I am often asked, why didn't I just skip all the earlier steps and go right to end and replace the pads. Because often, one of those earlier steps will solve the problem. (Read through the comments where people commented that the earlier steps worked) In this case they didn't. And in this case, if one of those earlier steps had actually solved the problem, then it would have made a terrible video. Because if there are bunch of problem solving steps to go through, and I only show the first few, then that would help some people, but most people would have been left hanging. Why replace your pads if simply cleaning them would have fixed the noise? But if you want to skip to the last step, go ahead. It's your money to waste. And what do you do if the pads are new and squeal?
The thing about cleaning the rim had me wondering... Can we expect the rim to be clean much of the time when we're actually riding? I'd hope that good pads and adjustment wouldn't squeal at all on dirty rims. So i was kinda skeptical of that tip...
Cleaned and sanded my brake-pads, worked like charm. In the last week I almost died two times because I was too embarrassed to use my "sounds like an animal's dying a painful death" brakes in traffic so you, sir, might have literally saved my life. Cheers.
This video is amazing! I can't believe people wrote "hurr just buy new brakes" The creator of the video obviously just showed us all the possibilities to try, he showed it ON PURPOSE, he did it OOON PURPOSE! Because he's a cool guy
Gabriel Faria it was a good video, but personally I’d rather spend 7 bucks and just replace them then waste my time... I can replace money, but I can’t replace the hours lost especially if I know that replacing them would be the quickest and almost guaranteed way to solve the problem. But that’s just me 🤷🏽♂️ ...Context is important
I am often asked, why didn't I just skip all the earlier steps and go right to end and replace the pads. Because often, one of those earlier steps will solve the problem. In this case they didn't. And in this case, if one of those earlier steps had actually solved the problem, then it would have made a terrible video. Because if there are bunch of problem solving steps to go through, and I only show the first few, then that would help some people, but most people would have been left hanging. Why replace your pads if simply cleaning them would have fixed the noise? But if you want to skip to the last step, go ahead.
Is it possible that a brand new bike needs new pads already? This worked for my back brakes just fine but for the front left pad it just doesn't seem to stop squeaking.
Han Sykes Most times you don't need to buy new pads. But if you want to automatically replace the parts without trying to fix them in other ways, go right ahead.
The alcohol didn't work so I sanded the pads with heavy and the wheel rim with lighter paper and BOOM! squeak gone. Many thanks for taking the time to do the video. Ignore the haters, YT is full of armchair critics with no life.
I was about to buy new pads but I figured Id give it one last shot and sand the rim like you recommend. Mine are pretty worn. I wonder if they make them like car brake pads where they squeal when they Are worn too much.
8 years late to the party, but I really like how you show all the steps to try first and how it may fail. Really helps us to know what to do next in case the first step fails. And honestly, I enjoyed laughing every time it didn't work and telling myself "Lucky I haven't done that yet"
RJ approaches every bike fix like a scientist. He records all the possibilities to arrive at the solution. One of my favorite moments watching his fix is all the struggles he goes through. I sometimes wonder if it´s done on purpose or not but it is the reason I watch his vids. The guy is like super relatable.
Any of these steps can fix the problem. I was lucky that one of the earlier steps didn't fix this particular problem, because then the video would have been incomplete. If the first thing had fixed it and I presented it as THE solution, it wouldn't have worked for most people.
I see loads of people giving you shit for buying new breaks at the end, but I was able to solve the same problem with the first step he showed, which saved me money. Thanks RJ.
The 1st step is to get your breaks and rim dirty. If that doesn't solve it, the 2nd step is to make your breaks as smooth as possible. If that doesn't solve it, the 3rd step is to adjust the break pads so they will slightly toe out. If that doesn't solve it, the 4th step is to buy old break pads.
Took my son's bike it to be fixed, they replaced the brake pads and still it shrieked. They blamed a painted rim. Saw your video, tried the penny tip and fixed! Thank you!
Love it how you show all the failed attempts as well! When people stare at me angry at the brake squeal, I just say to them "I must oil those brakes sometime." The looks I get are priceless. Some take me seriously and try to argue against it !
OMG, thought I'd never get rid of terrible front and rear V-brake squealing. Then I found your video. Started at the beginning and worked my way through the excellent methodology. One wheel was resolved without pad replacement, the other was not. Thanks RJ for bailing me out again!
Thanks for the video. I tried all your suggestions at once instead of doing trial and error like you did. I Cleaned the brake bads and the whell with alchool, sanded the brake pads, I even lightly sanded the wheels with 400 sandpaper then put back the brake pads with a slight angle. It fixed the problem without having to change the brake pads.
i like my brake squeal, because people hear me coming, its like a safety feature when you are biking and people just move out of the way, but if i do get tired of the noise i know how to fix it , thanks for showing how many ways to stop the squeal!!
Not everyone is made to fix stuff. Clearly RJ did a great job of showing that the steps to resolve a really common issue are very very simple. Wiping with rubbing alcohol, loosening a single bolt ... if that is 'too much' then just know you will be giving lots of good money to a bike mechanic if you plan on riding. I would say if you tinker with your bike just a bit ... they really are easy to work on (with a bit of patience of course!)
Thank you so much! My bike lately has been screeching incredibly loudly and it makes everyone around me, as well as myself, cringe. I am looking foreword to fixing the problem, so thank you a lot! I am suggesting your channel to my family. We have a lot of people, which means a lot of bikes, and a lot of broken bikes too. I'm glad that now we can fix some of these problems ourselves.
