Operation Manual

41
9.9 Disc brakes
Disc brakes are distinguished by their for-
midable braking power and good weather
resistance. They respond a lot faster in wet
conditions than rim brakes do and produce
their normal high power within a very short
time. They also require fairly little mainte-
nance and do not wear down the rims as rim
brakes do.
One drawback of disc brakes is that they tend
to be noisy when they are wet.
The brake levers can be adjusted to the size
of your hands, allowing you to operate them
with optimal effectiveness. In most cases this
is done by means of a small Allen bolt located
directly at the hand lever.
With mechanical disc brakes the travel of the
brake lever becomes longer as the brake pad
wears down, making it necessary to readjust
the brakes regularly.
Hydraulic MERIDA brakes are equipped with
a mechanism which automatically compen-
sates for the wear!
Do not open the brake lines. Brake fluid which
is very aggressive might leak out.
Continuous braking or dragging of brakes can
cause the brake system to overheat. This may
lead to a considerable reduction of the brak-
ing power or even to a failure of the brake.
This may cause severe accidents. Therefore,
check your way of riding and make it a habit
to brake hard and then to open the brake
again, whenever the road surface and the
situation allow it. If you are in doubt, stop
and let the brake system cool down with the
brake levers released.
New brake pads have to be braked
in before they reach their optimal
braking power. Accelerate the bike 30 to
50 times to around 30 km/h and bring it to
a halt each time.
Disc brakes get hot while in use! For
this reason do not touch the brakes
shortly after a stop, especially after riding
downhill a long time.
Manufacturers of hydraulic and
mechanical disc brakes deliver their
products with detailed instructions. Be sure
to read these instructions carefully before
you dismount a wheel or do any mainte-
nance work.
For more information have a look at the man-
ufacturers’ websites:
www.magura.com / www.sram.com
www.shimano.com / www.hajos-sport.de
www.tektro.com / www.hayesdiscbrake.com
9. The brake system