# WTF is wrong with Specialized Roubaix Elite brake pads



## daniyarm (Aug 19, 2008)

I picked up my brand new custom wheelset this morning and went for a ride after lunch. A mile away from my house I heard this grinding noise coming from my brakes so I turned around immidiately and went home. When I got home and took the wheels off I discovered that the screw that holds the brake pads together is sticking out on the side of the rim. Now this is on a bike that has only 250 miles on it and it's on both front and rear pads. The pads look barely used, they are missing at most half a millimeter. Now the brake surface on my brand new wheelset is completely f****d. I am calling Specialized first thing Monday morning and they better be offering me some kind of compensation and new brakes.


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## pdainsworth (Jun 6, 2004)

Can you bet pictures of this? The only screw I can think of is the one that holds the pad into the shoe, and it's only a couple of millimeters long, normally.


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## OneGear (Aug 19, 2005)

uh, goodluck with that. I don't think you'll get anything from them, they're just going to chalk it up to owner neglect.How did you not see this when mounting your wheel before the ride?!


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## pdainsworth (Jun 6, 2004)

No, I don't think that's what will happen. They will probably recommend that you go to the shop that sold it to you, and work something out through them. If the shop didn't build the bike properly and then test ride it, then they are at fault. If the screws are too long, Specialized will want it verified by the shop, then they will take care of it. Our Specialized rep has ALWAYS taken care of our customers, whenever we have asked, and whenever justifies. I don't see any reason why your shop's rep won't do the same.


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## daniyarm (Aug 19, 2008)

Owner neglect on a bike that is a month old with 250 miles on it?! I checked the pads when I put the wheels on and they looked fine, like pads are suppose to look with only 250 miles on them.
That screw that holds the pad into the shoe is exactly the one I am talking about, and it's not a couple of millimeters, it's almost the whole width of the pad. I live in hilly area so I am guessing on the first quick descent the rubber that was covering the screw wore off and the screw started sticking out.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

> Can you bet pictures of this? The only screw I can think of is the one that holds the pad into the shoe, and it's only a couple of millimeters long, normally.


+1

I'm having problems visualizing what the problem is too. If I recall correctly the Specialized road bike brake calipers looked a lot like Shimano 105's design-wise.

_edit: Nevermind. You posted while I was typing this. Seems strange to me, but I was never impressed with Specialized brakes. The ones that came on my Allez Sport were down-right dangerous._


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## OneGear (Aug 19, 2005)

daniyarm said:


> Owner neglect on a bike that is a month old with 250 miles on it?! I checked the pads when I put the wheels on and they looked fine, like pads are suppose to look with only 250 miles on them.
> That screw that holds the pad into the shoe is exactly the one I am talking about, and it's not a couple of millimeters, it's almost the whole width of the pad. I live in hilly area so I am guessing on the first quick descent the rubber that was covering the screw wore off and the screw started sticking out.


Once you get the bike, anything that happens to the bike and not due to manufacturing or technical failure, is typically chalked down as owner's neglect. The mileage does not matter.. If you leave your bike on the roof rack and slam it into the garage with 0 miles, it is still your fault. 

But, reading that again, sounds like your shop or specialized might have screwed up. That screw is way too long for the pad, or they might have used the wrong screw, or they didn't use a spacer... you need to get some pics up, and talk to your shop about this. Bring in the bike I say.

Its hard to imagine the Shimano pad screws sticking through, IIRC, they have a casing inside to prevent this problem. My stock Specialized OEM brake pads were also pretty short and fit a shoe into a casing, the screw only went far enough to secure the shoe.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

It's hard to tell without a picture but what you describe is probably not the screw but metal shavings from the rim..

I've had it happen may times with new rims..while I've heard it's the rim that is the cause, once the pads get metal shavings they are toast.

it's better to replace the pads instead of picking out the metal from the pads..

It goes away and the rims will work fine again w/ new pads..


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## siimba55 (Oct 24, 2008)

Hi
I got my Sequoia Elite this past Summer. Waited a year to decide. Had four tires blow off the rims. Dealer said I did nothing wrong. Bad tires; then bad rim.

Now that seems OK. Was sent a new set of wheels by Specialized. One tire blew off the new wheels. [Each of these explosions happened within 5 minutes of reaching 90 -100 lbs. Happened at home, at the dealer's and once on the road with my new rims]. New tire is AOK. Now after just 12+ rides averaging 13 miles each, my brake pads did the same thing as mentioned in this forum and chewed up the new rim surface!!!!!

I waited a whole year before buying this bike. Looked at quite a few. Talked to owners etc. 

I am seeing the dealer today and contacting Specialized direct as well. This not a cheap bike. What's going to go next????? The bike if I can sell it.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Can you please post a picture? I (and I suspect others) would like to see this.


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## siimba55 (Oct 24, 2008)

*Not my Sequoia's fault this time.*

Eventually, I placed the pads under my 20 and 40X lab magnifier. With a forceps and fine point needle-nose plier, I discovered that I must have picked up a "chunk" of metal somehow and it "ran" through my brake pads, scraping the rims , part of the tires and chipping the pads themselves.

A visit to my dealer confirmed this.

Never saw anything like it. There is so much debris on the roads these days. The closest thing I can figure is that it was a chunk of that metallic SS repair tape that is used by some on their damaged cars. People could have just tossed it aside or maybe it fell off a repair job. That tape material is quite stiff and sticky and jammed in the brake mechanism, it could easily scrape the rims and the tires.

I was not off road so I don't know where I picked it up. 

Dealer was cool enough to clean the pads and lightly file them even. Could have done that at home, but these guys are great to customers!

Sorry to jump to the wrong conclusion, but with all the blow outs I have had I thought my bad luck was continuing. Had a great ride today without any bike incidents. Now if I could only find more courteous drivers!

Wasn't really planning to sell the bike. Waited too long to get one of these types of bikes.

Best to all!


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## OneGear (Aug 19, 2005)

Glad you found the solution... to do a quick check, just squeeze your brakes together and check that the shoes are contacting only the rim.. (looking from a level position).. if there is metal in your shoes it could be that they were misaligned and were rubbing your tires.


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## siimba55 (Oct 24, 2008)

*Thanks for your interest.*

I did check what you said as about two months ago they were misaligned and reset.

After my predawn ride today, I went back over the route with my other bike and did some scenic photography. Walked around and found several bunches of trash about 1/4 mile from where my road bike brakes first acted up. There in fact was the stainless steel tape mixed in with some other automotive debris. [This was not the subject of my photos!]

This is a place where some people dump trash rather than put it out for pick up. I'll be certain not to ride that route unless it is in full daylight. Even my two Trident X CygoLights aren't enough to see such details while moving right along, I suppose. Or, maybe I am just getting older as is my eyesight. Coyotes and other critters I can see, but trash in the sandy deposits not so easy.

Once again, thanks to everyone for their insight and experiences.
siimba55 Road Bike Newbie


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