Disc brakes on Specialised Hardrock - both brakes gone within a week

SerialComplaint

Hi folks

My Specialised Hardrock is about 2.5 years old. I commute 80 minutes round trip most days. I push myself a bit when I'm cycling with a view to weight loss, so I do end up relying on the brakes quite a lot in traffic.

I was having some brake trouble, so I left it into the local shop about three weeks ago. They said it didn't need pads, and just charged €20 for tightening things up. Late last week, I found that my front brake just gave up. I could pull the handle and could see movement at the bottom, but there was no braking happening. I had planned to drop it back to the shop today, but as I was one the way, coming down a fairly steep hill, my back brake gave up in the same way. I kept pulling, but nothing was happening.

The guy in the shop tells me that mechanism inside both brakes will need replacing, about €100 parts and labour to replace it with the same components (which he tells are very poor quality) or €200 to fit decent parts on it.

Would it be unusual for these parts to give up after 2.5 years? Do the replacement prices sound reasonable?

Cheers, and thanks in advance.

Icyseanfitz

what brakes are they? and yeah if you dont maintain them 2.5 years is more then enough time to kill them, cant see how they didnt need pad replacement either if you never changed them in all that time, and you dont need to spend 200 to get them replaced, these are about 120 and there decent brakes, i take it your not doing any mountain biking? if you arnt mechanical brakes like these would also be nice (and a bit easier to take care of)

davey101

Sounds quite unusual for both to go at the same time without any indication previously, but if you got two years out of them without even changing pads you did quite well. While reading your post it sounded like some oil got on the pads as usually when pads are wearing you will eventually hear steel on steel as you pull the brake.
I wouldnt bother repairing when you could get these...
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=69356
for quite a bit less, you could also fit them yourself, very easy to do.

Icyseanfitz

davey101 wrote: »

Sounds quite unusual for both to go at the same time without any indication previously, but if you got two years out of them without even changing pads you did quite well. While reading your post it sounded like some oil got on the pads as usually when pads are wearing you will eventually hear steel on steel as you pull the brake.
I wouldnt bother repairing when you could get these...
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=69356
for quite a bit less, you could also fit them yourself, very easy to do.

great minds and all that

C3PO

Don't often agree with Sean but Avid 3s are grand brakes and great value from CRC at the moment! I find it hard to believe that you got 2 years without changing pads - are you sure it wasn't done during a service by your LBS? I'm lucky to get a couple of months out of mine!
Do you trust that the bike shop in question is giving you good advice and that the brakes don't just need pads or bleeding?
As the previous posts said replacing the brakes is easy as long as you're reasonably handy and have a few tools!

Tenzor07

SerialComplaint wrote: »

The guy in the shop tells me that mechanism inside both brakes will need replacing, about €100 parts and labour to replace it with the same components (which he tells are very poor quality) or €200 to fit decent parts on it.

€200 to fit "decent parts"?? How big were the windows in this place?

For that you could get a full set of high performance hydraulic brakes online... Go get a 2nd quote from a reputable bike shop.. Where are you based? Dublin?

Icyseanfitz

RPL1 wrote: »

Don't often agree with Sean but Avid 3s are grand brakes and great value from CRC at the moment! I find it hard to believe that you got 2 years without changing pads - are you sure it wasn't done during a service by your LBS? I'm lucky to get a couple of months out of mine!
Do you trust that the bike shop in question is giving you good advice and that the brakes don't just need pads or bleeding?
As the previous posts said replacing the brakes is easy as long as you're reasonably handy and have a few tools!

life is finally worth living cant really understand how he managed to go 2.5 years on the same pads either, i fly through mine and the crappy irish weather doesnt help much

SerialComplaint

Thanks for all the feedback, folks.

I think one set of pads - probably front ones - were changed at a service some time back, but the others weren't. It took Joe Daly about 10 days to get the right pads in stock for me, amazingly enough.

Tenzor07 wrote: »

€200 to fit "decent parts"?? How big were the windows in this place?

For that you could get a full set of high performance hydraulic brakes online... Go get a 2nd quote from a reputable bike shop.. Where are you based? Dublin?

I'm in Dublin, and this quote was from THink Bike - who I've generally found to be reasonable and reliable in the past.

I really don't think I'd be up to fitting them myself.

C3PO

SerialComplaint wrote: »

I'm in Dublin, and this quote was from THink Bike - who I've generally found to be reasonable and reliable in the past.

I really don't think I'd be up to fitting them myself.

