Brake pad toe-in?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 2,586
Bikes: 1992 Serotta Colorado II,Co-Motion Speedster, Giant Escape Hybrid, 1977 Schwinn Super Le Tour
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 453 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 112 Times
in
85 Posts
Brake pad toe-in?
I usually use a coin to set the toe-in but wondering if anyone has a "tool" that attaches to the pad. I keep dropping the coins!!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Likes For Tandem Tom:
#2
Old fart
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,936
Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3571 Post(s)
Liked 3,367 Times
in
1,916 Posts
Jagwire makes one. I have no experience with it, though:
https://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Brake.../dp/B007FWPD2Q
https://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Brake.../dp/B007FWPD2Q
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,830
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4745 Post(s)
Liked 3,861 Times
in
2,510 Posts
Bend a piece of 3/32" flat bar (a couple of bucks at Home Depot) into a "U" and drop on the tire? That stuff is so useful I always have a scrap.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,528
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5219 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times
in
2,331 Posts
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Roswell, GA
Posts: 8,319
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1438 Post(s)
Liked 1,092 Times
in
723 Posts
You can put a rubber band around the back of the brake pad as a spacer. You could also make a "C"-shaped tool out of coat hanger wire.
#6
Full Member
I use a piece of card stock - folded over to the desired thickness - and stick it to the rim with a strip of masking tape. Both hands free to make adjustments . . . .
Likes For MNebiker:
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 2,586
Bikes: 1992 Serotta Colorado II,Co-Motion Speedster, Giant Escape Hybrid, 1977 Schwinn Super Le Tour
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 453 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 112 Times
in
85 Posts
I gave the rubber band idea a try and it works well. Thanks!
#9
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,522
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,798 Times
in
1,798 Posts
I use a rubber band or zip tie, whichever is easier to find amid the clutter.
Likes For canklecat:
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,830
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 128 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4745 Post(s)
Liked 3,861 Times
in
2,510 Posts
I'm thinking taking a 3/32 X 1/4" flat bar oh, say, 8" long, bending one end into a "u" to it over the tire, hanging down at the rear of the brake pad. Tweak the bar so it lays flat against the brake track. (You will need to stop the wheel with a toestrap or the like.) Then adjust the pad to hit both in front and at the flatbar. Flip around for the other pad.. (You could make irt a little longer and symmetrical to to both sides at the same time but I'm thinking one-sided makes it easy to rebend for different tires or rims.)
Ben
Ben
Likes For 79pmooney:
#11
Droid on a mission
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Palm Coast, FL
Posts: 1,002
Bikes: Diamondback Wildwood Classic
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 315 Post(s)
Liked 276 Times
in
191 Posts
How about this, clamps to the rim, directional arrow for proper toe-in
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-B-TB-...72.m2749.l2649
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-B-TB-...72.m2749.l2649
__________________
JoeTBM (The Bike Man) - I'm a black & white type of guy, the only gray in my life is the hair on my head
www.TheBikeMenOfFlaglerCounty.com
JoeTBM (The Bike Man) - I'm a black & white type of guy, the only gray in my life is the hair on my head
www.TheBikeMenOfFlaglerCounty.com
Likes For JoeTBM:
#12
Junior Member
I’m with canklecat, loose zip tie slid over back of the pad.
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 2,586
Bikes: 1992 Serotta Colorado II,Co-Motion Speedster, Giant Escape Hybrid, 1977 Schwinn Super Le Tour
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 453 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 112 Times
in
85 Posts
Never thought of the inner tube idea. Sounds good.
#16
Member
I use two credit cards overlapped so I get a single and double thickness giving me the proper toe-in angle.
#17
rebmeM roineS
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Metro Indy, IN
Posts: 16,217
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 653 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times
in
225 Posts
Yes, a zip tie would work. Or a rubber band. Etc.
Another example of lack of industry standardization. Ha!
Another example of lack of industry standardization. Ha!
__________________
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
#18
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,522
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,798 Times
in
1,798 Posts
BTW, if you're doing cantilever brakes and don't mind swapping pads, Kool Stop Eagle 2 pads (formerly Eagle Claw) are basically self-toe-in. The funky wedge doodad not only helps scrape mucky rims clean, it automagically aligns the pads. I use 'em on the rear wheel of my old Univega. I'm not a Kool Stop fanboy but that particular pad is terrific for bikes with canti brakes taken off road.
Alas, the Eagle 2 pads are too thick to clear the fork with my preferred tires, so I use Jagwire slim line long curved pads there (also very good, but do need toe-in).
Alas, the Eagle 2 pads are too thick to clear the fork with my preferred tires, so I use Jagwire slim line long curved pads there (also very good, but do need toe-in).
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,629
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1217 Post(s)
Liked 1,281 Times
in
653 Posts
I'm thinking taking a 3/32 X 1/4" flat bar oh, say, 8" long, bending one end into a "u" to it over the tire, hanging down at the rear of the brake pad. Tweak the bar so it lays flat against the brake track. (You will need to stop the wheel with a toestrap or the like.) Then adjust the pad to hit both in front and at the flatbar. Flip around for the other pad.. (You could make irt a little longer and symmetrical to to both sides at the same time but I'm thinking one-sided makes it easy to rebend for different tires or rims.)
Ben
Ben
1. Loosed brake pads
2 Center brake pads on brake track
3 Tear a business card in half and place on trailing edge of brake pad and grab lever
4. tighten brake pad.
Likes For Atlas Shrugged:
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,652
Bikes: too many sparkly Italians, some sweet Americans and a couple interesting Japanese
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 560 Post(s)
Liked 546 Times
in
396 Posts
I find the calipers don't flex as much with higher quality brakes and a single business card width will usually work but on most bikes I start with a double business card.