How To Set Up And Adjust Your Brakes | Mountain Bike Maintenance, by Global Mountain Bike Network on YouTube. 5 min 29 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 29 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Park the bike on level ground and check the brake pads have life left and the rotors are clean. Replace worn pads before adjusting anything.
Loosen the lever clamp bolt with a 4 or 5 mm hex key so the lever can rotate on the bar. Sit on the bike to find your natural hand position.
Set the lever angle so your wrist stays straight when you reach for it. Most riders run the lever roughly level with the bar or slightly down.
Tighten the clamp bolt to the maker's torque, usually around 5 Nm. Check the lever does not twist when you pull it hard.
Use the reach adjuster screw or dial on the lever to move the lever blade closer to or further from the bar. Set it so the lever sits under your first finger joint.
Find the bite point adjuster if your lever has one. Turn it so the brakes start to grab early in the lever travel, not near the bar.
Spin each wheel and pull the lever firmly a few times. The wheel should stop smoothly with no rubbing when you let go.
Ride slowly and test the brakes in a safe, flat area. Fine tune the reach and bite point until both levers feel the same.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep both levers set the same so braking feels consistent on both hands.
If the lever pulls all the way to the bar, the system may need bleeding rather than adjustment.
Never let oil or grease touch the rotor or pads, as it ruins braking power.
Check bolt torque with a torque wrench so you do not crush carbon bars.
Questions
Do I need to bleed my brakes to adjust them?
No. Lever angle, reach and bite point are mechanical adjustments. Bleeding is only needed if the lever feels spongy or pulls to the bar.
How close should the brake lever be to the bar?
Close enough that you can cover it with one finger without stretching, but far enough that it does not hit your other fingers when squeezed fully.
Why do my brakes rub after adjusting?
The caliper or rotor may be slightly out of line. Loosen the caliper bolts, squeeze the lever to centre it, then retighten.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
