trailfinder41

Hello,
I currently have a Giant NRS-2 purchased in 2001. The last couple of months of this year, the DD85's Avid Mechanical Disc brakes have been giving me problems...Squeals and hard breaking in mainly the rear brakes. Question: Should I upgrade these brake units to something else or just get new rotors plus new pads for this brake system?

Thanks for your help guys,



Ladytrailfinder83

Wordbiker

Did you mean Avid BB5's?

You should be able to pull the wheel then grab the brake pad tabs with pliers and pull them out. If they're worn down to the backing plate, replace them.

Examine the rotors. If they're heavily grooved or concave in the braking path, replace them.

Really, unless something is broken, there's no reason to replace them.

trailfinder41

Thanks for the advice,
No, really the brakes I have on my Mountain Bike are DD85's made by AVID, not BB5 which were last year's model of mechanical brakes. My brakes work fine in the front as I had mentioned, but I'll take your advice and do the least expensive way first, to see if there is any changes in the performance in the rear brake. And since you mentioned about grooves in the rotor, I do remember seeing some deep grooved lines from (probably mud braking, etc. from the past years) on the rear rotor. One more question: I currently have a 160mm (looks like a G2 series Avid rotor) should I stay with the same or similar body rotor style when changing over to new ones?

Thanks,



Ladytrailfinder83

trailfinder41

I was trying to figure out your last motto of; If there is no money in selling bicycles, who will sell them? Be careful what you value.
I value my bicycles, because they are my only forms of transportation since the last year and a half. But even if I also had a car, I always took care of all my "toys" so I could save in the expense department to keep them free and clear from becoming overly expensive items to use. The best way to do this, in my opinion, is by doing basic regular maintenance to avoid big costs in the future. Most of the bike mechanics I can do myself from reading the bike books and watching the bikeshop mechanics as well (I work in a bike shop located in San Diego), but anything that requires a lot of muscle power, I usually get the boys to do these repairs for me which in the long run saves me large costs out of my own pocket inorder to keep the bike in good running condition. Agree?

no motor?

Did you try taking the pads out and then roughing them up with some emery cloth?

Dannihilator

No such thing as an Avid DD85 disc brake.

For mechanicals from avid, you have your BB7's as your high end mechanical and your BB5 as the low end mechanical. If they are avid mechanicals, then those are the two avid mechanical disc brakes.

From your description you need to adjust the dial on the caliper or you need new pads and possibly a new rotor depending on what shape the rotor is in.

Wordbiker

The signature is just a shameless plug for the LBS and a bit of a whine against customers always demanding the bottom dollar. It may be useless, but I try as much as possible to make people realize that when they beat down a retailer, it effects a real person's income. I suppose it could be summarized better as, "If you value bicycles, value those making a living helping others become cyclists."

Regarding your rotor question...yes, use a similar rotor and diameter.

I must admit I've never heard of a DD85. Was this an early OEM brake? Googling turns up nothing. I'd love to see a pic.