Brake Drag

If you’re the type that gets frustrated easily, then brake drag may raise your ire more than any other thing. The problem ruins your ride, annoys you, and needless to mention that it takes a bit of investigative work to locate its root cause. First things first: what exactly is brake drag? If you have felt as though something is holding you back when on your two wheels, then that’s what we’re talking about here. In other words, your bike keeps braking without applying the brakes. The problem usually affects the rear wheel; this perhaps explains its shrouded nature. Brake drag becomes more discernible when it happens on the front wheel. In extreme cases, you will not be able to ride your bike.

Brake drag may be caused by several factors. Greasy linings, wrong shoe adjustment, scoured brake drum, dirt or dust, and interchanged shoes (very unusual though) are all possible causes of brake drag. So, fixing the problem depends on the underlying cause. The remedies for brake drag may include correct adjustment of the shoes, grounding the scoured brake drum within its limits, cleaning the brake shoe assembly to remove any dirt or dust, and correct re-installation of interchanged shoes.