donkpow

Well, I am hoping so. Ultimately, if the squealing doesn't resolve, I expect I'll move to inexpensive pads. Cheap pads are likely to be quieter since they don't offer good grabbing ability. I bed the new setup in yesterday. At this moment, the combination is quieter. I'm hoping as the brake gets used, it will calm down.

"Cover photo."

So, you know, I've been dealing with this wonky front disc brake on the Surly. The original rotor just did not want to tune up properly. Well, I got it dialed in but the brake squealed. So I deglazed and cleaned the pads and the rotor. Deglazing with some 600 grit emery cloth. Still squeaks. So I did some magic in repositioning the caliper. Still no joy. I can't stand this noise. I avoided the more durable pads so I wouldn't have to live with the metal on metal grinding sound. That may be okay for a down hill mtn bike rider but not me. So what am I going to do? Last night, while Tom was hiding in his basement, I cleaned and deglazed one of the rotors off the wrecked Cannondale. I created a crosshatch pattern on the rotor with some emery cloth. How you do this. First you clean and deglaze the rotor with some emery cloth. Then you go all the way around the braking surface with your emery cloth in one direction only. Then you go back over the braking surface with the emery cloth going in a 90° direction from the first pass. This morning, I cleaned the prepared rotor with some some soap and water and wiped it with alcohol. Clean. Then I pulled the pads again. Deglazed them slightly with some medium grit emery cloth and rinsed them with some alcohol. Swapped out the rotor and installed the replacement using the correct torque pattern. If you don't know, that's an "X" pattern in multiple steps such that the rotor is installed with uniform pressure all around. I don't have a torque wrench for the bike but I'm pretty sure I'm in the ball park. Reinstalled the wheel, checked the caliper position, tuned the rotor and adjusted the pads. I don't know if this will work. I'll go out into the dry weather tomorrow and bed the brake in. We'll see if this does the trick. Whatcha got?

You should get one and try it. Also, you'll want to give a decent review with pictures in the Cafe. You better make it a good one, too.

Yep. A million dollars a bullet at the end.

Geebus, Ralph! The man is suffering and you give him bad links. What kind of beast are you?

Are you sure they aren't trying to figure out how to bring one down and eat it?

I would have been if I were not so concerned for my own safety. I was cowering under the blanket on the couch while John Wick defended himself against armies of assassins. Pretty scary, I tell ya.

Have you forgotten your survival training?

It may too close to Easter. I'll need to check the canons.

Oatmeal, raisins, cranberries, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, molasses. Mm-mm.

Was that difficult to say? Robert H. Schuller seems to think it would be.

Even on the bike, I carry map sections and printouts when needed. The county puts out a really nice street map.