Last week, the rear brakes on my bike went out. Since it has hydraulic disc brakes, I didn’t want to mess with it and try and fix it myself. Thankfully my mom was in town (more on that later), so she was able to conduct my bike to Wheelworks in Belmont without me riding a couple of miles with barely functional brakes.
For $40 in labor, I was able to get the diagnosis that the rear rack on my back had shoved the brake caliper out of alignment, so that the pad was just rubbing against the disc instead of gripping it against the other pad.
Apparently the “works on all models and configurations of Trek bikes” rack that the salesman at Penn Cycle selected for me was not intended to be mounted around a disc brake assembly. The mechanics at Penn Cycle (back in Minnetonka, Minnesota) helpfully installed it anyway.
I do know what the problem is, so I’d be able to fix it myself if it happens again (although the Wheelworks guy claims he stabilized the rack). I think I should probably get one of the rear racks that is designed to mount around a disc brake assembly.
Although the guy on the phone was not very helpful, I’m hoping a letter to the manager will get my $40 back. I’ll probably install the rear rack on my sister’s back, since she wanted one anyway, and since her bike does not have disc brakes.
Nurd Up!