|   HELP! LBS ruined my Disc Brakes | Bill Clark
Sep 25, 2001 4:27 AM | | I took my bike into the shop to have a tune-up done. THe idiots just douced everything with grease, including my rear disc brake! I have the hydrolic Hayes. I tried to clean averything off (disc, Pads), but still NO stopping power. I cannot even lock up the rear tire (Skid). I would imaging my pads need to be replaced. What about the disc? Can it be cleaned? I tried cleaning all with isopropyl alcohol, like the owner's manual says, but it did not help any. Do I need new pads AND a new Disc? Please help...
Thanks |
| Go back to the store... | ebh123
Sep 25, 2001 4:33 AM | | and raise hell. They owe you new disc pads. Once they get contaminated with oil/grease they are useless. I think the rotors should be OK. Try a cleaner that gets rid of grease like Simple Green or reg dish soap.
After you get new pads from the store and you should! Tell them they lost your buisness, order some tools from the net, a book about bike maintenance and start doing it yourself. |
| re: HELP! LBS ruined my Disc Brakes | Jason NADS#111
Sep 25, 2001 5:57 AM | | First, go to the bike shop and show them what they did, they better replace your pads. Take the contaminated pads out and trash them. My suggestion is to use Brakleen on the rotor. Brakleen is a automobile brake cleaner that works well on bicycle rotors. Be careful though b/c this can probably strip paint off a frame very easily. Wear a rubber glove and spray a VERY clean rag until it is fairly wet. Go over the rotor in all locations. Do this a few times, each time using a clean section of rag until you feel the rotor is clean. You will usually have a good sense of when it is clean enough. You wan tto make sure the caliper is free of all oils as well. You don't want anything to possibly contaminate the new pads when they are installed. I don't know if Brakleen will work for this...you may want to use something a little more gentle on the caliper. |
| That's impressive. | Dougal THUG #1
Sep 25, 2001 4:28 PM | | Grease on disc brakes. When you go back calmly and clearly state the danger they put you in. Could you have sued them if you'd been injured?
So back to fixing the problem. Contact brake cleaner as suggested above is the best idea for the rotor, for the pads try to get some new free ones from the shop. Chances are afterwards you'll need to burn them back in.
Find a good long steep hill and ride down in dragging the back brake. It'll heat up and burn the grease out, restoring your braking power.
Dougal.8m.com |
| Fast Bicyle in San Jose denies it altogether (more) | Bill Clark
Sep 25, 2001 6:13 PM | | I spoke with the shop owner (Jeff) and he denies it altogether; saying there is no way his mechanic did this. BS!!! He blames it on me and says they don't use any oil at all. I must have washed the bike wrong and splashed some oil on it or I did not wash it and dirt/grease just got on there. He is full of it. The disc was WET with lube! Then the mechanic brings out an aerosol can of chain lube and says that is all he used and only on the chain. My bottom bracket area and Rear derailleur area is just wet with this lube stuff. What a jerk. This is the second FS bike I have bought from this store in the last few years. I will definitely not go there again. The mechanic has been great in the past, but they would not admit that he screwed up.
I would normally do the maint myself, but they owed me a tune-up and I have not had time to work on it. I brought it in for three reasons. To look at the rebound knob on the Manitou fork (X-vert super) which is stuck, true the wheels, and adjust the slightly dragging rear disc. They guy says he did not touch the rear disc. I asked "How did you adjust for the drag?" and he says they adjusted the levers on the handlebars. WTF? All they did was adjust the throw in the levers (To far of a reach for me now), nothing else.
This shop may have competitive prices, but don't count on good service. He just lost a repeat customer over a $25 set of brake pads. I have spend thousands there!!!!!! Argh!
Thanks for your replies. On the rotors, the owners manual says Isopropyl alcohol only on the rotors, no brake cleaners, so I am a little hesitant to go there. Have any of you used this on Hayes discs?... Hmm
Bill |
| Burned....... | Spar¡cus
Sep 25, 2001 8:10 PM | | Sure sounds like this shop burned you, and now they have burned themselves in the process. Too bad for all involved.
I have both Hayes hydraulic and Avid mechanical discs and have used Bel Ray Brake & Contact cleaner (available at motorcycle shops) on my rotors. It works well. I prefer it to Brakleen because the Bel Ray does not have such a strong odor and it seems to dry quicker without leaving any residue whatsoever. Be sure to clean inside the rotor cutouts -- a Q-tip comes in handy for tight corners.
Dougal makes a good point. You could have been injured. Personally, I'd chalk this one up to poor customer relations and be grateful I got away for the relatively inexpensive amount of $25 (although I am not excusing the LBS's actions -- they handled this situation like jerks).
Good luck & ta ta,
Spar¡cus |
| better SJ area shops | eric strt6
Sep 26, 2001 9:42 PM | | Sun Bikes in Milpitas >680 & Landess or Trailhead on Union & Camden[by beverages and more] will do a much better job on your bike |
| That's crazy | Dougal
Sep 27, 2001 3:42 PM | | It's pretty obvious the spray lube ruined your rear braking. Any good mechanic knows that stuff doesn't do anything but make mess anyway. Drip lube is the best way to oil a chain.
Since it's only oil you should be able to wash your pads in detergent and water (just like the dishes) and use contact brake cleaner on the rotors (no problems, I do it).
Good luck
Dougal.
Dougal.8m.com |
| re: HELP! LBS ruined my Disc Brakes | Kudzu Kannibal
Sep 26, 2001 4:08 AM | | Brake cleaner on the rotor, any auto shop should have them, and you probably need to replace the pads. Actually, the LBS needs to replace the pads.
Then buy yourself a good workshop book, some tools, and avoid the LBS for simple maintenance or what will be simple maintenance. I only use mine to build wheels (since I have no dishing capabilities or time) and for warranty issues.
Good Luck
"May the mud be with you" |
| That shop sucks... | bones
Sep 26, 2001 8:00 AM | | I used to go to fast bike as well. The mechanics are terrible and the owner is worse. I took a rim in to get trued up last year, it came back that day with a new radial hop in it and was less true than before. The rim ended up being ruined by the whole experience and I had to have a new one built. The owner of Fast Bicycle told me that it was my fault and when I confronted him about it he kicked me out of the store, threatening me. Now I try to spread as much bad press about those clowns as I possibly can.
b. |
| |
