As always, nice video! I wish you will tell us more about the rim braking and disk braking technique. In particular I would like to know more about carbon rims and long descends. There are so many contrasting opinion online. Are they safe to use or it's better to use alloy wheels on dolomites descends? What's the right braking technique on carbon, many short brust or a single hard braking? I will really appreciate your opinions about that!
Good video and good timing. Just had two pair of brake pads delivered today to replace old ones. Future MM topic:. Headsets. How to maintain and what to look for when getting old and worn.
I was advised to use Rubbing alcohol to clean pads and brake tracks (every ride) by British wheel builder. This works a treat. No harsh noises during braking cycle and much better feel and modulation.
Delamination can also occur internally on composite parts. If you are lucky from the outside it will appear as a wave on the surface but can be easily missed. Doing a tap test with a coin is an at home method to check if there is any internal delamination. Good idea to check on a new set of wheels to get an idea of how the layup and shape are supposed to sound/react. In an area that has delamination the coin will not bounce as well and sound deadened.
Ollie you have moved into being my favorite GCN presenter during the lockdown. Appreciate ya! Thanks for being humorous and slightly off kilter, you've kept us goin mate, cheers for yer work. P.S. I always let ads run on 'The Lube Kings' vids! :P
If you have alloy rims, swap your standard Shimano brake pads for SwissStop BXP compound pads. Make a significant difference in the dry and an absolutely massive difference in the wet.
I have found that Shimano aluminum brake pads work great in dry weather. if it gets wet and dirt collects on the rim, the pads pull chips very quickly. I mainly use koolstop. on one bike i have expensive swissstop in blue. these also brake wonderfully and do not pull chips
Hi Ollie awesome video . When I was a kid cars had drum brakes not great at stopping in the rain and really fiddy . Like my cars today my bikes have disc brakes way better stopping and way easier to maintain .
Another way to check if the surface is concave is by placing a ruler or small straight edge on the braking surface, then if you can see a substantial gap below the edge of the ruler (you can even measure it if you have proper wire feeler gauges), then the surface has some amount of wear.
A friend of mine drove smack into the back of a parked car in a tragic riding-while-intoxicated incident. He didn't brake and he _still_ lost. Imagine!
LOL. 🤣🤣🤣 Classic Ollie at 4.40: “Allen keys have 2 ends. This end and this end.” Hilarious. He is undoubtedly my favourite presenter now. Keep up the great work!
On my delivery bicycle with 700 x 28c Dt Swiss alloy rims at 120psi, I only get 5k miles (5 months)before the wear line disappears. I've had 2 explode through brake pad wear. On a heavier touring bike I get 20k with the same hand built wheels. City riding, especially deliveries really wear all the bikes components by probably 4x what normal road riding would. If i could ride in dry weather only or clean it all the time 10k is realistic.
Don’t want to be that guy. But they’re not grub screws, grub screws at the one that go inside and hide( like a grub) and don’t have a head that sticks out. Sorry sorry!
Wearing a toque because of bad hair? Marco Pantani had a solution for bad hair. Works like a charm! I am all about disc brakes, now. I just wish there was an easy conversion process for existing rim brake bikes.
When I get a new set of wheels I pick out two or three easy to identify spots on the rims and measure the width of the rims at those locations with a caliper. As the rims wear, a caliper reading will confirm exactly how much wear has occurred.
After watching almost every GCN Tech video, I'm getting pretty good at predicting exactly when the 'how long is a piece of string' comparison will come out, as it inevitably always does.
Harry...my favorite rims at the moment are the Vision Trimax with the KB coating. The finish on those gives great braking response and takes a very long time to wear through. It's like the ceramic coating Mavic used to do but better. The KB wheels have been offered in a 25, 30 and 35mm hight in the past. They are pretty wide also to allow bigger tires. Down side is you have to buy the wheel set and can not just get the rims to build to your favorite hubs.
@welsh logic Well, the possibility of being permanently maimed or worse due to one of those "sudden, catastrophic failures" maybe makes the "preventative maintenance" of buying a disc brake bike worthwhile in the end...
I use shimano brake pads and they get a soapy look on them sometimes. I still love🧡 my rim brakes. I use a razor blade to clean the pads and pic grit out also..if its rubbed down on one side I use sandpaper to flatten them out even! #gcntech
in my experience sandpaper grit stucks to the pad. I use a file with fine teeth. also I file down the noticeable bumps on the rim created by stuck dirt if possible.
For pads on rim brakes be sure to check for metal flakes or other debris embedded in the pad. You can use the tip of a knife to remove those objects from the pad to make sure they don't damage the rim surface any further.
one should be careful about carving the pads. big voids collect dirt right away. I prefer needles and if the hole is large, I file the pad down until the hole is smaller or replace the pad if it is too deep.
I use a pick to remove the aluminium flakes and stone chips, before giving the pads a quick scrub with something abrasive. Haven't tried using the tip of a knife yet, because I have some bad experience using knifes when doing picky work. (7 stitches)
I have smooth running OEM campagnolo wheels from 1983 with record hubs and gentleman 2 rims, how much longer am i supposed to keep these? They`re older than me !
