RedHairedScot

Augh. Sometimes I miss running, where mechanical problems are limited to untied shoes.

Got the road bike out of the car (long trip home for the break), put the front wheel on, went "ahh", start to ride, and back brakes drag on the rims, front brakes seem to want to drag, etc.

This is the third or fourth time I've gone out on my road bike and had an "augh, dammit" experience. My MTB seems bulletproof. Is this just a "road bike thing", is there a lower limit on intelligence required for road bikes, or does this eventually get better?

/rant

55/Rad

Road bikes do need a fair amount of attention in order to keep them in optimal running shape. If you let them go, then the little things like dragging brakes start to loom larger and your overall experience suffers. Taking the bike to the LBS for every little thing isn't efficient or cheap and in the end it will drive you crazy.

There are lots of things you can do to keep you bike in good order without becoming a serious wrench. Start with a basic bike maintenance search and take it from there.

55/Rad

Surferbruce

brakes are rubbing? are your wheels in the dropouts correctly? was the setup working ok before you out it in the car? brake adjustments are pretty simple- but in general yeah a road bike is gonna need more preventative maintenance than a mtb to stay in tip top shape.
the park tool website has a great repair section. get a good book too.

LordOpie

have you never taken the wheel of your mtb?

They both require maintenance, the difference is, mtb is on dirt and rocks and roots and mud and you don't notice the little problems cuz you're trying desperately to go as fast as possible without cracking your skull.

2manybikes

This is typical., Normal..

If you take off your wheels to put the bike in the car it's typical to accidentally bump the brakes with the wheel when taking off, or putting on the wheel (if it's a road bike). Every time you do the bike/car thing you need to check your brakes before you ride. All you can do is be very careful when removing and installing the wheels. The mountain bike brakes are different so it does not happen.

If the brake mounting bolt is loose it's easier to move the brakes when doing this, but even if they are tight it's normal. Don't over tighten the mounting bolt you may damage your bike.

RedHairedScot

Thanks for the reassurance, everybody. Must keep pedaling...

I've taken stuff off the mountain bike before -- I think the difference is that it's quite a bit more rugged, and my LBS guy built is, where I bought the road bike used and I'm gradually discovering things that aren't tightened/loosened/set exactly like I wanted.

d2create

Ya, just grab the brake assembly with both hands and twist slightly till the wheel looks centered between the pads. But make sure your wheels are seated correctly first.

brent_dube

I've had brake rub problems with every bike I've owned.
I set the brakes as loose as they can go, to not rub the tire. Just have to hold the levers all the day down to get a touch.

Road bikes can be a major pain. Mine almost always seems to have an issue needing work.

SDS

Excuse evident grumpiness due to nonriding because of knee injury:

It won't feel like your brakes are dragging after you get stronger.....

You are opening the brake quick-release before removing or replacing the wheel, right? Centerpunching the hole between the pads?

If you just open the wheel QR and pull the wheel out and replace it, the pads do a pretty good job of guiding the wheel out because they start next to the rim, but on the way in you are pushing the wide, sticky tire through first, and you are likely to whack one pad or the other first and twist the calipers around. You need to open the brake QR to get a little more space going in or out, but especially in.

With rare exceptions, you should only remove the rear wheel on the big ring /small cog, because that keeps the chain tighter and the RD all the way to the outside out of the way, which helps keep you from bumping the brake pads and twisting the calipers around.

I'm in a bad mood. Think I'll go pour boiling water on some fire ant mounds. Hope I have a mound somewhere.....

Swiss Hoser

I'm having the opposite experience.
My two mountain bikes need constant attention, while my road bike is virtually maintenance-free.

Dura Ace forever!!!!

Fugazi Dave

Heh...running had mechanical problems of its own. Chondromalacia always required some maintenance measures. But yes, cycling does seem to give more mechanical headaches and "okwtf" moments.

JJakucyk

I hate undoing the brakes on even my hybrid, which has MTB style brakes. Every time they'd get messed up somehow and I'd have to finagle them back into proper adjustment.

I think the key difference isn't exactly ruggedness (although that is a concern), but tolerances. On a MTB with big tires and rims, the brakes have more play and are normally a bit farther away from the rims. On a road bike with narrow tires and rims, the brakes are also closer, since there's less of a concern about mud or other "chunky" grime getting in there. With tighter gaps between the brake pads and the rims, it's easier for it to get out of adjustment when you undo them and move the wheel around.

ggg300

book store....book on bike care...

make sure your transporting and storing ur bike right....

rockmuncher

When you put your wheels on squeeze the brakes firmly while you tighten the quick release. This should help with any little alignment problems.

Patriot

One of the best investments I have made since I got back into cycling, is I went out and spent about $75 on one of those 19pc tool kits with all of the basic tools needed to completely build a bike from the ground up.

With the exception of properly truing a wheel, I have yet to need the LBS for any kind of maintenance.

I suppose if I got a truing stand, and took the time to practice and refine my skills, I wouldn't need them for that either.

RedHairedScot

I now own "Zinn and the art of road bike maintenance." Forums recommended it, so I'll see if I can't cure the dumbness.

However, it's too late -- I took the forums advice and the brakes seemed to work fine, so my gf and I started riding. Apparently I didn't tighten the brakes down tight enough because it slipped again, making it a little hard to pedal, when she stopped at a stop sign. One eye on brake, other eye on not running into her, not enough brain left to unclip, and bike and I go down, so I've now had my requisite "failure to unclip" fall. Got back home and tightened them again, trying not to use the strength of anger and shame.

She rides a walmart special and now after my fall is convinced that she's correct that I just needed a $70 bike. "See? I leave mine out in the rain even, and I haven't had any problems."

Bike commute to campus starts tomorrow. Wish me better luck with the commuter MTB.

[EDIT] Rockmuncher: When you put your wheels on squeeze the brakes firmly while you tighten the quick release. This should help with any little alignment problems.

Where were you this morning man? Works beautifully. Thanks for the tip.

Avalanche325

The big differance is that your MTB brakes are two seperate arms. Each one is attached to the frame and spring loaded. The road bike brakes are a single unit that pivots on one point on the frame. Just grab it and center it with your hand. Not much rocket science required.