Step 1: Assess Your Brake Levers and Pads

The first step is to understand the problem. Squeeze your front and rear brake levers one at a time. How do they feel? Ideally, the lever should feel firm and engage the brake fully when it's pulled about halfway to the handlebar.

• If the lever pulls all the way to the handlebar (spongy feel): Your brake cable is likely too loose.
• If the brakes engage with only a tiny pull: The cable might be too tight, or the pads are too close to the rim/rotor.
• If you hear a rubbing or scraping sound as the wheel spins: Your brake pads are likely misaligned and rubbing against the rim or rotor.

Next, inspect your brake pads. Look for wear. Most pads have wear indicator lines. If the pad material is worn down to that line, it's time to replace them. No amount of adjustment can fix worn-out pads.

Step 2: Quick Adjustment with the Barrel Adjuster

For minor cable tension issues, the barrel adjuster is your best friend. This is a small, hollow knob that the brake cable passes through, located either where the cable enters the brake lever or the brake caliper itself.

To use it:

• To tighten a loose cable (lever feels spongy): Turn the barrel adjuster anti-clockwise (as if you were unscrewing it). This effectively lengthens the cable housing, pulling the cable tighter. Turn it half a turn at a time, then squeeze the lever to test the feel.
• To loosen a tight cable (brakes are too grabby): Turn the barrel adjuster clockwise (screwing it in). This slackens the cable.

Step 3: Centring Rim Brakes (V-Brakes)

If one brake pad is rubbing on the rim while the other is far away, your brakes are off-centre. This is a common issue with a simple fix. Look at your V-brake arms. At the base of each arm, near where it mounts to the frame, you'll find a small Phillips head screw. These are the centring or tension screws.

These screws adjust the spring tension on each arm, pulling it toward or away from the rim.

• If the right pad is rubbing: Tighten the screw on the right brake arm a quarter-turn clockwise. This increases spring tension and pulls the arm away from the rim. You may need to loosen the left screw slightly as well.
• If the left pad is rubbing: Tighten the screw on the left brake arm.

Make small adjustments and spin the wheel to check your progress. The goal is to have both pads an equal distance from the rim (about 1-2mm on each side).

Step 4: Adjusting Rim Brake Pad Position

Brake pads must strike the rim flat and square in the middle of the braking surface. They should not touch the tyre (which can cause a blowout) or hang off the bottom of the rim (which reduces power).

Use a 5mm Allen key to loosen the bolt holding the brake pad. The pad is mounted on a concave/convex washer system that allows it to pivot in any direction. Wiggle the pad into the correct position: centred on the rim's braking track and aligned with the curve of the rim. While holding the pad firmly in place, tighten the Allen bolt securely. Repeat for all four pads.

Step 5: Centring a Mechanical Disc Brake Caliper

If your disc brake is rubbing, the caliper itself may be misaligned. This is a very common adjustment. First, spin the wheel and listen carefully to identify if the rubbing is constant or happens at one specific spot. If it's at one spot, your rotor may be bent and need truing (an advanced job). If it's constant, the caliper needs centring.

1. Slightly loosen the two main bolts that hold the brake caliper to the frame or fork. Use an Allen key. Loosen them just enough so the caliper can wiggle from side to side.
2. Squeeze the corresponding brake lever firmly and hold it down. This action grabs the rotor and automatically centres the caliper over it.
3. While still holding the brake lever tight, carefully re-tighten the two caliper bolts. Tighten them incrementally, alternating between the top and bottom bolt a little at a time to ensure the caliper doesn't shift.
4. Release the brake lever and spin the wheel. The rubbing should be gone. If not, you may need to make tiny manual adjustments by eye.

Step 6: Adjusting Mechanical Disc Brake Pads

Unlike hydraulic brakes which self-adjust for pad wear, mechanical disc brakes need manual adjustment. As pads wear down, the lever pull gets longer. Most mechanical calipers have a way to adjust the position of one or both pads.

• Inboard Pad (Spoke Side): There is often a dial or a small Allen bolt on the inside of the caliper. Turning this moves the inner pad closer to or further from the rotor. Adjust it so the pad is as close as possible to the rotor without rubbing when the wheel spins.
• Outboard Pad (Frame Side): The position of the outer pad is primarily controlled by cable tension. If you've adjusted the inboard pad and the lever still feels loose, use the barrel adjuster (Step 2) or reset the cable tension (Step 7) to bring the outer pad closer.

The goal is to have the pads sitting very close to the rotor, giving you a short and firm lever feel.

Step 7: Resetting the Brake Cable Tension (Major Adjustment)

If the barrel adjuster is already wound all the way out and your brakes are still loose, you need to reset the cable at the pinch bolt. This is a more significant adjustment for both rim and disc brakes.

1. First, screw the barrel adjuster(s) almost all the way in (clockwise), leaving one full turn for fine-tuning later.
2. Locate the pinch bolt. This is the Allen bolt on the brake caliper or arm that clamps the brake cable. Loosen it just enough to allow the cable to slide through.
3. For rim brakes, squeeze the brake pads against the rim with one hand. For disc brakes, push the actuator arm on the caliper to engage the pads. This removes all the slack.
4. With your other hand, use pliers to pull the end of the brake cable taut.
5. While holding the pads against the rim/rotor and pulling the cable taut, re-tighten the pinch bolt securely.
6. Release everything. Squeeze the brake lever. It should now feel much firmer. Use the barrel adjuster for the final fine-tuning.