Road - Brakes & Accessories

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Road - Brakes & Accessories

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Road Bike Brakes

Brakes are an essential element of a bike when it comes to safety. The braking system consists of levers, calipers, brake pads, and cables.

From the beginning of its history, the bicycle has been equipped with more or less effective braking systems. Initially, bikes were only equipped with a single front brake; since the rear cog was fixed at the time, the bike could be slowed down by pedaling backward.

In the 1890s, with the invention of air-filled bicycle tires (by Michelin), jaw brakes began to appear, equipping both the front and rear wheels of bicycles. The calipers are fitted with pads that exert pressure on the rim when the corresponding brake lever is squeezed (right lever for the rear brake, left lever for the front brake).

This early jaw brake technique has evolved. After experiencing rod brakes, single-pivot caliper brakes, and center-pull brakes that equipped road bikes about thirty years ago, today most road bikes are equipped with dual-pivot caliper brakes.

Brake pads should be checked regularly. They are made of rubber that wears down due to friction with the rim during braking. To avoid ineffective braking, the pads should be replaced regularly; this is a simple operation to perform.

The rims also wear down due to the mechanical action of the pads rubbing against them, but fortunately, they wear much more slowly than the pads. Therefore, it is important to regularly check the wear of the rims, as a worn rim can break!

Alltricks' advice for choosing brake pads: Select the pad suitable for the type of rim (aluminum or carbon) and verify the compatibility of the pads with the brand of the calipers on which they will be placed.

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