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Next, check to confirm the cable is tight. To check if the cable is tight, squeeze the front brake lever
and see if the disc brake caliper arm responds instantly when squeezing. If only squeezing the lever
¼”, the brake caliper arm should move instantly. If not, the cable is loose and needs adjusting first.
To adjust and re-tension the cable, confirm the adjusting barrel is fully screwed into the brake lever
assembly. At the disc brake caliper arm, loosen the cable fixing bolt with the included 5mm hex key in
the multi-piece tool kit that came with your bicycle. Without moving the caliper arm to a different angle,
pull on the cable until tight and confirm cable housing and ferrules are seated properly in brake housing
guides. Once tight, tighten the cable fixing bolt to secure the cable, confirming the cable is between the
cable lock plate and groove on the brake arm.
Cable fixing bolt
should be tightened to 40 lb*in.
CAUTION:
Do not use the brake lever and caliper adjusting barrel bolts to tension the cables permanently. This
will cause the brake modulation to change, resulting in decreased braking action.
Now that the cable is tight, check to make sure the pad clearance is properly set to the disc rotor. For
example at the front brakes, look through the front of the fork to the caliper and pay attention to the
area where the center of the caliper over laps the disc rotor. You will see the two pads, one on each
side of the rotor. The pads should look as if touching the rotors.
The outside pad which is adjusted by the red knob can be moved inwards by rotating the knob with no
tools required. The inboard pad can be adjusted via the caliper barrel bolt but by no more than 1mm.
Lift the front wheel off the ground and spin the wheel. If you feel a brake resistance or hear pads
rubbing hard, you may need to readjust. You should be able to adjust properly for the wheel to spin
freely with none to little brake drag.
Your brakes are now adjusted. If these adjustments did not allow for a proper brake adjustment, check
your brake pads for too much wear or cables not properly adjusted. Check the adjustment of your
cables. Check for less than 1/2mm brake pad lining.
Testing your cables for a proper adjustment - turn the adjusting barrel at the brake lever assembly, this
will cause the cable to tighten and the brake caliper arm to move. If the brake caliper arm moves with
the turning of the adjusting barrel, your cable should be properly adjusted. If adjusted properly, refer to
section d “Brake pad replacement” of this chapter.
