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Overheard a customer say disc brakes are maintenance-free
Guy in the shop last Tuesday was complaining his rotors were warped after 6 months of no cleaning. Told him brake pads shed dust that cakes up and causes overheating. Has anyone else had to explain basic rotor care to folks who think hydros are set and forget?
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paige8701mo ago
Man I feel this. I told a guy at the trailhead his rotors were glazed and he just shrugged and said "they're discs, they're self cleaning." Had to explain that no, they're not like oven racks. I once went a full season without touching my brakes and ended up with rotors that looked like a vinyl record after a punk show. Now I make a game of cleaning them every few weeks like it's a meditation session.
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ryan_carr591mo ago
@paige870 100% on the vinyl record look, I've seen that exact thing on customer bikes. Those self cleaning claims are wild, brake rotors aren't like nonstick pans. I hit mine with some isopropyl alcohol and a rag every couple of weeks now too. Keeps the stopping power sharp and saves you from buying new rotors halfway through the season.
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