12 Common MTB Disk Brake Maintenance Mistakes & How To Avoid Them

We've seen it all over the years when it comes to brakes! From emergency bleeds with olive oil to serious pad contamination by over spraying unsafe chemicals where you just shouldn't! Doddy has compiled this list of maintenance to avoid when it comes to working on your all-important stoppers, with some good advice for how to properly approach the task at hand too!

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[TimMillernapavalleyfilmworks]

Seths Bike hacks used baby oil and tested it a year later...worked fine Shimano!!

[cxbkpmf]

So many guys harp about brake pad contamination... but it's not harping, it's real. It's difficult to know how much or how little oily stuff on your pads will make them squeal, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little. It's not just squealing either, you lose a tremendous amount of braking force. Best to follow this advice and be careful, even if it seems overly cautious on the surface.

[TimMillernapavalleyfilmworks]

I contaminated my brakes, went on a long fast decent and heated them up and they work fine now.

[JayGee]

That shot in the eye was brilliant on so many levels 🤣

[LaLaLand.Germany]

Thankfully I didn´t do any of these, I just today upgraded from MT200 to 520- what a difference! And I ride the same way: front/right, rear/left.
The manufacturers think otherwise, every bike I worked on it´s opposite- I hate that.
Every motorcycle has the front brake right. Why not adapt that good standart? Less pain involved when kids go from cycle to bike.

[greenbimoon]

I ride with my brake levers opposite to you. Right rear, left front. It's just how I prefer.

[jameswilson]

I'm comfortable knowing this advice comes from an accomplished bike rider. Mahalo Doddy. You da man. Aloha. 😎🤙

[kswsquared]

Oh good, doing a tire swap with this playing in the background.
* quietly reroutes the front brake hose *

[peterfranzjr.]

I bought a Bossnut V2 (from UK) in 2017 and I rode an entire season with the front brake on the wrong side (right) until watching one of your maintenance videos. After seeing how easy it was the change, I switched the sides and went through a full brake bleed at the same time!

[IronX]

Please do a vid on tips and tricks to optimize SRAM brakes... They're the ones that I need help with... 😬

[pierrebroccoli.]

Also, good to check the brake alignment with the mounting bolts, i.e. loosen the brake mount bolts, spin your wheel, apply pressure to the brake corresponding brake lever and tighten up to spec.

Squealy brakes when riding in and through wet - not much one can do about that.

Fairy is awesome for washing the bike, car, dishes, windows, dog. ;)

[MikkoRantalainen]

13:50 I would also check the wheel bearing tolerances. Sometimes the bearing tolerance may be slight too loose and that can cause noise if you try to move the bike with brakes applied.

[drmoynihan]

Thank you Doddy. Just replaced my mtb pads today. Your presentation confirmed I did it right, including bedding the brakes to the rotors.

[nichtDarkDiamond]

I run my brakes in slightly different positions. My rear brake lever is a bit more flat with a later bite point, because I use the rear brake more when I hang of the back of my bike. My front brakes is 3 degree more down compared to the rear brake and has a earlier bite point, so it is in a better position for switchbacks und stoppies

[Charlie_Broadbent]

I use subway napkins to cover my disk brakes when i use the muc-off bike protect

[mlbd]

Here's another valuable tip - pay attention which brake lever you put the bleed cup on and check which caliper it goes to. I once put the bleeder cup on my front lever and tried to bleed the rear caliper. Needless to say, the hose kept popping off and oil went everywhere before I realized it.

[Dave-wfhg]

Seeing the shimano XTR cassette just makes me relaxed for some reason.

[MichaelDupre-wn]

13:55 front on the right, rear on the left is a new one for me. I've never seen a bike like that.

[LECMTB]

Cheers Doddy for this video, it couldn't have come at a better time. Today I am changing out my brake pads and bleeding them, but I never knew about the free stroke adjuster. I also have the XT brakes so knowing that is really handy. Thanks :D

[veganath]

9:33 My issue addressed, no power in rear brakes even after cleaning the rotors & pads with alochol & using sand paper(320grit??) to remove any glazing..etc, will remove the rotors & pads for the third time to try the clean method described & return