Brakes are one of the most crucial parts of the bike. The properties, characteristics, and behavior of the brakes for a two-wheeler are crucial to maintaining the bike’s condition for the long term. These are influenced by the operating habits, durations, effective interconnected parts, and temperature. If you are buying a second hand bike, then looking into the brakes is quite a crucial factor in buying a used bike in good condition. Many issues related to the brakes can be solved by adjusting and repairing the other components.
Second hand Bike Brakes Issues and Solutions
1: Brake Fade
Incidents like brake failure are pretty standard, which holds onto the wheels for prolonged applications known as brake fade. The friction behavior of the brake changes as per the temperature and deteriorates with an increase in the temperature. It is caused due to prolonged use of the bike without proper servicing. Bike service is crucial for taking care of all these factors on time.
Brake fade happens due to severe application of the brakes caused by the expansion of the brake drums, where a loss of the frictional ability of brake lining or both will be observed. It is necessary to reduce the speed and use lower gears for it. The brake fade vanishes, and the brake’s effectiveness is well restored as the brake lining cools down.
The brake fluid has significantly deteriorated as a result of that! The same thing could even be flushed out, and fresh fluid of the correct specifications must be filled on the same.
The brake fade can also cause poor contact between the brake lining and the drum. Most of us have the habit of riding the brake pedal which causes the brake to drag and thus become excessively hot, leading to a brake fade. The rider should not keep his foot on the brake pedal, and he should not hold the brake lever pressed unless it is specifically required.
2: Brake Binding
It is a condition of the bike brake that tends to bind the liner to the brake drum. Its remains are applied to the state without pressing the brake lever. This is also known as brake dragging.
One of the critical reasons for brake binding is defective springs. The brake shoe retracting springs or the pedal return spring may be weak or broken. In such situations, it must be replaced almost immediately.
Another significant reason is the jammed brake shoes over the anchor pins. Lubricating this anchor pin can quickly eliminate the brake binding. In such disc brakes, the fluid level in the reservoir might be excessive, which should be rectified to remove the brake binding significantly.
3: Brake Overheating
The overheating of the brakes is most likely due to the same reasons as the brake binding. The bike brake overheating tends to decrease the friction properties, increasing the binding chances. Other reasons might occur after the prolonged use of the brakes while descending a slope. In such cases, the disc brakes, apart from the above, and the piston in the caliper may be seized. In such a situation, the caliper will be rebored, and the piston will be replaced.
4: Brake Judder
It is an experience where the ringing noise radiates from the brake. It is either an improper brake adjustment, or it might be corrected due to the brake lining rivets being loose. In such cases, the linings must be attached again with the new rivets. The linings need to be replaced as well.
5: Grabbing Brakes
The grabbing brake is a state in which the brake is either seized or has a propensity towards getting seized. In such cases, the drum brakes are a usual reason for grabbing smooth linings. Sometimes, workers forget to clean the clippers before they assemble, leading to the grabbing after some usage. Often brake grabbing can be a reason for wrong adjustments of the shoes. The scoured brake drum causes the grabbing of brakes. In some cases, it can be eliminated by grounding the drum within limits.
Dirt dust might enter your brake shoe assembly, which should be cleaned on time to remove the brake grabbing on time. There is a very unusual reason to grab the interchanged shoes. The primary and secondary shoes have been reversed by mistake. The brake grabbing will disappear if the shoes are reinstalled correctly.
6: Excessive loss of the Brake Fluid
As the name suggests, it is mainly related to the oil leakages from the disc brake system. Second hand bikes tend to face this issue due to their rigorous usage. The leakage could be possible from benzo bolts, plunger assembly or reservoir, joints, and caliper. The brake oil leakage will reduce the braking effectiveness, including the high maintenance cost if it remains uncontrolled.
Significant leakages happen at the reservoir and caliper. It is inspected and repaired if necessary. The other reason for brake fluid loss is loose connections at the various joints. The connecting pipe or hose damage should be well-checked and has to be replaced soon to avoid further fluid loss.
7: Presence of Air in Brake Line
The defects arise particularly in the disc brake assembly. It is only because the disc brake works with the incompressible brake oils. The incompressible oil acts as a linkage between the brake lever and the caliper piston. It is an intelligent way where the brake lever force gets magnified, which applies to the caliper piston. For this purpose, the brake oil must have viscosity. If the entire system fails, even if a small amount of air enters the brake line, then the air is compressible in the fluid. The air remains in the form of bubbles and compresses the braking, which results in reduced braking effects.
Only leakages can produce air bubbles in the brake lines. The reservoir or caliper might have some defects that cause air leakage inside the system. The leakage must be repaired on time and replaced if required. If there are any loose connections, then it can be tightened properly to avoid any air bubbles forming. There are safe remedies for air bubbles that are bleeding in brakes. It is advised to perform the maintenance procedure for a genuine service station.
Conclusion
In short, having a sound braking system is crucial for the bike. If you indulge in buying a second hand bike, you need to check the brake conditions and then try it.
At CredR, Second hand bikes are available at a great price. The used bikes are refurbished to retain excellent quality. You can buy a used bike at a low price but take a test ride before that. Once you are satisfied with it, then book the bike. Enjoy riding with CredR 🙂
