I just put new brake pads on the road bike (the Masi, aka Purple People Eater). I understand that this wouldn't normally be considered a topic of relevance for a blog post (too bore sooo many readers). However, I've had these brake pads for 10 years. It seems impossible that I've never changed them as I feel like I ride a lot. Maybe I just don't brake a lot? And it wasn't like I felt they (the old pads) were at the end of their usable lifespan. But I just got to thinking that maybe after all those years in the heat and the cold and the sun and the rain that these old pads might have lost a bit of their tackiness, their rubberiness, their squish. I haven't even taken them for a test ride yet because I didn't want to bother changing pedals (at the moment I'm sharing pedals between Masi and Centurion, aka Totally 80's!). But just the process of changing the pads was so nice - just loosening that tiny pin screw and sliding out the old pad and in the new without hardly even having to adjust the brake cable much - what a great design! And so sexy! If I notice a difference - and I think I will! - I'll do a similar swap for Totally 80's! - although in her case I'll need to replace the whole pad-and-bolt-on-mechanism because she ain't got that tiny little pin screw to slide out her old pads - upgrade!
4 comments:
You have turned into quite a bike wrench. Next thing you know you will be changing all the cables and the bottom bracket. Nice.
Thanks, Midnight. And good point - those cables are 10 years old, too!
I always assumed the reason you went through sneakers so quickly is that you just drag your feet on the ground instead of using the brakes. This kind of confirms that.
Ha, yes, J - very good. Thanks.
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