Bicycle Brake Sets

What is the difference between a road bike and a mountain bike brake set?

Typically speaking, MTB brakes tend to rely on disc brakes, with hydraulics becoming increasingly popular these days. In contrast, road bikes will be more likely to use callipers or a combination of a hydraulic or bicycle mechanical disc brake, which is becoming the standard on modern road bikes.

How do I set up bicycle brakes?

If you want to know how to set up bike brakes, we recommend looking on YouTube, as there is a wealth of information and great visuals that will make this straightforward. However, below is some helpful information from our team and tips to keep top-of-mind when making adjustments.

Bicycle hydraulic brake set

Use either a mineral or a DOT (Glycol) based fluid. They cannot be mixed, and the bleed process varies a little depending on the fluid and the brake system's specific construction.

Mechanical disc brake set

This mechanism still uses the disc brake and pad design found on hydraulic disc brakes. However, it saves money by using a braided stainless steel cable to actuate the piston (the same cable from the rim brakes). Most mechanical disc brake systems only see the outside pad move pushing the rotor into the other stationary pad. This saves costs and keeps the design simple. Careful adjustment of the fixed pad is key to getting a solid feel through your brake lever.

Rim brakes – V brake

Found on recreational bikes, including kids' bikes and very entry-level MTB bikes. If you’re wondering how to set up v-brakes on your bicycle, this system uses a braided steel cable to actuate a calliper pushing rubber pads onto the rim surface, which is specifically machined for the application (rim brake rims and disc brake rims are different for this reason).

Rim brakes - dual pivot

This system uses the same cable system but mounts in one central position on the fork (unlike the V brake, which mounts in two places, one on each side of the fork, hence the V shape and name). The term dual pivot then references the design, which, once mounted, has a pivot on each side (hence the name dual pivot). This design is almost exclusively found on road bikes and was the standard until disc brakes were widely adopted in about 2016.

Need help with bicycle brake sets?