Just put on headphones. The city will hear it but at least you don’t. What’s worse? Embarrassing squeaking pads or crashing into a pole/person/car/train/tree.
Actually today I had a minor crash because of the embarrassing squeaking front brakes so I had to hit the back brakes on a wet road... the annoying part is that these front brakes are brand new and I had cleaned the rim surface with alcohol
Alex Ferraro, that's like saying if your car is making a noise, buy a new car. Any of those steps might fix the problem. If it doesn't, you try the next thing.
Hi RJ you had some really good tips to stop loud squealing screeching bike brakes but none of your tips helped stop the front pads of squealing, and considering my bike was brand new it didn't make sense I would have to replace the pads. So as a last resort I swapped out the pads, putting the left onto the right side, and the right onto the left, and voila no more squealing. Now I'm a happy cyclist. Take RJ
bro thank you so much. the coin trick was the one that stopped the squealing sound for me. after like 1 1/2 years of squealing brakes the torture has finally stopped. I can’t thank you enough
Mine was remedied after riding a few miles under heavy rain; however, I missed having people & cars getting out of the way without ringing bell. So, I hope next time he covers how one can get the squealing back!
Thanks! This worked perfect for me. I didn't replace my brakes, i have an old bike so what i did was lightly sanded down the rim and then sand down the brakes until there was no shine, i then cleaned both rim and brakes and while adding back the brakes i made sure to toe in the brakes, and boom! No more noise! I used to had noise on both back and front wheels and i couldnt get them to stop making noise until I watch your video. It was very helpful.
Thanks for this great video! My husband and I just bought new bikes and his brakes squeaked horribly when we unloaded them from our car. Didn’t even have to apply brakes. I’m still a do it yourselfer, even though I’m pushing 60, so we set about making it stop. We got it to stop when just rolling but found that it still had brake squeak. The Owner’s manual on his bike was horrible, but on my Schwen it was pretty good. It let me know the brakes needed the toe in. I have no experience with brakes, so the book was not enough. I searched You Tube and yours was the first in line. I watched until the toe in part came up, followed each step and was thrilled when the squeak was gone!
Toe-out and having the front hit high (outside of rim) and the back hit low (inside of rim) is what cured my Spark electric assist bike. So try any different angle and see what works. In my case, toeing-in made it go from terrible to horrendous!
Thanks for the video! Instead of sanding the brakes, I used a rough file to remove the top brake layer. I still did the alcohol rubbing too and readjusted using the penny method. No more squeaks!
Dude - after watching loads of crappy videos explaining just the first couple of steps, and having my daughter whining about her squeaking brakes, your video saved me! Thanks RJ!
Thanks a lot. I got it to stop at Step one! I didnt use rubbing alcohol, i just used a wash&wax, sprayed the rim and cleaned it with a micofibre rag and the sound was gone!. I still did the toe procedure with the penny just for back up.
Hi RJ - Hubbinator and I just saved ourselves a major headache of having to bring bike to the bike store by using STEP ONE of your advice. A simple clean with alcohol of the sides of the wheels did the trick. Thank you SO MUCH for posting this video. I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it.
@@jamalsyed7386 I needed to adjust the brakes. The trick he did with the penny (no pennies in Canada, so I use a nickel) was perfect. It gave me the best spacing. Then, VOILA! No more screeching. I am so glad that I didn't just buy new break pads... that would have been necessary and a waste of money.
Had a brand new bike, and was lubing up parts and couldn’t get rid of the squeak. Even with cleaning using alcohol! But the penny method worked, and makes complete sense! Thanks!
THANKS! I have a cheap Giant sport hybrid bike that I got a few years ago after having not ridden for almost 20 years, and it's an okay bike but from the day I got it the front brake has done nothing but squeal. Just like yours did in the video. And I raised hell at the bike shop and I'm sure the last thing they wanted to deal with was some ranting/raving guy who bought a $350 bike and then wanted Rolls Royce service afterwards. So they agreed to swap in some better pads and I was on my way. Then I got a Cannondale aluminum bike, then a carbon fiber bike, and pretty much forgot about the Giant sport hybrid. Until yesterday, when I rode it and damn if that squealing wasn't back. I had had it and figured I'd just get new V brakes and be done with it. But I saw your video and thought maybe I only needed new pads, not new brakes. So I went out to see what kind of pads were on the bike. It turns out they are threaded with no backing, and they're Kool Stop pads. So just for the heck of it I got out some degreaser/cleaner, a rag, and some sand paper, and cleaned the rims and sanded the pads. I put the wheel back on, and whaddayaknow. NO MORE SQUEALING! So thanks a lot! You saved me time and money. I appreciate your video.
I recently had this problem which is surprising how long i've been riding. I wasted so much time trying to stop the squeal and chatter. By coincidence, the things i tried were exactly sequence you did it in this video. My final conclusion is that some braking materials just don't work with certain rim alloys. I switched to a 2 compound Koolstop insert that i've never used before, i even ground off the toe-in taper that they come with.
Every time you made an adjustment and brakes still squealed, I cackled! This is exactly my life right now. I’m at the replacement stage. Thank you for this!
Thank you so much! Did the cleaning, didn't work. Did the sanding, didn't work. Toed the brake pads in, Bingo! Presto! Work like a charm. Thanks again.
