I use alcoholic dabbed onto an old washcloth and wipe the rotors!
Probably the safest way to prevent the above happening.
Rotor Cleaning
- Thread starter leehop71
- Start date
Probably the safest way to prevent the above happening.
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
When I said I cleaned my rotors it's with the wheel off the bike. Cleaning the rotors with the wheels on the bike is a bad idea.
I don't clean them that way and would never use automotive brake cleaner on the rotors while they were still on the bike. I agree that getting brake cleaner on the caliper or bike's paint is a bad idea.
Brake rotors are bare metal. Automotive brake cleaner will not hurt a rotor.
I don't clean them that way and would never use automotive brake cleaner on the rotors while they were still on the bike. I agree that getting brake cleaner on the caliper or bike's paint is a bad idea.
Brake rotors are bare metal. Automotive brake cleaner will not hurt a rotor.
I don’t know enough to take the back wheel off and then tweak it back on correctly.
I do like the video instructions tell and put rubbing alcohol on a clean washcloth and wipe the rotors down, CAREFULLY, while ON the bike.
m@Robertson
Merciless (on the inside)
- Region
- USA
I never clean my rotors. Ever. This is a daily-driven bike so it never sits for an extended period, so maybe thats part of why.
EDIT: Come to think of it I never clean the rotors on any of my bikes. So daily driving isn't related to anything.
If you have squealing brakes, cleaning is usually not the solution, although thats the common shade-tree fix. But usually cleaning only does a superficial job and doesn't solve the real problem, so people doing this end up cleaning over and over rather than doing the thing that really fixes it.
The vid notes the proper solution to squealing is usually to bed the brakes.
EDIT: Come to think of it I never clean the rotors on any of my bikes. So daily driving isn't related to anything.
If you have squealing brakes, cleaning is usually not the solution, although thats the common shade-tree fix. But usually cleaning only does a superficial job and doesn't solve the real problem, so people doing this end up cleaning over and over rather than doing the thing that really fixes it.
The vid notes the proper solution to squealing is usually to bed the brakes.
Last edited:
Dave Rocks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- MISSISSAUGA
Yesterday at 7:47 PM
You used mineral spirits to clean your rotors.
Today at 10:43 AM
You dab an alcoholic with an old washcloth to clean your rotors??? WTF.
I used mineral spirits once, before riding and some experienced rider gave me advice with wisdom on steroids that mineral spirits is a no no!Soooooo I immediately went out and cleaned again with rubbing alcohol!
Fortunately before I rode it and contaminated the pads with mineral spirits!
I guess I left that part out!!! My bad!
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
on our tandem rotors and or pads can have issues. we used to do long steep decents where I kept the speed at about 25mph. with the shimano ice tech rotors I would get hard black gunk on them and it was really hard to sand off because of over heating. I improved how I would brake to help that. when they wore out I used magura discs and we have nto doen any long decnets yet. but one short 18% grade I need to keep the speed at 25 as its a road with a lot of houses and the pavement is not great and people pull out in front of you. Now the pads glaze over with just 9 seconds of hard braking. Plus one 20% grade bike path you need the speed at about 10mph because there is a path crossing at the bottom. but now the rotors dont need much but when I change tires and such then just some alcohol. but I am sanding the pads more often to keep the brakes quiet.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
Ya you would not have been happy if it messed up the pads. plus the stuff takes forever to dry.
Soooooo I immediately went out and cleaned again with rubbing alcohol!
Fortunately before I rode it and contaminated the pads with mineral spirits!
I guess I left that part out!!! My bad!
TY Fooferdoggie!
Just for the record it was Fooferdoggie’s wisdom about mineral spirits!!
As a side bar fooferdoggie reminds me of Snoop Doggy Dog who I prefer to call ‘Sniff Doggie Do’!
PCeBiker
No-Hands No-Pedaling No-Credentials
- Region
- Canada
I've got over 3600 km on my e-bike now and I've never cleaned my rotors.
Come to think of it, I've only cleaned my bike once, but only because I kinda had to.
I clean and lubricate my fork stanchions regularly though.
I bought this stuff for the job,..
m@Robertson
Merciless (on the inside)
- Region
- USA
WTF is what the alcoholic is saying when some weirdo is dabbing her with a washcloth.
When I clean my bike, it gets clean but I feel dirty for doing it.Come to think of it, I've only cleaned my bike once, but only because I kinda had to.
To be sure they are on your car/bikes etc. to slow you down, da.
So why are you reluctant to use them. Do you not want to wear them out?
None
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I drive hybrid, looking and planning ahead allows regen braking to charge the hybrid battery instead of stepping on the brakes.
Use the engine instead of brakes to slow my other vehicles.
Why use the brakes when you don't have to?
Less braking, less fuel is used to return to cruising speed.
Using the brake limit your maneuvering options, looking for ways around is usually the better option for me.
Slaphappygamer
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Other
- City
- over here
But then the person behind you doesn’t see the brake lights.
I agree to use the motor to slow you down, but that creates other issues that other drivers aren’t prepared for.
I agree to use the motor to slow you down, but that creates other issues that other drivers aren’t prepared for.
ruffruff
Well-Known Member
That's what I use, but I've used the Muc-Off stuff and it's solid.
This cleaning of bicycle brake disks puzzles me why it is being done anyway. We never clean them on our automobiles or motorcycles so why on our bikes?
There supposedly is a certain desirable condition that occurs to the disks and pads during the bed in procedure and doesn't cleaning just remove that?
There supposedly is a certain desirable condition that occurs to the disks and pads during the bed in procedure and doesn't cleaning just remove that?
PCeBiker
No-Hands No-Pedaling No-Credentials
- Region
- Canada
I agree
I never cleaned my disks on my motorcycles, so why do I need to start now?
Especially if just rain removes all the "special layer" of pad on the disk.
I don't want to be a slave to my ebike.
It's just a tool.
It ain't pretty, and I don't want it to be.
I can lock up either wheel with a single finger pull with my hydraulic brakes.
That's certainly good enough for me.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
touch your disk with your fingers and you will see. They dont usualy get contaminated but sometimes they do. part of maintenance is cleaning the brake dust out of the calipers so thats usually all I need to do. but my fumbling hands have caused stuff to get on them too. you should see how poorly a rotor works when a tire blows off filled with muc-off sealant.
Last edited:
Similar threads
