Why are my brakes squeaking?
That sound... You probably know it. You get on your bike, squeeze the brakes and suddenly you hear a loud: SCREEEEEECH! Everyone on the bike path turns around.
Fortunately, squeaking brakes don’t necessarily mean that something is broken. There is often a simple cause and an equally simple solution. We’ve listed the five most common causes for you.
1. Greasy brake discs
One of the most common causes of squeaking disc brakes is contamination from grease or oil. Think of a drop of chain oil, greasy fingerprints or lubricant that accidentally ends up on the brake disc.
This reduces the grip between the brake pads and the disc and can cause that familiar squeaking sound.
The solution
Thoroughly clean the brake disc with CyclOn Brake Cleaner Spray or CyclOn Isopropanol 70%. Always use a clean, lint-free cloth and avoid touching the brake disc with your hands afterwards.
Brake Cleaner Spray
Quickly removes grease, oil, brake dust and other contaminants from brake discs and brake components.
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Isopropanol 70%
For thoroughly removing dirt, grease and oil residue from brake discs and brake pads.
VIEW PRODUCT2. New brake pads
Have you just installed new brake pads or a new brake disc? A slight squeaking sound can occur at first.
New brake pads need some time to properly bed into the surface of the brake disc. Once they have bedded in correctly, they can deliver their optimal braking performance.
The solution
Bed in your brakes properly. Find a safe place and perform around 15 to 20 controlled braking actions, braking firmly without coming to a complete stop. This allows the brake pads to bed into the brake disc properly, and the noise will often disappear on its own.
3. Contaminated brake pads
Your brake pads have to deal with a lot while you’re riding. Dust, mud, sand and other dirt can build up around the brake pads and brake disc, which can cause your brakes to squeak.
The solution
Clean the brake disc with CyclOn Brake Cleaner Spray or use CyclOn Isopropanol 70% to remove dirt, grease and traces of oil.
Are the brake pads heavily contaminated with oil or grease, or do they continue to cause problems after cleaning? Replacing them is often the best and safest solution.
4. Wet conditions
After riding in the rain or through puddles, disc brakes can temporarily start squeaking. Water between the brake pads and brake disc can cause additional noise when braking.
Fortunately, this is usually normal.
The solution
In many cases, the noise will disappear once the brakes have dried. After a wet ride, clean your bike properly and check that no dirt or mud has been left behind on the brake discs or brake pads.
5. Incorrect alignment
A slightly bent brake disc or a brake caliper that isn’t properly aligned can cause the disc to continuously rub against the brake pads. This not only creates noise but can also cause additional wear.
The solution
Check whether the brake disc runs straight and whether the brake caliper is correctly centred. Often, a small adjustment is enough to solve the problem.
Is the brake disc bent? It can be carefully straightened using the correct tool. If you’re unsure about the alignment or adjustment of your brakes, have them checked by a professional bike mechanic.
Prevention is better than cure
Many problems with squeaking brakes are easy to prevent:
- Always keep oil and lubricants away from your brake discs.
- Avoid touching clean brake discs with your fingers.
- Regularly clean your brake discs with a suitable brake cleaner.
- Clean your bike after wet or muddy rides.
- Regularly check that the brake caliper and brake disc are correctly aligned.
- Always bed in new brake pads properly.
Don’t panic if your brakes squeak
Squeaking brakes don’t automatically mean that something is broken. Contamination, moisture, new brake pads or incorrect alignment can all cause additional noise.
A thorough cleaning, properly bedding in new brake pads or making a small adjustment is often enough to solve the problem.
Does the noise continue? Check whether the brake pads are contaminated or worn and replace them if necessary. If you’re unsure about the condition or performance of your brakes, have them checked by a professional bike mechanic.
That way, you can get back on your bike and ride quietly, safely and with confidence.
Keep Your Bike Smiling! ☀️