The penny trick worked perfectly. It actually worked better than i expected. In my opinion, if you are a casual biker just stick to those type of brakes. But if you are riding your bicycle hard everyday on mountains etc.. just buy disk brakes cuz they will save you tons of money and sweat.
If I were going through these attempts, each test fail would be followed by "Son of a b----!" Great information, though -- I'm going to give each of these a shot. Thanks for posting!
floopy312 Lmao - pretty sure everybody had this thought at the end of the video. Good points though to try some easy solutions to fix the brake pads yourself.
Many times one of the earlier steps will solve the problem. If I had shot a video and only got a step or two in and solved the problem, it would have been a lousy and incomplete video.
RJ The Bike Guy In UK there's no such thing as alcohol for first aid. They use some stupid mixed sprays... You can't buy this stuff in Pharmacy (H&S regulations!!!) However, you can buy white spirit in DiY stores.
Nikolai Siurdyna Not sure what white spirit is. I did a search and found that rubbing alcohol is called "surgical spirit" in the UK. I don't know what the availability is, but it sounds like some people were able to find it in stores.
it's all about trial and error. in the end, the problem was the pads themselves. But for many other people that watched this video the steps before that fixed their problem (as shown by the comments) so they didn't have to buy new pads.
all those are legit methods,kinda.(they are the most official but lifehacks have taught us that that doesnt make it the best).cleaning and sanding are time consuming,and doesnt always work.towing the pads requires your rims to be perfectly true in order to get a decent squeeze without the lever hitting the the handlebar before starting to break,and it doesnt always work.the fastest,easiest and most effective method is to ride the bike while squeezing the brake tight enough to where its making contact(only the brake thats squeeking) but u can still move if u pedal hard and just power thru it.i ussually only have to ride about 50 feet before it works but it almost always works.(im a pro bike mechanic btw and i endorse this cheat)
My daughter's bike was making the same terrible noise. I followed the steps, clean the wheel, sand the pads, adjusted the angle with a penny - NO MORE SQUEAK! Thanks! :)
+kalok Dong Because often new brake pads aren't needed. Why spend money on new pads when adjusting them will fix the problem? Do you like wasting money?
Sometimes cleaning the pads fixes the problem. Often I can adjust the pads and fix the squealing. But not always. If in this video, cleaning or adjusting had fixed the problem like they often do, how useful would the video have been to people when those steps don't fix the problem?
Interesting trial and error techniques, in multiple attempts to rid brake flatulence, which can be embarrassing. . My experience with brake squeal is with the salmon colored Koolstop pads, which squealed right out of the box. For some unknown reason, the pads have a raised section right at the trailing end of the pad, which would make that part of the pad come in contact with the rim first - the opposite of toe-in. I used a file to level that section, then used the coin technique to induce toe-in. The Koolstops have a shiny surface on the pad when new; the file also dulled this sheen. On a test run, no more squeal.
Hah, I have this exact noise with disc brakes which surprised me. It doesn't last but often happens the first few times I use the brakes and it's annoying because I ride at night and I have to go down my steep driveway past 2-3 other houses, I don't want to wake up my neighbours. This was great anyway because I watched James May do a video on setting up this style brakes and I didn't quite understand what he was doing with the pads themselves - now I saw what you were doing with the penny I understand completely. Much appreciated!
Excellent video! I have newer brakes, but bike was unused except for trainer rack for too long. It took all the suggestions until sanding the pads - and success! Now I need a bell to announce my presence!😁
This guys needs an award. I go on a bit my self... and its torture for people! I loved this video, detailed and given solution. Keep up the good work, many thanks.
Great video. I like how you showed how ineffective the usual recommendations are. I had squealing brakes and the bike shop mechanics told me to clean the rims, sand the pads, and gave the usual explanations about why that was would work. Of course, it didn't help at all. My bike brakes could still be heard squealing from a block away. On my own, I decided to use half of a wooden clothespin (separate it from the spring, and have the flat part against the rim) as a shim, and that did the trick. No more squealing. I've found though, if I don't specifically say anything, and I take my bike to a shop for some other issue, the mechanics will "fix" my brakes without asking me (removing the toe in), and then the brakes squeal like crazy again. So, I just get out the shim when I get home and fix it.
You fricken rock! I had a new rim put on and the back brakes squealed like a stuck pig, brought it back to bike shop twice and they said nothing they could do about it. I used a penny like you suggested and now no squeal. Thank you so much.
I love to get quietly next to the cows and while they're not paying attention, suddenly hit that break and get a good laugh seeing the jumping. I would never want to lose this fun option. 😂 I know I'm hopeless.
i found this video so entertaining because your bike sounded exactly like mine..lol..i will try these steps to fix my brakes so hopefully I will not have to replace them and spend money I don't have..unfortunately I don't have a lot of money so any bike I get will be from a thrift store..the one I have needs a lot of work but it will be worth it in the end because I will have a one of kind bike and I will have learned so much about bike mechanics that I will be able to fix any problem I have with any bike in the future..
Thank you, lots of great tips in your videos! Maybe finally I have one tip for you - apply a few drops of motor oil on the face of the pads after the sandpaper step and let sit for a few hours, it rejuvinates dried up rubber and can sometimes stop the squealing issue. The braking power of the pads are increased as well.
