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Adjust

Centre a rim brake

Line the blocks up on the rim, toe them in slightly, centre the arms with the spring screws and re-tension the cable. For a brake that rubs or touches on one side first.

Difficulty
Intermediate
Time
20 minutes

This guide is still being written: only the main steps are described for now.

Safety

  • A brake block that touches the tyre can cut it and make it burst. Check that every block sits fully on the rim, never on the tyre sidewall.

Tools you need

  • Allen keys

    Otherwise: Multi-tool

  • Phillips screwdriver

    Otherwise: Multi-tool

Step 3Centre the arms

Pull the lever and watch which block touches the rim first. On a V-brake or a cantilever, each arm has a small spring tension screw: with the Phillips screwdriver (or else Multi-tool), screw it in a quarter turn on the side of the block that sits too close, or out on the other side, until both blocks touch at the same time.

On a road caliper, slightly loosen the mounting nut with the Allen keys (or else Multi-tool), centre the caliper by hand and tighten again. Leave 1 to 2 mm between each block and the rim.

See it on my bike

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