40
a
b
c
d
Rim brakes
V-brakes and cantilever brakes
Functioning and wear
V-brakes
(a)
and cantilever brake designs
(b)
have two
brake arms mounted separately on either side of the rim.
When actuating the brake lever, both arms are pressed
together by the cable, the pads touching the rim.
The friction generated by braking causes wear to the
brake pads as well as to the rims. Frequent rides in the
rain and dirt and over hilly terrain can accelerate wear
on both braking surfaces. Some rims are provided with
wear indicators, e.g. grooves or circular indentations.
If the rim is worn down to the point where the grooves
or indentations are no longer visible, it needs to be
replaced. Once the abrasion of the rim has reached a
certain critical point, the rim may break under the tire
pressure. This can make the wheel jam or the inner tube
burst. Risk of an accident!
Functional check
Check whether the brake blocks
(c)
are perfectly aligned
with the rims and are still sufficiently thick. You can
judge the wear of the brake pads by the appearance of
grooves.
If the pads are worn down to the bottom of the grooves
(d)
, it is time to replace them. Be sure to observe the
according instructions of the respective manufacturer.
See your MERIDA dealer and ask them to examine the
remaining thickness of the rims when you have worn
through your second set of brake pads at the latest. He
has special measuring devices to determine the remain-
ing thickness of the rims.
The brake pads must hit the rim simultaneously, first
touching it with the front portion of their surface. At the
moment of first contact the rear portion of the facing
should be a millimeter away from the rim. Viewed from
the top the brake pads form a “V” with the trough point-
ing to the front. This setting is to prevent the brake pads
from screeching when applied.
The brake lever must always remain clear of the han-
dlebars. You should not even be able to pull them all
the way to the handlebars in the event of an emergency
stop. If this is the case, however, observe the following
chapter “Synchronizing and readjusting”. Only a suc-
cessful passing of all these points will ensure a correctly
adjusted brake.
G
Brake cables which are damaged, e.g. frayed
(e)
, must be replaced immediately, as they
can otherwise fail in a critical moment, possi-
bly causing a crash!
G
Adjusting the position of the brake blocks
relative to the rims requires a considerable
degree of skill. Replacing and adjusting the
brake blocks is a job best left to your MERIDA dealer.
G
Have your rims regularly inspected and mea-
sured by your MERIDA dealer.
Summary of Contents for City Bikes
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