Wow method 2 worked for me!!! I take off my brake pad and there it is a shiny line of aluminium. Rubbed it against the side of a wooden garden table and hey presto, it worked. Thank you RJ :)
Excellent video! I think the penny is a good Idea, I always used old credit cards or cable ties. Also big differences in pad brands: Often the cheap soft ones (rubber-like material) are less noisy. Nothing helps under damp / wet weather conditions. Unfortunately dampening V-brakes acoustical resonances properly is not possible.
I am often asked, why didn't I just skip all the earlier steps and go right to end and replace the pads. Because often, one of those earlier steps will solve the problem. (Read through the comments where people commented that the earlier steps worked) In this case they didn't. And in this case, if one of those earlier steps had actually solved the problem, then it would have made a terrible video. Because if there are bunch of problem solving steps to go through, and I only show the first few, then that would help some people, but most people would have been left hanging. Why replace your pads if simply cleaning them would have fixed the noise? But if you want to skip to the last step, go ahead. It's your money to waste. And what do you do if the pads are new and squeal?
The video is perfect like that with the first steps.
Thank you man!
The thing about cleaning the rim had me wondering... Can we expect the rim to be clean much of the time when we're actually riding? I'd hope that good pads and adjustment wouldn't squeal at all on dirty rims. So i was kinda skeptical of that tip...
My brother does too
The video was perfect. Your approach to problem solving is obviously more logical than those other people. Thanks!
thanks! my bike doesnt screech now
Cleaned and sanded my brake-pads, worked like charm. In the last week I almost died two times because I was too embarrassed to use my "sounds like an animal's dying a painful death" brakes in traffic so you, sir, might have literally saved my life. Cheers.
Damn bro did you die
I do break, but I can just feel everybody's eyes on me 😂
The anxiety is insane haha.
@@TrueNomadSkies lmaoo yes but it gets them out the way
I cant tell you how much i can relate
I use my squealing brakes as a horn to get people out of the way. It works...
Me too!
Im in tears 😂😂
Same
Bro you are same
@Nomore Illegals please ur right.... Same here...
I had the same problem and solved it by wearing earplugs.
haha
if you have a neighbor you hate just go like 30 past their house and then brake really hard
lol
hahaha
LOLOLOL
This video is amazing! I can't believe people wrote "hurr just buy new brakes"
The creator of the video obviously just showed us all the possibilities to try, he showed it ON PURPOSE, he did it OOON PURPOSE! Because he's a cool guy
Gabriel Faria it was a good video, but personally
I’d rather spend 7 bucks and just replace them then waste my time... I can replace money, but I can’t replace the hours lost especially if I know that replacing them would be the quickest and almost guaranteed way to solve the problem.
But that’s just me 🤷🏽♂️
...Context is important
Agreed, this video helped me solve the problem!
Exactly because hes trying to save people money
@@raoulbsantiago80 even new brakes squeak if you don’t adjust them with the toe in.
@@raoulbsantiago80 hours? Bro you good?
My bike breaks are sooo fucking loud i got stopped by a cop cause they thought i ran over a dog.
+Alex M How do I make my brakes loud like that?????
+JoJo Rodriguez run over dogs
+Alex M lmao ok ig 😂
+Salim Al-Jabry lel'd
+Alex M HA!
I cringe everytime my brakes make this sound
I love it lol
Yeah i say "Shut up will you"
@@noonehere4332 i hate i feel like the whole neighborhood just starts looking at my bike and especially on late night rides
@@aal7268 smar man I hate it so much it's embarrassing
I am often asked, why didn't I just skip all the earlier steps and go right to end and replace the pads. Because often, one of those earlier steps will solve the problem. In this case they didn't. And in this case, if one of those earlier steps had actually solved the problem, then it would have made a terrible video. Because if there are bunch of problem solving steps to go through, and I only show the first few, then that would help some people, but most people would have been left hanging. Why replace your pads if simply cleaning them would have fixed the noise? But if you want to skip to the last step, go ahead.
el verdugo Pr How did you put the cloth on it?
Is it possible that a brand new bike needs new pads already? This worked for my back brakes just fine but for the front left pad it just doesn't seem to stop squeaking.
Why did the old pads squeal? What was it about the new ones that didn't cause them to squeal? Just cheap quality?
Thats the thing i was going to tell
Well said keep up the good work THANK-YOU!!!
Really liked that you showed all the steps that we can do before buying new brake pads, very informative!
Han Sykes Most times you don't need to buy new pads. But if you want to automatically replace the parts without trying to fix them in other ways, go right ahead.
Cleaning the rims with alcohol and a rag worked right away!! Gave me an ego boost to do it myself and saved me money too. Thx so much.🌻😁👍
Haha
Your ego is a little too easily boosted lmao
The alcohol didn't work so I sanded the pads with heavy and the wheel rim with lighter paper and BOOM! squeak gone. Many thanks for taking the time to do the video. Ignore the haters, YT is full of armchair critics with no life.
I was about to buy new pads but I figured Id give it one last shot and sand the rim like you recommend. Mine are pretty worn. I wonder if they make them like car brake pads where they squeal when they Are worn too much.
@@EVO1087R No. Car pads may squeal even when new.
If there still squeaking... "go ahead and install new brake pads!" 😂😂😂
Only if the other steps fail.
