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Woodstock Mountain Bike Fellowship

Problems and Solutions for Brakes

Squeal: Adjust toe-in angle - loosen the shoe adjustment bolt, place some cardboard between front of pad and rim, hold snug to rim and re-tighten bolt. Also, be sure that the brake is only contacting the rim, not the tire.

Slack or Touchy: Adjust cable length - turn barrel nut on brake lever counter-clockwise to increase braking power or clockwise to reduce touchiness.

Weak Stopping Power: Clean rims - remove greasy film with detergent, water, and stiff brush. Check pads and replace if less than ¼" pad surface left or if grooves are worn away.

Intermittent Rub: True wheel - Adjust spokes to restore smooth and even surface to a rim that is bent out of round.

Riding in Control

Each squeeze of the brake lever erases many of your precious pedal strokes. Use your brakes sparingly - just enough to maintain control of your bike. Practice the following turning techniques to maintain your energy:

On flat, smooth turns - press the inside foot down and lean toward the center of the turn while keeping the bike as vertical as possible.

On banked or bumpy turns - keep the pedals even and level with the outside foot forward, pressing down on the inside handlebar.

Remember that the front brake provides much more stopping power than the rear brake - use it with caution at high speed on steep terrain.

Slow Down...Stop!

In our fast-paced world, sometimes we need to slow down and stop. The Bible encourages us to: "Be still and know that He is God" (1)

When our worship is empty and mechanical, God tells us to: "Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me." (2)

When we think that we control our own destiny, we are warned to: "Stop trusting in man... of what account is he?" (3)

And when presented with the ultimate choice of where to place our trust, Jesus says: "Stop doubting and believe." (4)

  1. Psalm 46:10
  2. Isaiah 1:13
  3. Isaiah 2:22
  4. John 20:27

Turning onto the Right Path

If we slow down and check the map, we will all find that we're on the wrong trail: "All of us like sheep have gone astray - each of us has turned to his own way." (1)

Looking up to a nearby tree, we see that Jesus blazed a trail back to God with His own blood: "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." (2)

He invites us to follow Him and come home on the most awesome trail of all: "to all who received him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God." (3)

  1. Isaiah 53:6
  2. 1 Peter 2:24
  3. John 1:12
Waiting their turn Bike Limbo! Derailleur clinic