When buying an electric scooter online, many people prioritize safety. Electric scooter brakes are one of the electric scooter parts that keep you safe on the road. Using good brakes will help prevent accidents and collisions. Disc brakes are one of the most commonly used brakes on electric scooters, providing a strong stopping force when you stop. If you want to buy an electric scooter equipped with disc brakes, this article will let you learn more about disc brakes, how they work, and how to adjust disc brakes.
How it works
Disc brakes consist of a brake rotor and a caliper that attaches to the rotor. A piston is located inside the caliper, and when you activate the brake lever via a cable, the piston comes into contact with the brake pad, creating a force that rubs against the rotor. Pressing the lever causes the caliper to push the piston, which in turn comes into contact with the brake pad, stopping your scooter.
Brake discs are made of stainless steel and have long-term durability, but the brake pads will be subjected to a lot of friction and generate a lot of heat, which will cause the brake pads to wear. Por lo tanto, the brake pads need to be checked and replaced regularly.
Advantages
- Widely used and well known, the brake system of choice.
- Easy to adjust and repair with rich resources and parts.
- Provides powerful braking performance and, more importantly, easily modulated sensitivity to control your ride.
- Very common, usually mass produced
- Widely used, they are a tried and tested brake system with proven reliability in all conditions.
Disadvantages
- Maintenance is required and the brake pads may need to be replaced, which is common for high-performance mechanical brakes.
How to adjust disc brakes
- If you start to hear some grinding or rubbing noises from the tire, the brake disc may be rubbing against the brake pads or tire, and it’s time to adjust the disc brakes.
- If the brakes lack bite, it’s time to tighten the calipers. Before you consider replacing the brake pads, if the pads are not worn, a simple tightening is necessary.
- Use an Allen wrench to adjust the position of the brake pads until they no longer contact the brake disc.
When should brake pads be replaced
- If you start to hear some grinding or rubbing noises from the tire, the brake disc may be rubbing against the brake pads or tire, and it’s time to adjust the disc brakes.
- Measure the thickness of the brake pads with a caliper. The thickness of the brake pads should be at least 1 milímetro, if it is less than that, the brake pads should be replaced.
- If the pads look too old or worn, consider replacing them.
- It is generally recommended to replace the brake pads between 500 y 1000 km of driving (excluding city use). If you only drive in the city, you may need to replace them between 200 km and 500 km, depending on your driving style. Light and long braking will wear out the brake pads faster.
How to properly adjust mechanical disc brakes
- Remove the 2 caliper retaining screws located on the back of the caliper.
- Insert an Allen wrench into the screw holes on the back of the caliper, turn each screw a quarter turn counterclockwise until there is a 1mm gap between the brake pad and the electric scooter’s brake rotor.
- Replace the brake caliper onto its bracket, but do not fully tighten the 2 retaining screws.
Hold the brake lever of the electric scooter firmly and tighten the 2 caliper bracket fixing screws completely. - Before riding again, do some test runs, first at low speed and then gradually at higher speeds, and check whether the brake system is adjusted correctly. The tires should spin easily and quietly.
- Loosen the knobs on the brake lever and caliper.
Conclusión
Disc brakes on electric scooters can provide strong braking force and accurate control, allowing riders to slow down or stop more easily. Even on wet roads, it can maintain good braking effect, providing riders with a safer riding experience. Además, disc brakes are easy to adjust, upgrade and replace, providing riders with more convenient maintenance and care. If you want to know more about disc brakes on electric scooters, you can check out Geekbuying’s blog for more guides, tips and latest news on electric scooters.