Of course, it was just really funny when you said that. Gotta do it to my wife's brand new Schwinn beach cruiser... 😢
@@RJTheBikeGuy I bought new shimano brake pads today hopping for the better .... and is the same . I try tomorrow the trick with the coin .
I was thinking the same thing
Damn I guess I need new breaks
8 years late to the party, but I really like how you show all the steps to try first and how it may fail. Really helps us to know what to do next in case the first step fails. And honestly, I enjoyed laughing every time it didn't work and telling myself "Lucky I haven't done that yet"
And if that doesn't work buy new wheels. And if that doesn't work buy a new bike, and give the bike to someone you don't like.
or just buy disc brakes
😄😄👍
@@eur0is discs squeal too lol
@@Lunarpollo5622 lol
Thanks Eminem
Why am I watching this? I have an important teast tommorow and my bike is functioning properly.
Is your test spelling if so you'll fail
It's in dutch.
Is your test punctuation? If so, you'll win.
Sim0ndutch toast*
Sim0ndutch did you pass
Ya gotta respect a guy who doesn't give up! Thanks for the video. I see these steps in my future. My best to you.
RJ approaches every bike fix like a scientist. He records all the possibilities to arrive at the solution. One of my favorite moments watching his fix is all the struggles he goes through. I sometimes wonder if it´s done on purpose or not but it is the reason I watch his vids. The guy is like super relatable.
Any of these steps can fix the problem. I was lucky that one of the earlier steps didn't fix this particular problem, because then the video would have been incomplete. If the first thing had fixed it and I presented it as THE solution, it wouldn't have worked for most people.
I see loads of people giving you shit for buying new breaks at the end, but I was able to solve the same problem with the first step he showed, which saved me money. Thanks RJ.
It’s BRAKES BRAKES BRAKES. not breaks. PLEASE😀
Is there any tutorial on how to make your brakes squeal louder???
Use a pig as a brake pad
The 1st step is to get your breaks and rim dirty.
If that doesn't solve it, the 2nd step is to make your breaks as smooth as possible.
If that doesn't solve it, the 3rd step is to adjust the break pads so they will slightly toe out.
If that doesn't solve it, the 4th step is to buy old break pads.
@@ramon_rcg 5th step "but why?"
Yes. Pour cola on it and let it dry. You'll also have ants all over it
Took my son's bike it to be fixed, they replaced the brake pads and still it shrieked. They blamed a painted rim. Saw your video, tried the penny tip and fixed! Thank you!
For me, they also blamed the rim (haven't tried any of the steps to see if they were right)
Love it how you show all the failed attempts as well!
When people stare at me angry at the brake squeal, I just say to them "I must oil those brakes sometime."
The looks I get are priceless. Some take me seriously and try to argue against it !
The above said, I just cleaned the rims with a dilute solution of dishwashing liquid and it totally worked !
I showed the various fixes. Any of them may work. Or not.
OMG, thought I'd never get rid of terrible front and rear V-brake squealing. Then I found your video. Started at the beginning and worked my way through the excellent methodology. One wheel was resolved without pad replacement, the other was not. Thanks RJ for bailing me out again!
I had to go so far as to rough up the pads with sandpaper to fix my squeal. You saved me a trip to Walmart for brake pads I didn't need; thanks!
Imagine if the brakes squealed even after installing new pads 😂
Time to throw the bike
That is possible if the new pads are defective, but it would still be worth a few laughs LOL
This happens to me everytime omg it's so annoying
LMAO.. Ya.. Then time to buy a new freaking RIM. Sanding the rim with a lighter grade sandpaper is supposed to help to
Adjust the toe in ....front of pad should be closer to rim than the back side he mentions it in the video
Excellent lesson. Just tried it myself- turns out cleaning the tire rim and brake pads stopped the squealing noise. Thanks very much!
Thanks for the video. I tried all your suggestions at once instead of doing trial and error like you did. I Cleaned the brake bads and the whell with alchool, sanded the brake pads, I even lightly sanded the wheels with 400 sandpaper then put back the brake pads with a slight angle.
It fixed the problem without having to change the brake pads.
I use a dime instead of a penny to adjust the brakes cause I'm a big spender.
BTW great video.
Jaiven nice
i like my brake squeal, because people hear me coming, its like a safety feature when you are biking and people just move out of the way, but if i do get tired of the noise i know how to fix it , thanks for showing how many ways to stop the squeal!!
I feel like a train
I lost all hope by step 2
@@abellawarda2458 how
Just find and use the right tools
Just get new brake pads only like 7 bucks
Not everyone is made to fix stuff. Clearly RJ did a great job of showing that the steps to resolve a really common issue are very very simple. Wiping with rubbing alcohol, loosening a single bolt ... if that is 'too much' then just know you will be giving lots of good money to a bike mechanic if you plan on riding. I would say if you tinker with your bike just a bit ... they really are easy to work on (with a bit of patience of course!)
Thank you so much! My bike lately has been screeching incredibly loudly and it makes everyone around me, as well as myself, cringe. I am looking foreword to fixing the problem, so thank you a lot! I am suggesting your channel to my family. We have a lot of people, which means a lot of bikes, and a lot of broken bikes too. I'm glad that now we can fix some of these problems ourselves.
Just put on headphones. The city will hear it but at least you don’t. What’s worse? Embarrassing squeaking pads or crashing into a pole/person/car/train/tree.
