Repair guides › Brakes

Adjust V-brakes

Two tall arms on the fork and stays that squeeze pads onto the rim. The cable runs through a curved "noodle" and pulls the arms together. Spring screws balance the arms.

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Tools

• Ball-end hex key set (1.5–10 mm): Park Tool HXS-1.2 Professional L-Shaped Hex Set ($$)
• JIS #2 screwdriver: Vessel Megadora JIS screwdriver #2 ($)
• 1/4" click torque wrench (about 2–17 Nm) + bits: Pro Bike Tool 1/4 inch drive click torque wrench set (2.2–16.9 Nm) ($$)

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Steps

1. Loosen the pad nut; squeeze the arms so the pad sits flat on the rim, 1 mm below the top edge, slightly toed in at the front.
2. Tighten pad nut to 5–7 Nm.
3. Set cable so pads sit 2–3 mm from the rim.
4. Balance with the spring screws: tighten on the side that drags.

Diagram

Signs it needs doing

• One pad touches the rim (spring imbalance)
• Squeal (toe-in)
• Weak in the wet

Problems this fixes

• Brakes squeal or howl
• Brake rubs or scrapes when the wheel spins
• Brakes feel weak
• Brake lever pulls all the way to the handlebar

Articles about this job

• The best first upgrades for a cheap bike (and what to skip): what I found as a beginner

Related jobs

• Replace rim brake pads