Just watch to make sure they are not so concave that the rim splits or the tire pressure is actually pushing the rim walls apart. Some wheels last forever if you dont have to brake often. Someone in flat Florida may ride the same wheels for 20 years. Someone in Seattle is lucky if there wheels last more than a year or two.
I think the mount of heat is basically the same when you decelerate from V1 to V2 < V1, whatever the rim/pad combination. Kinetic energy has to go somewhere. I could only understand it if the pad had a specific heatsink built inside, though it might be extremely difficult to manufacture and costly. The brake pad matching the wheel has more to do with the pad necessity being softer than the rim in my opinion.
how bad are rim brakes with carbon rims in wet/damp conditions ? s it completely no-go ? Imagine i'm riding in a cloud or fog (no rain but everything is wet), can i stop my bike? or for first 10 meters brakes don't slow down the bike ?
I rode an aluminium wheel until it broke :) But these were city wheels and even though it looks dramatic, it was not dangerous, it just started buckling and the outer edge of the rim broke off, slowing me down by rubbing against the brakes.
If foreign debris is of such concern for cumulative abrasion, what about a set of brushes that are in advance of the pads which would whisk away all of the fodder?
After seeing this video tips, i finally know how to maintain my rim. By buying a new bike with disc brake, thanks manon for the suggestion. Olie as "the king of lube" you've kept your presentation as "slick" as possible
Thank you very much for this useful video: is it possible to have more information on the technique on how to brake with carbon rim wheels (clincher) down very long descents (15-20km) to avoid over heating and the related problems? are there tips to be followed (e.g., reducing pressure of the tyres)?
try to let go of the brakes as often and for as long as you can. never drag your brakes. don't ride descents with turns which require slowing down by 30-40kmh or descents that feature t-crossings where you might have to come to a full stop. be as leightweight as possible. every kg lost reduces braking force needed to stop. if you go to ride in the aps or pyrennees, leave your carbon rims at home.
I hear a lot of downsides to carbon, this being a big one. I know, to the lofty and precision honed Pros, the weight edge can make a deciding difference. For me, being a mere mortal, with limited income, is there really an advantage to carbon over alloy?
Hi GCN team, I've just checked my deep section carbon wheels with an aluminium braking surface and they look like they are going to wear out soon, can I keep the hub and spokes and replace the deep section rim alone?
Yes you can, but here the tools you'll need: Park Tool TS-2.2 Professional Wheel Truing Stand Park Tool TS-2Di Dial Indicator Gauge Set Park Tool WAG-4 Professional Wheel Alignment Gauge Park Tool TM-1 Spoke Tension Meter Park Tool ND-1 Nipple Driver Park Tool SW-* Nipple Wrench, depending on nipple brand and type (Optional) Park Tool BSH-4 Bladed Spoke Holder
I have a 2004 Lemonds Aluminum bike which I take extremely good care of. I store my bike indoors and it's hung upside down by the wheels on two padded hooks in my basement ceiling. In all the GCN videos I've watched I can't recall ever seeing a bike stored in this manner. By hanging the bike from the rims am I doing any kind of potential damage to the bike? I've done so for years without any issues but I recently rebuild the bike with just about every component including new alloy wheels.so I just want to be certain I'm not damaging the wheels.
It's fine to hang it by the rims, I've got carbon and alloy rims on my bikes and just hang them by the back wheel only. Wheels are strong, think how much they take going fast downhill hitting the odd pothole carrying rider and bike together...
Hi there! I have a question, I have a 2000s Bianchi, pro alloy that I love. It come with Campagnolo, 9 speed on atm, clif it buy a complete groupset can I upgrade to a 11 speed camp? And what else shuold I consider?
Ollie, a few weeks ago you told us about covers you can put on spd pedals which convert them to flats, but I can't find the video or remember what they were called. Can you let is know what they were and where to get them from? Many thanks
Fixing a puncture on a latex tube? Can you use the same puncture repair kit as a standard butyl tube? As latex stretches more than butyl will using a std patch kit cause a stress area to the tube, and also is the glue in a std repair kit ok on a latex tube,
Hi, i recently buyed a pair fulcrum racing zero aloy wheels. But the backwheel just rolls for 15 seconds... Is this normal and will it be better after some miles?
#AskGCNTech I have a Bianchi vigorelli (aluminum frame, Mavic wheels, rim brakes). The stem looks reversible, there are markings that are upsidedown and right side up. Can I flip the stem so that it faces downward? I want to slam it but want your advice first.
It can work. But after a period of time, specs of alloy from the rim might get lodged into the brake pad. Which will obviously damage the carbon rim if you switch wheels.
#askGCNTech Hi GCN, I am considering changing my bike's groupset. I ride a Giant TCR Advanced 3 2018 model. It currently runs a Shimano Tiagra 10speed and I would like to upgrade it to either 105 or Ultegra 11speed. My question is, if my current freehub body cant support a 11speed cassette, am I able to change either the freehub body or the entire rear hub itself to one that supports an 11speed whilst using the existing wheels and frame? The wheels are Giant S-R2. Many thanks & love the show!
if it's a 2018 model, for freehub should support 11 speed. just remove the cassette and if there is a distance ring (1-1.5 mil deep) or washer mounted then the cassette is capable of 11 speed. Remove the ring and install an 11 speed cassette.