I've never used Thinkbike but they do have a very good reputation! I'd buy the Juicy 3s online and get them fitted if you don't want to do it yourself! Alfie in Expert Cycles in R'nam would do it for you I'm sure!

Holyboy

I'm a bit confused over this one, what brakes have you got? and was it the same shop that worked on them three weeks ago that are telling you that you now need new parts or complete brakes?

SerialComplaint

Holyboy wrote: »

what brakes have you got? and

Whatever came on the Specialised when I bought it new. I've really no idea what brand or model they are.

Holyboy wrote: »

was it the same shop that worked on them three weeks ago that are telling you that you now need new parts or complete brakes?

Yes.

triggermortis

I'd bin whatever you have on there now and get that Avid deal. They will probably come all set up and already bled so it's just a straight swap - half an hours work if you're handy with an allen key, an hour if you're more like me!

Tenzor07

If Thinkbike say the brake needs replacing then it must be unrepairable...

Still €200 for new brakes when you can get basic Avid's online for around half the price seems a bit steep...

Mickb

Is it not €200 for the better brake system supplied and fitted?

That's what I read from the OP.

€100 parts and labour to replace it with the same components (which he tells are very poor quality) or €200 to fit decent parts on it.

MiCk B. :-)

SerialComplaint

Mickb wrote: »

Is it not €200 for the better brake system supplied and fitted?

Yes, that's it. €100 for basic components, or €200 for 'decent' components.

C3PO

SerialComplaint wrote: »

Yes, that's it. €100 for basic components, or €200 for 'decent' components.

Find out what the "decent components" are and either stick them up here and get people's opinions or find out how much they cost on CRC and decide whether you are getting a "decent" deal!

You will buy and have the Juicy 3s fitted for €150 (and that includes new rotors) so what are you getting offered for €200?

Tenzor07

Or Save even more money and get mechanical disc brakes, certainly powerful enough for a commuter bike...

Icyseanfitz

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Or Save even more money and get mechanical disc brakes, certainly powerful enough for a commuter bike...

yeah that would be my advice as well if youre only using the bike to commute, simpler to maintain as well

Holyboy

Id still be curious as to why the old ones suddenly stopped working! OP are they hydraulic or cable brakes? Its very rare anything inside a hydraulic brake goes wrong as there is next to nothing in them, the most commen problem with mechanical disc brakes is the return spring breaking but again its very rare. Mechanical brakes can stop working as the pads wear down to about half way and no matter how much adjustment is made it makes no difference especially with the avids ive found but all that needs doing is to replace the pads(even though they dont look like they need replacing)

Tenzor07

Holyboy wrote: »

Id still be curious as to why the old ones suddenly stopped working!

SerialComplaint wrote: »

My Specialised Hardrock is about 2.5 years old. I commute 80 minutes round trip most days.

I would say 2.5 years of "non-maintenance"!!

Holyboy

I still cant see how that would do it, the OP is only commuting on his bike! What is there to maintain on disc brakes? If theyre hydraulic they can be bled thats about it, the seals shouldnt give up after two years, if theyre mechanical theres not much can be done to them at all!

Lumen

How do I know when my brake pads are worn out? They already sound like "metal on metal", because the rotor is made of metal and the pad is made of metal.

Holyboy

Lumen wrote: »

How do I know when my brake pads are worn out? They already sound like "metal on metal", because the rotor is made of metal and the pad is made of metal.

The pad is made of many things including tiny bits of metal(if they are sintered pads), I'd be surprised if they were worn out already but if they are organic pads they could well be, I'm not sure what comes as standard on the brakes you have.
A friend of mine once took a lend of a brand new Scott test ride MTB we had in the shop for a one day event, it was a few hours of cycling with light off road and some on road stuff, he brought it back a few days later and said it was making strange noises at the end of the days riding, I had a look and he had worn through the complete pads and half the rotors, IN ONE DAY!

Maybe have a little look at the pads to see how much is left on them!

SerialComplaint

I meant to come back and update y'all with the outcome. Think Bike fitted Tektro Aquila mechanical disk brakes for me, for €80 including labour. Based on the CRC price http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34822 this seems like a reasonable deal. TBH, I wasn't really aware of the difference between mechanical and hydraulic brakes. It would have been nice if they had clarified the differences for me beforehand.

The mechanical brakes are a bit different to use. They seem to give more gradual braking power than before, so I get some braking power as soon as I put any pressure on the levers. But it is definitely a less smooth, less defined braking movement compared to the hydraulics.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and advice.