Actually today I had a minor crash because of the embarrassing squeaking front brakes so I had to hit the back brakes on a wet road... the annoying part is that these front brakes are brand new and I had cleaned the rim surface with alcohol
How you gonna hear a car if you’re wearing headphones
@@alroyp10 i do it all the time just be aware of your surroundings really
Alex Ferraro, that's like saying if your car is making a noise, buy a new car. Any of those steps might fix the problem. If it doesn't, you try the next thing.
Well thx man the penny fixed it I'm so happy
Can you use hot soapy water on the bike rim too
Can't hurt to try.
RJ The Bike Guy buying a new bike also fixes the squeaking lol
Omg it was a joke XD
Hi RJ you had some really good tips to stop loud squealing screeching bike brakes but none of your tips helped stop the front pads of squealing, and considering my bike was brand new it didn't make sense I would have to replace the pads. So as a last resort I swapped out the pads, putting the left onto the right side, and the right onto the left, and voila no more squealing. Now I'm a happy cyclist. Take RJ
bro thank you so much. the coin trick was the one that stopped the squealing sound for me. after like 1 1/2 years of squealing brakes the torture has finally stopped. I can’t thank you enough
I was going to try to fix my squealing brakes. But I realize they are a really good safety feature. People hear me coming!
I call mine "brake-horns"
Very helpful -- thanks! (Though by 4:10, I was half-expecting to hear, "Oh heck -- turns out it was my rear brakes, all along!") ;-)
You sir, are a saint for going through all the problems that could be causing the squeal.
Mine was remedied after riding a few miles under heavy rain; however, I missed having people & cars getting out of the way without ringing bell. So, I hope next time he covers how one can get the squealing back!
Hahaa... guess the rain cleaned everything off. Nice. Maybe I'll spray my kid with the hose while he drives by a bunch of times. 🤣🤣🤣
I cleaned the rims and did the penny adjustment and the terrible noise was gone.
Thanks for the video. 👍
Thanks! This worked perfect for me. I didn't replace my brakes, i have an old bike so what i did was lightly sanded down the rim and then sand down the brakes until there was no shine, i then cleaned both rim and brakes and while adding back the brakes i made sure to toe in the brakes, and boom! No more noise! I used to had noise on both back and front wheels and i couldnt get them to stop making noise until I watch your video. It was very helpful.
I’m so happy I wasn’t the only one...😭 CZcams and google really does have almost everything you need 😭😂
Thanks for this great video! My husband and I just bought new bikes and his brakes squeaked horribly when we unloaded them from our car. Didn’t even have to apply brakes. I’m still a do it yourselfer, even though I’m pushing 60, so we set about making it stop. We got it to stop when just rolling but found that it still had brake squeak. The Owner’s manual on his bike was horrible, but on my Schwen it was pretty good. It let me know the brakes needed the toe in. I have no experience with brakes, so the book was not enough. I searched You Tube and yours was the first in line. I watched until the toe in part came up, followed each step and was thrilled when the squeak was gone!
Toe-out and having the front hit high (outside of rim) and the back hit low (inside of rim) is what cured my Spark electric assist bike. So try any different angle and see what works. In my case, toeing-in made it go from terrible to horrendous!
Thanks for the video! Instead of sanding the brakes, I used a rough file to remove the top brake layer. I still did the alcohol rubbing too and readjusted using the penny method. No more squeaks!
Thanks for this - was about to go and buy some new pads, but gave the rims a clean after seeing this vid, squealing cured.Legend.
Dude - after watching loads of crappy videos explaining just the first couple of steps, and having my daughter whining about her squeaking brakes, your video saved me! Thanks RJ!
Thanks a lot. I got it to stop at Step one! I didnt use rubbing alcohol, i just used a wash&wax, sprayed the rim and cleaned it with a micofibre rag and the sound was gone!. I still did the toe procedure with the penny just for back up.
Hi RJ - Hubbinator and I just saved ourselves a major headache of having to bring bike to the bike store by using STEP ONE of your advice. A simple clean with alcohol of the sides of the wheels did the trick.
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this video.
I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it.
During the pandemic I really wanted to keep in shape and ride my bike. The squeaking was unbearable. Thanks for your help! My bike works well now.
So which step solved your noisy brake problem ?
@@jamalsyed7386 I needed to adjust the brakes. The trick he did with the penny (no pennies in Canada, so I use a nickel) was perfect. It gave me the best spacing. Then, VOILA! No more screeching. I am so glad that I didn't just buy new break pads... that would have been necessary and a waste of money.
Great !! I'm done with steps 1 and 2. Cleaning the rim and brake pads. Definite improvement but still noisy. I'll try the penny step now.
Had a brand new bike, and was lubing up parts and couldn’t get rid of the squeak. Even with cleaning using alcohol! But the penny method worked, and makes complete sense! Thanks!
Done, done, on to the next step, done and I'm done and I'm on to the next!
Waaait dont let it go to waste
@@roni6135 Incidentally I'm just getting back into bikes at the moment, rollers to be precise.
EXCELLENT...I like the fact that you continued trying even though it didn't work at first...
THANKS! I have a cheap Giant sport hybrid bike that I got a few years ago after having not ridden for almost 20 years, and it's an okay bike but from the day I got it the front brake has done nothing but squeal. Just like yours did in the video. And I raised hell at the bike shop and I'm sure the last thing they wanted to deal with was some ranting/raving guy who bought a $350 bike and then wanted Rolls Royce service afterwards. So they agreed to swap in some better pads and I was on my way.
