer your other question first. Got the spring at Lowes. In hardware dept, look in the bins where ya find screws, snap rings ect.
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/images/users/images/8/32538-large_image-7.jpeg
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/images/users/images/3/32543-large_image-8.jpeg
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/images/users/images/1/32541-large_image-9.jpeg
.
Perfect!
Thank you!