Hi all! Rode my FORTE bike for the first time today and the rear wheel squealing.
Due to COVID all the bike shops are closed. Does anyone else have insight to what the issue may be?
0
1
EuorMini
Apr 25, 2020
Hi Lola
Thank you for your post. We're sorry to hear about the difficulties. Has the bike always made the noise or did it happen after a ride or two?
Let us know as either scenario has a different solution:
1) If the bike made the noise out of the box, the pad may need to be adjusted; and we can walk you through that easy adjustment, no need to goto a shop ;-)
2) If the noise started after a ride or two, your bike may have a bit of glazing on the pad and/or rim. Take some steel wool or fine grit sandpaper to the pad and rim surface to clean them up a bit.
Let us know if you have any other questions.
Tony
Lola Pinks
Apr 27, 2020
Hi and thanks for responding. It may be the brake pads are too tight. Can you advise the best way to loosen?
1
EuorMini
Apr 27, 2020
Hi Lola
If the brake feel a bit tight, try SQUEEZING the brake levers and HOLDING them, as close to the handlebar as possible (touching the handlebar, if you can). Hold this for 15-30 seconds.
Then "flutter" or squeeze and release the brake levers a few times.
What you are doing is "breaking in" the brakes by stretching out the cables. This happens normally over the course of 1-3 months of riding, but you're breaking in the bike faster. This should loosen the brake a little.
Let us know if this helps.
Hi Lola
Thank you for your post. We're sorry to hear about the difficulties. Has the bike always made the noise or did it happen after a ride or two?
Let us know as either scenario has a different solution:
1) If the bike made the noise out of the box, the pad may need to be adjusted; and we can walk you through that easy adjustment, no need to goto a shop ;-)
2) If the noise started after a ride or two, your bike may have a bit of glazing on the pad and/or rim. Take some steel wool or fine grit sandpaper to the pad and rim surface to clean them up a bit.
Let us know if you have any other questions.
Tony
Hi and thanks for responding. It may be the brake pads are too tight. Can you advise the best way to loosen?
Hi Lola If the brake feel a bit tight, try SQUEEZING the brake levers and HOLDING them, as close to the handlebar as possible (touching the handlebar, if you can). Hold this for 15-30 seconds. Then "flutter" or squeeze and release the brake levers a few times.
What you are doing is "breaking in" the brakes by stretching out the cables. This happens normally over the course of 1-3 months of riding, but you're breaking in the bike faster. This should loosen the brake a little. Let us know if this helps.
Tony
Great! Thanks so much!!
Did the breaking in help??? :-)
Will try when I get off work.