Monday 5 September 2016

Balls, Brawn or Brakes?

Once, long ago, I read something in MBUK that said the key to going faster is good brakes. This was in a time when there was arguably no such thing as good brakes, and I don’t entirely agree. I think going fast is a combination of big legs, big balls, and possibly good brakes (or not having good brakes at all and being unable to slow down). There is only a limited amount I could do about the balls and the legs so I elected over the weekend to address the brakes issue on the hardtail.

This bike has had a set of Hayes Stroker Rydes on for a long time, and they have been ok, but far from spectacular. They haven’t been a patch on the SLX brakes on the Process and it was that feeling I thought would improve the ride considerably (and make me faster).

Fitting new brakes is pretty easy in its simplest form. If you buy a fully set up system it really is a case of just bolting everything on and you’re done. However, I’ve been feeling pretty adventurous with bike wrenching recently and this was supposed to be a step up so I wanted to do it properly. This meant shortening the hoses to a sensible length to keep the front of the bike neat.

Having unbolted the old brakes, and bolted the new ones on I was in a position to try to do this. To add context there are a number of bike tasks I’ve never attempted and everything to do with hydraulic brakes fits within that category. Some people might suggest that doing a brake bleed might be a better starting point to the world of hydraulics, but I was feeling brave(Ish). I had an idea of how to do it but figured that watching this film from GMBN might not be a bad idea…


I have to say that this was the second tutorial I found and easily the easiest to follow. Still, I had shaking hands as I started with the front hose. I had no spanner small enough so had to use an entirely inappropriate large adjustable to start with, but from there it all went well. The hose was cut, a minimum of brake oil spilled on the desk, the new fiddly bits put in place with the help of molegrips to hold the hose and it all went back together. I tested the lever and the brake felt as positive and precise as it had before. I had a sit down then started the rear brake with slightly fewer nerves.

I was cruising through this one and marvelling at how easy it actually was as I reached the last move and was just about to screw everything together, when the twisted hose slipped form my hands and flicked away. Convinced it had fired the brass “olive” off to end up somewhere in my highly organised bike workshop (cluttered spare bedroom) I spent the next little while searching the floor and eventually resolving to go to a bike shop and see if they had a spare they would sell (or give) me. At the last minute I thought to check in the end of the lever and found the small brass part shining back at me where it had stuck before the hose twisted out of my grip. Massively relived I screwed it all together and tested the brake again. It was solid.

Feeling pleased with myself I swapped the new finned pads onto the big bike and the part-worn ones from there onto the new brakes on the hardtail and headed out to try it all out.

The brakes felt far, far better than the ones they replaced and the lack of rattling levers was a relief, even if it highlighted the other rattles on the bike. So did it make me faster? See for yourself:


Er. No. Apart from on one uphill, which wasn’t really what MBUK was on about. Must do more on the balls and legs, I guess.

A

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