Front brake lever adjustment

[MrPut 36]

Sorry, another newbie question - there is a lot of travel in my front brake lever. Would prefer sharper response, especially riding in London. If I want to tighten up the travel/free play (not sure if this is the correct term - basically the movement in the front brake lever before you feel the bike actually starting to brake), is it simply a case of tightening up the thumb dial on the lever? The extra travel/free play isn't a sign of something more sinister like brake disc/caliper/cable damage? Thanks.

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

Hi

The thumb dial just alters the gap between the lever an the handlebars as far as I'm aware there is no way to adjust the free play in the lever. The brakes are hydraulic so no cables to adjust. If in any doubt get someone to check the brakes but if the brakes are working and the lever doesn't contact the handlebars then all should be ok but as said, get someone to look.

[MrPut 36]

1 minute ago, Grumpy old man said:

Hi

The thumb dial just alters the gap between the lever an the handlebars as far as I'm aware there is no way to adjust the free play in the lever. The brakes are hydraulic so no cables to adjust. If in any doubt get someone to check the brakes but if the brakes are working and the lever doesn't contact the handlebars then all should be ok but as said, get someone to look.

Thanks Lloyd. I think that's actually what I want to do - reduce the gap between the lever and the handlebar so there less 'travel' in the lever before the brakes bite.

 

Unrelated question - how long have people left their bikes unused for before the battery dies? Have a baby on the way and not ridden for a month!

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

The lever will just come closer to the bars it won't ( I don't think so) reduce the free play.

As regards the battery,  how long is a piece of string, it will depend on what condition the battery is in, if the bike is standing outside in cold weather an if you have trackers or anything pulling  energy. If you can get it onto a battery conditioner would be your best bet. Hope all goes well with the baby somethings are more important than bikes  some on here will disagree.😊

[MrPut 36]

4 minutes ago, Grumpy old man said:

The lever will just come closer to the bars it won't ( I don't think so) reduce the free play.

As regards the battery,  how long is a piece of string, it will depend on what condition the battery is in, if the bike is standing outside in cold weather an if you have trackers or anything pulling  energy. If you can get it onto a battery conditioner would be your best bet. Hope all goes well with the baby somethings are more important than bikes  some on here will disagree.😊

Thanks Lloyd - the bike is a useful distraction instead of worrying about the baby all the time!

 

And, yes, I think that's what I want to do, to move the lever closer to the bar so there's less distance it has to travel before you feel the brakes engage. Not sure if NCs have the numbered dial on the lever to move the lever in closer - will have a look this evening.

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

3 hours ago, MrPut said:

Thanks Lloyd - the bike is a useful distraction instead of worrying about the baby all the time!

 

And, yes, I think that's what I want to do, to move the lever closer to the bar so there's less distance it has to travel before you feel the brakes engage. Not sure if NCs have the numbered dial on the lever to move the lever in closer - will have a look this evening.

My 2015x has the numbered dial. Good luck

[trisaki 2,029]

You can only adjust  the span , you alter it to suit how big your hands are , if there is a lot of travel it means either brake pads are getting  low or air in the hydraulic  system , how many miles has the bike done 

[MrPut 36]

4 minutes ago, trisaki said:

You can only adjust  the span , you alter it to suit how big your hands are , if there is a lot of travel it means either brake pads are getting  low or air in the hydraulic  system , how many miles has the bike done 

Hi trisaki. The bike's done about 14k miles. I can't remember the travel being that much on the brake lever before I dropped the bike and the lever snapped off. Had it repaired at Burwins on Essex Road, and people on here seem generally very complimentary about them, so perhaps it's just a personal adjustment they expected me to make, but I didn't realise that I was supposed to? Of course, the risk is that there was some damage done when the bike was dropped and it's only become apparent with time...

[trisaki 2,029]

Shame you are nowhere near my wshop  in west Sussex otherwise I would quite happily check the bike over for you 

[MrPut 36]

5 minutes ago, trisaki said:

Shame you are nowhere near my wshop  in west Sussex otherwise I would quite happily check the bike over for you 

My girlfriend's family are from Emsworth, so I might take the bike down that way some time in the New Year, once I get some more practice on open roads north of London. Will drop you a line if I do.