And those little 2mm bolts, why do they insist on putting locktite on them? Are they really going to shake lose? I'd rather they were left bare so you can put some grease on the threads instead and have a hope of undoing them after miles of riding though grime.
5:05 The actual way to not round-out the inner hexagon of the bolts (those bolts are a great invention!!!), is to throw the allen-key in the garbage-bin as soon as you see one, and use a TORX-key instead, so that your bolts live forever... That simple !!! In the company I work, allen-keys are forbidden altogether, cause the risk of using them by accident is too high...
#askgcntech - I fear my Racing 3 rear rims have had it but wanted to know what the next best step is? Replace the entire wheel (rear only or new wheelset) or replace the rim and rebuild the wheel? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Good question. In the winter/wet, you will damage faster the bearings of the wheels + . So one cheap and robust pair for the winter/wet, one nice pair for the 'good days' can work or one nice pair and you change the bearings more often ...
I'm sorry this is really off-topic, but I've been thrown off for quite a while now so hopefully someone would answer: do the Brits use metric system or imperial system? I ask, because every time I watch a GCN video, presenters seem to mix the two and it just confuses me.
@@ili4707 No!! No!! No!! €100 - €200 my arse. If you have rim brakes, you have a rim brake frame. You cannot install disc brakes on a rim brake frame. No mounts on the frame and forks for the disc brakes. Also, disc brake frames are designed to cope with the loads placed on them by the disc brakes. Depends what budget you have. Doug Morley is right, probably new Disc Brake bike. Alternatively, you may make a saving if you buy a disc brake specific frame.. Next you have to buy disc brake wheels, and disc brakes. If you want to go the whole hog and get the best possible disc braking - you have to buy hydraulic disc brake shifters and the hydraulic disc brakes and all the hoses too. Now, you may have been sarcastic in your comment above. I don't know.
@@reginaldscot165 Discs are only a fraction of the cost of a new rim brake wheel, presuming the rim or wheel is expensive . Like those carbon Visions the presenter Ollie was holding in the video. From experience I've cycled on Shimano Dura Ace C24 factory wheels. The rim alone was very expensive to replace. You might as well replace the whole wheel. I'm talking about factory built wheels like Shimano, Campagnolo, Vision, Zipp etc. Now, if you are talking about wheels you have built yourself, then yes I suppose those work out cheaper to replace just the rim. Whereas with a factory wheel , you can have issues like the original wheel being discontinued by the manufacturer - hard to find a replacement original rim. There are pros and cons to the debate. If you have expensive factory rim brake wheels I'd recommend a cyclist buying a spare set of cheap alloy wheels for the winter and very wet conditions. As highlighted in the video - keep expensive carbon, or alloy Dura Ace wheels for example for the summer.
#AskGCNTech Gcn can you do explain (or anyone tell me )why I gradually my get pain around the ball of the foot area (underneath and on top) over the corse of anything over an hour ride, I've got and tried bigger shoes and tried different cleat positions, any ideas?
I've never worn out an alloy rim from braking. I keep hearing about these unicorns that wear out their rims, I'm guessing they're best buds with the 1 chain/cassette per season bunch. Proof that maintaining your bike goes a long way.
I work in a shop and we see it a few times a year. And it’s always the homeless guys riding around the city with excessive daily use, all weather, and minimum maintenance that are the lucky ones! Pretty rare and also cool to see
Ollie your Cippo quote is wrong! Cipollini said: "If you brake, you don't win". I know, cause I have it tattooed on my left thigh right above the knee, to remind myself, when struggling on the bike...
#askGCNTech: Knowing Ollie's lube fetish, I thought I would ask this: Is there a chain lube specific to bikes on an indoor trainer? My chain seems to get "rusty" and needs lubing much more often on my trainer bike than my road bike.
This is probably due to sweat getting onto it. Make sure you have a good fan and try to clean off sweat immediately as it's very corrosive to metal parts.
Every time they show Connor in a video riding his bike I am amazed that his head tube is nearly as long as my seat tube. Of course, the guy is tall but not just tall - he's TALL tall.
A wonderful ad for disc brakes. Why would anyone running expensive carbon wheels want rim brakes? Or maybe the better question is why would anybody riding a rim brake bike want to install expensive carbon wheels. The carbon wheel becomes just another very expensive expendable.
It is btw, absolutely unbelievable, that there is no actual wear indicator for any of these dreadful products. How in the name of fuck did the bike industry get away with that one? Potential for a lethal accident, with no notice or warning? No problem. It's a bike. Your own fault. No liability for us. Strange that. Because any other product from any other industry made with such casual and total disregard for the lives of customers using it would result in executives of various companies serving a serious amount of time at Her Majesty's Pleasure, as well as paying out bazillions in compensation.
