Introduction

A key part of keeping your bike maintained and safe to ride is keeping the brakes adjusted properly. This includes proper brake pad and cable adjustment and also ensuring there is plenty of pad material left so the bike can be stopped in a short/ safe distance and the condition of the components are in working order. The style of brakes on your Roadster V2 are referred to as dual pivot rim brakes. In this article, we will cover how to replace, and adjust your brake pads and adjust the cable tension. So let's dive in! 


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Tools Required

  • 4mm allen wrench
  • 5mm allen wrench
  • 10mm wrench
  • Rubber band


Getting started

  • Make sure this lever is flipped down as shown below
  • If the pads need replacing, remove the old ones and install the new ones noting the location and orientation of all the parts
  • Ensure the rims and pads are clean and dry 

Position the pads

  • Start by adjusting the left (as you are sitting on the bike) or the side without the belt as shown below
  • The pad should be close to even with the bottom edge of the rim and sits squarely against the rim surface
  • Adjust the right or belt side of the bike so the pad is even with the top edge of the rim and sits squarely against the rim surface
  • Ensue the pads cannot touch the tire sidewall
  • Make sure the pads hit evenly top to bottom on the rim. There should be no gap as shown in the picture below
  • The pads should be positioned so the pad is parallel to the rim as shown below
  • Tighten the pads to 5Nm of torque


Setting Toe


If the brakes are making a squealing noise, adding some "toe-in" to the brake pads will prevent this. This is where the trailing edge of the brake pad contacts the pad first. If there is not a problem with brake noise set the brake pads up so they contact the rim at the same time.


  • Using a spacer like a rubber band is an easy way to set the pads so they are toed in evenly
  • The pads only need to toe-in a small amount, 1/8 of an inch or so
  • Gently squeezing the lever will hold the pad in place while tightening up the pad
  • Make sure the pads have the same amount of toe-in
  • Tighen pads to 5Nm of torque

Setting pad clearance

  • Start by firmly pulling the brake lever a few times to make sure everything is settled in
  • The pad distance is set by feel. If the pads are too close the lever will have minimal travel, if set too far the lever will have a large amount of travel and may contact the bars, this isn't good
  • Adjust this by turning the barrel adjuster on the brake or lever 
  • Turn the barrel nut clockwise will increase the gap and the lever travel
  • Turning the barrel adjuster counterclockwise will decrease the gap and the lever travel
  • There should be enough clearance so the rim spins freely without touching the pads
  • If the cable is set too lose the lever will contact the handlebars and hinder the brakes from working properly


Centering the pads

  • The pads should be centered on the rim as shown below
  • If the pads need to be centered install a 10mm wrench onto the flats as shown below
  • Insert a 5mm allen wrench into the mounting nut on the backside of the fork
  • Turning both wrenches at the same time and in the same direction center the pad spacing


Repeat for the other end of the bike

  • Set the lever pull up so the lever pull feels even


Video

Below is a great video detailing the process:




Replacement Pads

Click here for Roadster V2 Replacement Brake pads


Thank you for reading. If you have any further questions about your ebike please reach out to our Contact Us page we are glad to help!