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

3 minutes ago, MrPut said:

Hi trisaki. The bike's done about 14k miles. I can't remember the travel being that much on the brake lever before I dropped the bike and the lever snapped off. Had it repaired at Burwins on Essex Road, and people on here seem generally very complimentary about them, so perhaps it's just a personal adjustment they expected me to make, but I didn't realise that I was supposed to? Of course, the risk is that there was some damage done when the bike was dropped and it's only become apparent with time...

You didn't tell me you'd drop the bike and had the lever changed. With 14000 miles on the clock it could be ready for some new pads. Adjust the span with the dial and see how it feels, instructions are in the Owner's  Manual, but if you're not sure how to check the pads have someone do it, better safe than sorry.

[MrPut 36]

5 minutes ago, Grumpy old man said:

You didn't tell me you'd drop the bike and had the lever changed. With 14000 miles on the clock it could be ready for some new pads. Adjust the span with the dial and see how it feels, instructions are in the Owner's  Manual, but if you're not sure how to check the pads have someone do it, better safe than sorry.

Bike was dropped in June and I've ridden it since. Thing is, with a baby on the way, not been out on it much. Maybe time for a service then!

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

Only teasing, Every 8000 miles or every 12 months service intervals. Checking the pads is just popping your head under the and around the front wheel if you know what you're looking for/at it takes a minute, nobody around who can do that? I'm bit untrusting of dealers, I've been bitten. Hope you get it sorted.

[MrPut 36]

16 minutes ago, Grumpy old man said:

Only teasing, Every 8000 miles or every 12 months service intervals. Checking the pads is just popping your head under the and around the front wheel if you know what you're looking for/at it takes a minute, nobody around who can do that? I'm bit untrusting of dealers, I've been bitten. Hope you get it sorted.

I'll have a google to see how to check the brake pads, and I'll try adjusting the thumb dial, but I am fairly new to this, so might have to have it looked at by professionals. Would prefer to leave it until it's next MOT, but hey ho!

[embee 7,288]

Just to be absolutely clear about this.

 

The dial wheel on the lever does not change in any way the workings of the brake system. All it does is alter where the hand lever physically sits relative to the working parts of the master cylinder. If you want the lever to be further away from the grip, or closer to the grip, then turn the dial to get it where you want. You can change it as you wish, no effect on anything else.

 

If the amount the lever is travelling before the brakes actually do the business is too great, or they feel excessively spongy and squidgy when you squeeze hard, then they need bleeding at the very least, ideally a thorough check over including the pads, the caliper operation and condition, and a full brake fluid change. If the bike has been over and broken the hand lever then really all this ought to have been checked over. A visit to Trisaki would be a good call for this, it would be done right.

[Andy m 23,430]

The pads have a slot in them dividing the surface. If they are worn to the point the slot has disappeared they need replacing. This won't change how the brakes feel so long as there is any friction material left.

 

New

 

OK on the left, F***ed on the right

 

 

Look down into the gap where the calliper sits on the disc with a torch and you can see.

 

A trip to see Mark would put your mind at rest as there are possibly bad reasons why the brake lever pulls back a long way before anything happens.

 

Andy

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2019 by Andy m

[MrPut 36]

Thanks embee and Andy. Will try adjusting the dial and looking at the calipers. If that improves things and I can still see the slot on the pads, may leave things until next service and mot.

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

If it helps it might be worth looking at the rear pads first as they are easier to see and it will.give you an idea as what you are looking for, disc rotating between the pads, friction material on the pads and the metal part of the pads. I find it easier to lay on my back and look up at the bottom of the caliper on the front with a torch. If in ANY doubt get them checked.

Good luck

[trisaki 2,029]

On 12/4/2019 at 16:36, MrPut said:

My girlfriend's family are from Emsworth, so I might take the bike down that way some time in the New Year, once I get some more practice on open roads north of London. Will drop you a line if I do.

Not a problem  ,