Bicycle Mechanics - One brake pad rubbing tire. One!

I have an old Fuji Sports 12 converted to 700c. The original center pull brakes seem to reach fine on the front, but one brake pad on the rear is touching the tire just a tiny bit. I tried adjusting the pad itself, no dice.

I'm wondering if a newer brake pad or a specific brand or type would be a little narrower than the old ones that are on there now (I need to put new ones on anyway).

All brakes that I know of have some mechanism to center them.

I'm wondering if a newer brake pad or a specific brand or type would be a little narrower than the old ones that are on there now (I need to put new ones on anyway).

Most brake calipers are a little asymmetrical, even center-pulls, so your problem doesn't surprise me. The new Shimano-style pads, the kind with replaceable pads, are indeed narrower and longer. You might give them a try. And as long as you're using center-pulls and experimenting, take a look at replacement pads for linear pull brakes. They're even longer, usually less expensive, and they're curved to approximate the radius of a 26" or 700c rim. Just watch that they don't foul with the seat stays or fork.

All brakes that I know of have some mechanism to center them.

I'm interpreting the problem to be a brake that doesn't have quite enough reach, even when adjusted all the way down in the adjustment slot.
The brake is very close to having enough reach, and in fact, for whatever reason, only one brake pad hits the tire, the other side barely clears. That's the way I'm reading it, anyway.

As for a solution, ideally, you need a longer reach brake. You might try "v-type" brake pads, which will have a very narrow profile and might not hit the tire (or then again, they might), or you might carefully file the adjustment slot just enough to allow the brake pad to be lowered a bit.

I'm interpreting the problem to be a brake that doesn't have quite enough reach, even when adjusted all the way down in the adjustment slot.


Oops. You're right. I misread the original post to say one brake pad was touching the rim.

I agree it's probably a reach issue. If it doesn't reach by only a small margin, get out the rat tail file and go to work on the caliper slot.

Photo needed here, but from your description, thinking that the rear wheel is not centered if the caliper has been adjusted correctly.

Thanks. I'll try different pads and bust out the file if I need to.

If the arms have enough material, then the file (or better, a Dremel) might be the easier way to go. Just make sure you make the slot deeper without making it wider.

New brake pads seemed to do the trick. The cheap ones too. I don't get it, but I ain't complaining.

New brake pads seemed to do the trick. The cheap ones too. I don't get it, but I ain't complaining.

Better make sure they don't touch your tire AT ALL. If they do they'll quickly wear through your tire's sidewall and you'll have a blow out. Uh - that usually happens when you're about 20 miles from your car.