Bad breaks

[Ombah]

I have a mountain bike with disc breaks. Lately their performance has been really bad so i decided to change the break blocks (don't know if that's the correct name of it...) but it didn't get much better. What can be the problem? Should i clean the discs with something?

[vCLaW]

This may depend on what make /model of brakes you are using, worth checking.
The discs shouldn't need cleaning, unless you have somehow got oil / grease / brake fluid on them. If they do need cleaning, you can buy proper disc brake cleaning fluid, or something like isopropyl alcohol or methylated spirits should work. Though don't get any of the cleaning fluid on the pads, it will probably wreck them. If its just mud/dirt on the discs, then just wash it off with water.

Assuming they are hydraulic disc brakes, replacing the fluid and bleeding the brakes may help. Some makes of disc brakes are easy to bleed, others not so much. You can buy the kit and fluid to do it yourself, or it shouldn't cost much to get it done at a decent bike shop.

[Ombah]

This is my bike. <-- click
So you can't just do some homemade cleaning with fluid detergent and water?

[vCLaW]

Some detergents will leave a residue on the discs, which might be oily and affect braking.
I see that bike has Hayes mechanical disc brakes. So that stuff about brake fluid doesn't apply. The brake cables might be damaged/dirty, so replacing them might help.

I don't know much about Hayes mechanical disc brakes, but I've heard they're not much good. If using the bike for proper mountain biking, I would consider replacing them with something better. eg Shimano Deore or Magura Julie are decent hydraulic disc brakes, and not too expensive.

[FormicaLinoleum]

Aw, I thought this was going to be a thread to swap broken bone stories!

[Mr. Cleetus]

[quote="FormicaLinoleum"]Aw, I thought this was going to be a thread to swap broken bone stories!

[Herbsman]

Take it to your local biek shop