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Bike Man Dan’s Guide To Disc Brake Care

Disc brakes are one of the most important safety systems on your bike—but they’re also one of the most commonly neglected. Whether you’re riding daily through the city or pushing hard on weekend road or MTB rides, keeping your brakes in top condition ensures reliable stopping power, quieter rides, and fewer costly repairs down the line.

Here’s our straightforward guide to caring for your disc brakes.

1. Keep Pads and Rotors Clean and Oil-Free

Disc brake pads are extremely sensitive to contamination, and once they’re contaminated with oil or grease, their performance drops significantly—and often permanently. A common culprit? Chain lube.

Avoid over-lubricating your chain. Excess lube tends to fling off when you ride, and if it lands on your rotors or pads, it can cause noisy, unpredictable braking. If in doubt, it’s better to use less lube and wipe away the excess.

Top Tip: If you’re cleaning your bike or lubing the chain, try to avoid touching the rotors or pads at all. If they must be cleaned, use isopropyl alcohol or a specific disc brake cleaner—not general degreasers.

2. Check Rotor and Caliper Alignment

If your wheel is fitted and brakes are set up correctly, the wheel should spin silently, with no rubbing or scraping noises. If you’re hearing constant contact or intermittent brushing, your caliper may be slightly misaligned, or your rotor may be slightly bent.

You can check this visually:

  • Spin the wheel and look through the caliper gap – there should be “air” on either side of the rotor, between the pads.
  • If the rotor wobbles, it may need truing.
  • If the pads sit unevenly or rub constantly, reseating the wheel axle, or realigning the caliper might solve the issue.

Most modern brakes allow you to loosen the caliper bolts slightly, squeeze the brake lever to centre the caliper, and re-tighten the bolts while holding the lever.

3. Avoid Squeezing Brake Levers with the Wheel Removed

This is a common mistake. If the wheel is off and you pull the brake lever, the pistons inside the caliper will move closer together. In some cases, they’ll move so far that there’s no room left to reinsert the rotor and the wheel will not go back on

If this happens, don’t panic.

You’ll need to carefully push the pistons back into their housings using a plastic tyre lever or a clean, blunt tool (ideally something non-metallic to avoid scratching or chipping the pistons or seals). Be gentle and patient—don’t force it as the pad material can crumble easily. Once reset, you can reinstall the wheel and pump the lever to automatically  reposition the pads correctly.

4. Bleed the Brakes Regularly

Over time, air or moisture can enter the hydraulic system, which can cause the lever to feel spongy and reduce braking power. Even if you’re not riding aggressively, it’s good practice to bleed your brakes at least once a year, or more often if you notice:

  • Increased lever travel
  • Reduced braking power
  • Inconsistent or spongy feel

Bleeding replaces old fluid, removes air, and keeps things working reliably.

Be sure to use the correct fluid for your brakes as using the wrong type can destroy the inner components.

If you’re not experienced with brake bleeding, this is a job best left to your local workshop.

5. Inspect Pads for Wear

Brake pads don’t last forever. If you ride in wet or gritty conditions, they can wear down surprisingly fast.

  • Check pad thickness regularly—most pads have a minimum thickness of around 1mm of friction material.
  • Pads worn beyond this will wear through very quickly and can damage the rotor and pistons, seriously compromising braking performance.

If in doubt, get them checked or replaced. Worn pads are cheap to fix—damaged rotors or a crash are not.

6. Bed-in New Pads and Rotors Properly

Whenever you fit new brake pads (or a new rotor), they’ll need to be bedded in. This process transfers an even layer of material from the pads to the rotor surface and improves braking consistency.

To bed them in:

  1. Find a safe area.
  2. Accelerate to a moderate speed.
  3. Firmly brake to walking pace—but don’t stop completely.
  4. Repeat 10–20 times.

You’ll feel the power build up as the surfaces settle into each other.

Final Thoughts

Disc brake systems are robust and highly effective in all weathers—but they do need the occasional check-up. Most issues come down to contamination, misalignment, or neglect. If you’re unsure how to fix something, or you’re hearing noises you’re worried about, it’s worth getting them checked before small problems turn into big ones.

Need a brake service?

If you’re unsure about your brakes—or they just don’t feel right—book a service or drop us a message. We offer full hydraulic brake maintenance, including bleeding, alignment, pad replacement, piston/lever servicing and rotor truing.