Then I got a Cannondale aluminum bike, then a carbon fiber bike, and pretty much forgot about the Giant sport hybrid. Until yesterday, when I rode it and damn if that squealing wasn't back. I had had it and figured I'd just get new V brakes and be done with it. But I saw your video and thought maybe I only needed new pads, not new brakes. So I went out to see what kind of pads were on the bike. It turns out they are threaded with no backing, and they're Kool Stop pads.
So just for the heck of it I got out some degreaser/cleaner, a rag, and some sand paper, and cleaned the rims and sanded the pads. I put the wheel back on, and whaddayaknow. NO MORE SQUEALING! So thanks a lot! You saved me time and money. I appreciate your video.
You had to mention your other bikes didn't you. Nobody cares
I recently had this problem which is surprising how long i've been riding. I wasted so much time trying to stop the squeal and chatter. By coincidence, the things i tried were exactly sequence you did it in this video. My final conclusion is that some braking materials just don't work with certain rim alloys. I switched to a 2 compound Koolstop insert that i've never used before, i even ground off the toe-in taper that they come with.
Rubbing alcohol on the rim surface worked for me! Thank you, sir :D
Every time you made an adjustment and brakes still squealed, I cackled! This is exactly my life right now. I’m at the replacement stage. Thank you for this!
My break is the same thing it even louder I usually ride in the muddy trail it makes no noise it works trust me
Thank you so much! Did the cleaning, didn't work. Did the sanding, didn't work. Toed the brake pads in, Bingo! Presto! Work like a charm. Thanks again.
If it's a new bike you have just keep using them to wear them down a little
Thanks
I have this problem with my new bike how much time do you think this would take
@@lilchwana5236 same, i would like to know also
how long will it take?
The penny trick worked perfectly. It actually worked better than i expected. In my opinion, if you are a casual biker just stick to those type of brakes. But if you are riding your bicycle hard everyday on mountains etc.. just buy disk brakes cuz they will save you tons of money and sweat.
If I were going through these attempts, each test fail would be followed by "Son of a b----!" Great information, though -- I'm going to give each of these a shot. Thanks for posting!
I loved the thoroughness of this video. I found that the PENNY toe in adjustment fixed my brake squealing.
so basically buy a new pair of brakes
floopy312 so basically you want to throw your money away if all they need is cleaned or adjusted.
floopy312 Lmao - pretty sure everybody had this thought at the end of the video. Good points though to try some easy solutions to fix the brake pads yourself.
Many times one of the earlier steps will solve the problem. If I had shot a video and only got a step or two in and solved the problem, it would have been a lousy and incomplete video.
floopy312 No. This doesn't make sense. For example, in my case, I should buy a new pair of brakes when my bike is BRAND NEW? No way. I'll go clean it.
Yeah my fairly new bike started to do this squeal and I will be damned if Im gonna buy new brake pads before trying everything else.
Thanks so much! The first solution worked. Fixed my daughter's bike and she was pleasantly surprised!
we don't have Alcohol in Saudi Arabia
any other suggestions ?
You don't have alcohol for first aid stuff? That is what this is. Maybe a little paint thinner? Though that is a lot stronger.
RJ The Bike Guy In UK there's no such thing as alcohol for first aid.
They use some stupid mixed sprays...
You can't buy this stuff in Pharmacy (H&S regulations!!!)
However, you can buy white spirit in DiY stores.
Nikolai Siurdyna Not sure what white spirit is. I did a search and found that rubbing alcohol is called "surgical spirit" in the UK. I don't know what the availability is, but it sounds like some people were able to find it in stores.
Thanks, I'll do some "over the counter" research.
next guy will be like: "we don't have roads in antarctic"
Learned three different solutions in the first three minutes! I subscribed right away! Keep up the good work RJ The Bike Guy! Gotham needs you!
Basically change your brakes cause once your brakes start squealing there's nothing you can do
Wrong! Read through the comments.
I followed the steps and my shrieking rear brakes went silent. Most excellent video.
Rubber hardens over time, so if u had the brake pads for a long time, it's no wonder that they are squeeling
Just bought a bike for cheap and haven't ridden in 18 years! Thanks for the simple, to the point video!
But you didn't fix them, you just installed brand new brakes
it's all about trial and error. in the end, the problem was the pads themselves. But for many other people that watched this video the steps before that fixed their problem (as shown by the comments) so they didn't have to buy new pads.
you should learn the concept of comprehensive.
right but he is showing people different methods that are known to work
Thank You for taking the time to make this excellent and informed video. God Bless You.
all those are legit methods,kinda.(they are the most official but lifehacks have taught us that that doesnt make it the best).cleaning and sanding are time consuming,and doesnt always work.towing the pads requires your rims to be perfectly true in order to get a decent squeeze without the lever hitting the the handlebar before starting to break,and it doesnt always work.the fastest,easiest and most effective method is to ride the bike while squeezing the brake tight enough to where its making contact(only the brake thats squeeking) but u can still move if u pedal hard and just power thru it.i ussually only have to ride about 50 feet before it works but it almost always works.(im a pro bike mechanic btw and i endorse this cheat)
So how do you think your method solves the problem exactly?
