Screaming breaks
 

Is it normal for new disc breaks to make noise i.e. scream? It's a bit embarrasing, is there any cure?

It normally takes a set of pads a few (10-20) hard stops to get to full power. You can glaze the brake pads if you push them too hard without proper burn-in (bedding) then you can get all sorts of nasty effects.

You can lightly sand the surfaces of the pads with some fine grit sandpaper, but be aware that this may get abrasives from the sandpaper lodged in the pad's friction surfaces. Go as light as you can on them.

Glazed brakes don't always screech, but the don't work terribly well and you've got to remove the pads to remove the glaze + clean the rotor with a solvent like isopropanol, denatured methanol, or a bike specific cleaning product such as Clean Streak - just make sure that you don't contaminate the rotor or pads with anything of any-sort.

Automotive products should be avoided at all costs as their residue is designed to evaporate at auto brake operating temperatures. Bike discs don't get anywhere near hot enough, so they'll just gum up. I don't think that the 'disc brake quiet' compounds are applicable to bike brakes either, since they'd just contaminate the pads and attract contaminates into the calipers.

The rotor may be loose on the hub as well. Don't spray anything into the calipers or face dire consequences if you're running a hydraulic system.

basically, yes. It's normal. Some do it more than others, some stop quicker than others.

Oh the humanity....

My 2007 Juicy carbons make a lot of noise when I start out riding and if they are wet. After that, they settle down.

:crash: SILENCE!! I SAY, SETTLE DOWN!! :p ;)

stop torchering them

Comparatively eloquent. I am shamed.

Give us a brake, he needs help with his skweeling breaks:D

mine squeak every now and then, it's somewhat normal in disc "break" systems

Thanks gentlemen!

It's good to know me and my bike are normal.

I've heard that bad brakes lead to bad breaks.

Breakin 2 - Electric Boogaloo

do you mean torturing? or is it something to do with torches?

Halla-freakin'-loo-YAH! Someone finally gets it! <happy dance> :beer:They're not.
Exactly right

Had a doozy of one last week. Was working at the lbs someone brought in a fairly new bike. He said the bike was screaching when the brakes were applied, so he sprayed chain lube on the rotor so it would stop, and he was wondering why exactly the brakes suddenly didn't work well at all.

At my auto shop, we get people who come in complaining about squeaking brakes or brakes that don't stop as well as they should. One gentleman decided it looked cool to paint his rotor hats, so he ends ups painting the WHOLE rotor(squeak squeak). Another guy(just last week) complained about noises and squeals after he detailed his car(got tire dressing all over the calipers, pads, and rotors)...geee, I wonder why they make SO much noise:eek: