24
5.2 Adjusting derailleurs
5.3 Drum brakes
The drum brakes on your trike have a very long
life, and shouldn’t ever need replacing under
normal use. We have yet to see a worn-out
set of pads. If you find that the brakes are not
gripping as well as they used to, they can be
disassembled and de-glazed. Remove the
wheel from the bike, and then the backing plate
from the wheel. Note how the spacer between
the hub and the backing plate is located. If the
pads are glazed, they will look somewhat shiny
and smooth. Using some fine sandpaper, lightly
sand the surface of the brake pads until they
look dull again. Be careful about not breathing in
the dust from the surface of the pads.
Clean the inside of the hubs out with a clean, dry
cloth (use no oil, grease, or wax on the inside
of the hubs), then reassemble the brake plates
on the hubs. You should notice a difference in
braking performance, and you should initially
test them away from traffic until you are used
to the improvement in braking. If you notice a
gradual reduction in braking power over a period
of time, check the condition of the brake cables
and housing. Friction from dirty cables can
considerably increase the effort required to stop
the trike.
i
TIP :
Periodic removal and
lubrication of the brake cables
helps increase their life and gives
smoother operating brakes. Disconnect
them at the wheel,and then a small
amount of light oil can be dribbled
down the housing without removing the
inner cable.
Once set, derailleurs should only ever need
minor tweeks to their cable tensions or limit
screws to keep them changing and running
smoothly.
Limit screws are designed to stop the derailleurs
from moving too far in either direction and
derailing the chain.
Cable tension on grip shift systems can be
adjusted with the barrel adjuster on the shifter.
If your trike has bar end shifters an in-line barrel
adjuster is fitted in the gear cable just below the
handlebar grips.
Adjusting drum brakes
To adjust the brake cables, loosen the locking
nut on the barrel adjuster (this is the part that
hooks into the brake backing plate on the inside
of the hub). Screw the barrel adjuster out a little
and check the brakes. When squeezing the
lever, it shouldn’t come too close to touching
the handlebar grips. When the lever is released,
the wheel should turn freely and not drag on
the brakes. When the cable is adjusted, tighten
the locking nut. If you are out riding and feel
the cable could be a bit tighter, you can turn
the adjuster on the brake levers to fine-tune the
cable tension.
