Screeching front brake

[rok-the-boat]

My front disk brake works fine at speed but when coming to a standstill from about 10km/h it emits a loud screeeeeeching sound that causes everyone to look my way. The pads are fine. It has always done it. My thought is that it is the pads - they came with the bike. I have never had this on any other bike. Any ideas?

[vifferman]

Get the wife on the back to drown the noise out.


Or take the pads out, and clean 'em up with some sandpaper and/or brake cleaner. They're probably glazed. Check the 'anti-squeal' shims on the back of the pads too - if they're there...

[vagrant]

Or take the pads out, and clean 'em up with some sandpaper and/or brake cleaner. They're probably glazed. Check the 'anti-squeal' shims on the back of the pads too - if they're there...

You could also try some dry film spray lube on the rear of the pads.

[Roj]

Usually a sign of worn or glazed pads,

How many Ks has the bike done, is the any feed back in the brake lever?

when going slow, very gently apply the brakes till they only just start to bite, do they contact then not? may have a slight warp in the disk

[peasea]

You could start by cleaning everything with Brakleen.

If the pads are ok and the disk is flat, with neither being glazed up, you could try applying some high-temp silicone to the rear of the pads, effectively 'gluing' them to the caliper pistons. When the piston retracts, so do the pads, eliminating the 'flutter' when you re-apply the brake. (Assuming the pistons are retracting as they should. Maybe bleed the brakes also, get some fresh fluid in there and check that the pistons are free.) Apply a dab of 'copper-slip', or similar high-temp, anti sieze compund to the edges of the pad's metal backing, where it contacts the caliper. This also makes the pads slide easier in the caliper. Using all the tips that people have offered I'm sure you'll get to the bottom of it.