r/ebikes • u/sweatybetts • 1d ago
HELP
There’s a persistent grinding sound that eases a little bit when I press the brake. Can I ride this home or will riding on this for 30mins destroy my bike? Did I fully lose a brake pad?
💖
3
u/HombreDeBrandon 1d ago
Looks like the brake isn’t aligned properly, so one side of the pad is rubbing on the rotor, it doesn’t look like you lost any components.
It should be fine to ride home as long as it’s not rubbing really really bad. Pick the wheel up and give it a spin, if it moves somewhat freely than you’re good to go. It looks like it’s time for you to get new pads anyways though, those are pretty worn, so I’d get a new set ASAP and correct the alignment when you do so. A shop will probably charge you $15-30 for the labor and $10-20 for the pads themselves if you’d rather have a professional do it.
3
u/sunburnt-cracker 1d ago
You can ride it home, but riding like that is gonna fuck up yer pads over time. Here's what I did, grab ye self an Allen key and lightly loosen the two bolts holding the brake caliper in place then hold down the break lever as hard as ye physically can, and as yer still holding the lever, tighten each bolt back up a lil at a time and once yer tight, yer right.
2
u/Relative-Display-676 🚲🔧 1d ago
Loosen the bolt in the picture, shift caliper more towards motor to make space on both sides of rotor and retighten bolt.
1
u/Equivalent_Knee_773 1d ago
Centering the caliper fixed that exact noise on mine once. If the rotor's still smooth after, new pads will sort it right out.
2
u/Cargobiker530 CSC 1000wHub Yuba Mundo 1d ago
Some of the cheaper ebikes come with single caliper mechanical disc brakes. In those brakes only one brake pad moves and pushes the rotor into the other one.
You can see if your brakes are like that by looking at both brake pads and squeezing the brake on. Only one caliper will move. Those brakes require a different alignment procedure.
1
u/Flimsy_Guarantee8836 1d ago
Could be a misaligned brake pad or rotor rubbing, but you might have a worn out pad too.
6
u/chuckwolf Philodo Forester AWD 60v 26ah Dual 27 +/- 2 Amp controllers 1d ago
just center the caliper, only takes loosening the screws that hold the caliper, squeezing the brake handle, and re tightening the bolt while holding the brake. you do carry the set of Allen wrenches that came with the bike with you, right.