My daughter's bike was making the same terrible noise. I followed the steps, clean the wheel, sand the pads, adjusted the angle with a penny - NO MORE SQUEAK! Thanks! :)
I have brand new cheap break pads and they still squeel.
Buy better pads.
on to the next thing...buy a new bike
***** already done that
Toes-in adjustment for brake pads on a new bike worked great! No more loud squeaking noise... Thank you !
or you could have said at first buy new brakes
+kalok Dong Because often new brake pads aren't needed. Why spend money on new pads when adjusting them will fix the problem? Do you like wasting money?
+RJ The Bike Guy idk
Sometimes cleaning the pads fixes the problem. Often I can adjust the pads and fix the squealing. But not always. If in this video, cleaning or adjusting had fixed the problem like they often do, how useful would the video have been to people when those steps don't fix the problem?
+RJ The Bike Guy I gotta get my back wheel fixed
+RJ The Bike Guy it won't work
Interesting trial and error techniques, in multiple attempts to rid brake flatulence, which can be embarrassing. . My experience with brake squeal is with the salmon colored Koolstop pads, which squealed right out of the box. For some unknown reason, the pads have a raised section right at the trailing end of the pad, which would make that part of the pad come in contact with the rim first - the opposite of toe-in. I used a file to level that section, then used the coin technique to induce toe-in. The Koolstops have a shiny surface on the pad when new; the file also dulled this sheen. On a test run, no more squeal.
You actually filed Koolstop patent for a pad toe in.
old bike old brakes .... best tools ever. No wonder it’s lasted and maintained respect !
Loved how you shared tests in between each step. Such suspense
Alcohol and sanding worked for me! Thanks for showing all the steps!!
Hah, I have this exact noise with disc brakes which surprised me. It doesn't last but often happens the first few times I use the brakes and it's annoying because I ride at night and I have to go down my steep driveway past 2-3 other houses, I don't want to wake up my neighbours. This was great anyway because I watched James May do a video on setting up this style brakes and I didn't quite understand what he was doing with the pads themselves - now I saw what you were doing with the penny I understand completely. Much appreciated!
Excellent video! I have newer brakes, but bike was unused except for trainer rack for too long. It took all the suggestions until sanding the pads - and success! Now I need a bell to announce my presence!😁
Thanks for posting this showing all the different "fixes" that didn't work.
They do work, but not in all cases.
I did all but the last step and mine squeak but very quietly. Much more tolerable, thank you!
This guys needs an award. I go on a bit my self... and its torture for people! I loved this video, detailed and given solution. Keep up the good work, many thanks.
Great video. I like how you showed how ineffective the usual recommendations are. I had squealing brakes and the bike shop mechanics told me to clean the rims, sand the pads, and gave the usual explanations about why that was would work. Of course, it didn't help at all. My bike brakes could still be heard squealing from a block away. On my own, I decided to use half of a wooden clothespin (separate it from the spring, and have the flat part against the rim) as a shim, and that did the trick. No more squealing. I've found though, if I don't specifically say anything, and I take my bike to a shop for some other issue, the mechanics will "fix" my brakes without asking me (removing the toe in), and then the brakes squeal like crazy again. So, I just get out the shim when I get home and fix it.
You fricken rock! I had a new rim put on and the back brakes squealed like a stuck pig, brought it back to bike shop twice and they said nothing they could do about it. I used a penny like you suggested and now no squeal. Thank you so much.
I love to get quietly next to the cows and while they're not paying attention, suddenly hit that break and get a good laugh seeing the jumping. I would never want to lose this fun option. 😂 I know I'm hopeless.
i found this video so entertaining because your bike sounded exactly like mine..lol..i will try these steps to fix my brakes so hopefully I will not have to replace them and spend money I don't have..unfortunately I don't have a lot of money so any bike I get will be from a thrift store..the one I have needs a lot of work but it will be worth it in the end because I will have a one of kind bike and I will have learned so much about bike mechanics that I will be able to fix any problem I have with any bike in the future..
Thank you, lots of great tips in your videos! Maybe finally I have one tip for you - apply a few drops of motor oil on the face of the pads after the sandpaper step and let sit for a few hours, it rejuvinates dried up rubber and can sometimes stop the squealing issue. The braking power of the pads are increased as well.
oil on brakes?
Wow method 2 worked for me!!! I take off my brake pad and there it is a shiny line of aluminium. Rubbed it against the side of a wooden garden table and hey presto, it worked. Thank you RJ :)
Been having the same problem. Just went and bought new pads off Amazon. Didn't install them yet but hope they'll fix it.
Try the rest of the steps.
This worked great. My bike is from the 1980’s and I was able to sand the pads and change the toe and it worked!
I used a penny to toe-in my brakes and it fixed the problem. Thank you RJ
Excellent video! I think the penny is a good Idea, I always used old credit cards or cable ties. Also big differences in pad brands: Often the cheap soft ones (rubber-like material) are less noisy. Nothing helps under damp / wet weather conditions. Unfortunately dampening V-brakes acoustical resonances properly is not possible.
Thank you for this video! My son wouldn't ride his new bike until we stopped his brakes squeaking. The sand paper worked for us 😊
Thank you my friend. This problem has been driving me up the wall and I am now looking forward to a quiet ride.
Great tips. For me just the cleaning was enough for now. But now I know what to do in case the cleaning does not work. Thank you
I can't believe it. The alcohol cleaning worked! Thanks for the tip 👍