ChevyChase

I bought my brother's twenty-year-old Trek hybrid bike to commute 9 miles each way to work. The bike works fine except that there is serious amounts of residue on the rims. The brakes squeal horribly and I'm afraid that I won't be able to stop in traffic.

I've tried three types of steel wool on the rims, but have had no luck in getting the black residue off of the rim. Likewise, I tried rubbing alcohol and that did nothing either. Someone at work told me to try automobile brake cleaner. Will this work? Or do I need to buy new rims for an old bike (that has no other problems)?

Many thanks!

neil0502

How about acetone and a scotch-brite pad. You can also lightly sand them by wrapping a piece of 400 grit sandpaper around each brake pad and letting them lightly touch the rim.

Have you taken a mill (flat) file to the brake pads ... or replaced them??

Squeal is a problem, but usually not a functional one. Are they cantilevers? Have you toed them in?

ChevyChase

I've had the brake shoes replaced but the bike shop said that it'd cost $100 to get the residue off the rims. I'll try the acetone and Scotch-brite pad this evening.

Thanks!

neil0502

Wear rubber gloves. Do this in a well-ventilated area.

Don't be too generous with your money at that bike shop in the future

I_bRAD

I hope for $100 the bike shop is removing the residue by replacing the rim!

neil0502

I'm sayin....

I think the squealing should have been the OP after he heard that estimate

ChevyChase

OK, so I'm a rookie at this. In the event that I cannot remove the residue, how much do I need to pay for new rims for a hydrid bike that I use for commuting to work 11 months out of the year? Can I get decent rims for less than $50 a piece? I'll be the first to admit that I know little about components.

Thanks!

neil0502

We weren't teasing you. We were commenting about what seemed like an awfully high price to pay for cleaning your rims.

See if you can clean 'em up first. Don't throw in the towel just yet.

ChevyChase

Gotcha. I'll report back in a day or two, once I've given it a try. In the meantime, here are a few shots of my daily commute: https://www.cctrail.org/CCT_Photo_Album.htm. If the acetone doesn't work, the twice daily ride along the Capital Crescent Trail and the C & O National Park is worth the cost of a pair of new rims.

neil0502

Mom lived near White Flint for a long time. Uncle was the voice of the CapCenter for a long, long time. You live in a pretty part of the world....

Winter76

Chevy - Check out this link: https://www.utahmountainbiking.com/fix/braketun.htm

It's all about tuning/cleaning/replacing your brakes. Chances are if you put new pads on and get them toed in correctly the rims should clean on their own and the squeal should go away. It's usually due to the rear of the pad connecting first, so if you toe it in the squeal should dissapear.

P.S. I'm jealous of your commute.

bkaapcke

Simple green and a scotch cloth take it off really well, and no dangerous fumes. bk

operator

Time to find a new LBS.

dobber

Others have expressed their methods, I'll chime in with

-Elbow grease

It went on, it will come off. Rub and scrub.

powerglide

+1 on fairly fine grit sand paper

Vo2min

Scothbrite and Comet works well for me.

ChevyChase

Just reporting back on the advice provided.... I am now 100% convinced that my brother rode through hot molten lava, because nothing worked. Steel wool was first, and barely made a difference. Ditto on BonAmi and Scotchbrite. One hour gone. Chemical warfare began with Acetone and Scotchbrite. Two hours later (and still on the first side of the first wheel), I moved on to Brake Cleaner (for automobiles). Really nasty smelling stuff. Used that for an hour, together with Scotchbrite. Threw in the towel when the wife and kids were tiring of my cursing in the driveway.

Who can recommend a good wheelset for under $100? How much do I pay to have a bikeshop put on the gears? [I'm a rookie in the bike maintenance department.]

cs1

I just can't believe that you can't get them clean. Post some pics of the wheels.

Tim

55-11

Yeah... you gotta have something else on there, not just the brake pad compounds. Post a pic please. And again, stay away from that shop.

cs1

+1

I've cleand brake pad residue off of rims all the time. It's easy with Scotch Brite and Simply Green. Simply Green gets 90% of it off with just a rag! There has to something else on those rims.

Tim

neil0502

Maybe he's got that trendy "Bontrager asphalt-coated braking surface" rim that was thought to give "unparalleled stopping power in all conditions"

powerglide

machine that friggin surface!!