# New hydraulic disc brakes drag a little



## jackmen (Jul 24, 2007)

I recently purchased a new old stock Fuji Altamira cx 1.3 for my gravel bike. It is set up with all sram force and features sram Hydraulic disc brakes front and rear, that are supposed to be very good.

I am a bit concerned as I was fine tuning the disc brakes and noticed there is a slight rubbing of the disc brakes (both front and rear) when they are fully released. I'm not talking a lot of rub but very minor that slows the wheel down when i spin it up quicker than it should or quicker than my cant braked bikes when the brakes are set right. 

I have went through the typical loosen the bolts that hold the brakes on and push hard on the brakes and retighten the brakes to center the calipers on the discs. I have actually done this multiple times on both front and back brakes. The brakes work great and the discs aren't bent or don't have any wobble. They don't rub a lot, but just enough where if you spin the wheels they don't spin for 2 minutes like my canti braked bikes they spin for maybe 40 seconds before they stop. I have even tried pushing the brakes back in manually with a screw driver to make sure the pistons didn't need to be exercised a bit. Still didn't help. The drag isn't noticeable when you ride the bike, and the brakes stop great. It's just annoys me that there is some drag there.

Is this normal? Can you actually adjust sram force hydraulic discs so that they fully release and cause no drag on the discs?


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## zyzbot (Feb 3, 2004)

My disc brakes do not rub at all and my rear wheel doesn't spin for 90 seconds. I wouldn't worry about it.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Bring it to a good shop and have the guy w/ the tools adjust it for you.


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

Holy ***! You have a wheel that spins for 5 minutes without stopping???!?!?!?


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## oleynik (Aug 24, 2010)

Just got a bike with SRAM Hydro last month. My calipers lightly brushed against the pad too for a while. Didn't take it too long to go away - I have about 800 mi on them. I think it is just part of the break in process, wouldn't worry.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

zyzbot said:


> My disc brakes do not rub at all and my rear wheel doesn't spin for 90 seconds. I wouldn't worry about it.



This is what I was thinking. What type of hubs are these???


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Lombard said:


> This is what I was thinking. What type of hubs are these???


I have no idea what he has. But my White Industries hubs can spin that long. It's my understanding that most hubs with ceramic bearings spin forever too. Not to imply it means anything though, spinning in the stand has about nothing to do with performance under a rider.


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## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

I've had almost no luck by tightening the caliper bolts while squeezing the lever on mt bikes although it makes sense.
Best way I've found is to look between the rotor and both pads and try to get equal spacing between each as you tighten the bolts. A lot of times the caliper will move as you tighten the bolts down so you may have to do it a couple of times.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

Jay Strongbow said:


> I have no idea what he has. But my White Industries hubs can spin that long. It's my understanding that most hubs with ceramic bearings spin forever too. Not to imply it means anything though, spinning in the stand has about nothing to do with performance under a rider.




Very true. It just sounds really good.


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## OldChipper (May 15, 2011)

Haven't done this since I only have disc on my CX bike and slight pad drag is about the least of my worries, but I've heard if you can use a spacer between the pad and the rotor when you do the bleed, you can get a little extra space or (I think at least with some brakes) put a spacer in there and just squeeze the levers several times and the brakes will adjust.

And this is exactly why my CX bike is the only bike I'll ever own with disc brakes. Doing the same thing with rim brakes takes exactly 2 seconds and involves no tools or spacers. KISS


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

OldChipper said:


> Haven't done this since I only have disc on my CX bike and slight pad drag is about the least of my worries, but I've heard if you can use a spacer between the pad and the rotor when you do the bleed, you can get a little extra space or (I think at least with some brakes) put a spacer in there and just squeeze the levers several times and the brakes will adjust.
> 
> And this is exactly why my CX bike is the only bike I'll ever own with disc brakes. Doing the same thing with rim brakes takes exactly 2 seconds and involves no tools or spacers. KISS



I believe in KISS too. Unfortunately, you cannot get a CX or gravel bike without disc brakes.

Not to make this another disc/rim brake debate, as they both seem to have their advantages and disadvantages. Disc brakes are still foreign to me. If I owned a disc brake bike and became familiar with them, my tune would possibly change.


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## crit_boy (Aug 6, 2013)

I have multiple bikes with disc brakes. None of them have pads that rub. It is not rocket farming. It is simply learning how to properly set up and adjust your equipment.

People still can't figure out cantilevers, so I am not surprised disc brakes kick their butt either.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

crit_boy said:


> I have multiple bikes with disc brakes. None of them have pads that rub. It is not rocket farming. It is simply learning how to properly set up and adjust your equipment.
> 
> People still can't figure out cantilevers, so I am not surprised disc brakes kick their butt either.


^This^


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## Enoch562 (May 13, 2010)

upstateSC-rider said:


> I've had almost no luck by tightening the caliper bolts while squeezing the lever on mt bikes although it makes sense.
> Best way I've found is to look between the rotor and both pads and try to get equal spacing between each as you tighten the bolts. A lot of times the caliper will move as you tighten the bolts down so you may have to do it a couple of times.



I do the same thing. I use a low powered flash light set up behind mine and sight down the rotor while making adjustments


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