How To... Adjust V-Brakes

The chances are if you are rocking a mountain or hybrid bike without disk brakes - then you have V-brakes - which accounts for a huge chunk of the bikes out there. It's a simple, robust and easy to adjust system, so if your brakes feel a bit spongy, rub on one side, or need a heroic squeeze before anything happens, then you're in luck as they can be back to their best in a few easy steps. So grab a 5 mm Allen key, a small screwdriver and a bit of patience and settle down to our latest blog. Your V-brakes will be pin-sharp in no time!

Start with the brake pads

The pads should hit the flat braking surface of the rim — not the tyre, and not hanging below the rim - this can take a bit of practise but is easy to get the hang of. Squeeze the brake lever and watch where each pad lands. If one is too high, too low or angled strangely, loosen the pad fixing bolt (as pictured) just enough that you can move it by hand.

Line the pad up so it sits squarely on the rim, with the full face of the pad making contact. A tiny bit of 'toe-in' can help stop squealing: set the front edge of the pad just a fraction closer to the rim than the back edge. Once it looks right, tighten the bolt while holding the pad steady so it doesn’t twist out of place.

Set the cable tension

Next, check how far the brake lever pulls. Ideally, the pads should bite firmly before the lever gets anywhere near the handlebar - as your brake pads wear, the lever will get closer and closer to the bar. If this is the case, more cable tension is required and there are two ways to do this. For small tweaks, turn the barrel adjuster located on the brake lever anti-clockwise to take up slack. If you go too far and the pads rub on the rim, turn it back clockwise a touch until you are happy.

If the barrel adjuster is already wound a long way out, dial it most of the way back in, then loosen the cable clamp bolt on top of the brake arm as pictured. Pull the cable through until the pads sit nice and close to the rim (around 1–2 mm away is a good starting point) then tighten the clamp bolt again until secure. Give the lever a few squeezes to settle everything, then fine-tune pad position with the barrel adjuster.

Balance the spring tension

V-brakes have a small spring tension screw on each brake arm as pictured. These screws help centre the brake so both pads sit the same distance from the rim and pull away evenly when you release the lever - this is a critical point and often overlooked!

Spin the wheel and look for rubbing. If the left pad is sitting too close to the rim, increase tension on the left side by turning its screw clockwise, or reduce tension on the right side by turning that screw anti-clockwise. Make small quarter-turn adjustments, squeeze the lever, then check again. The aim is simple: both pads should move in together and spring back evenly.

Final check before you ride

Once everything looks centred, give the wheel a good spin, pull the brake firmly a few times whilst rolling your bike forward. The lever should feel positive, the pads should hit the rim cleanly and at the same time, plus the wheel should spin freely when the brake is released. If the pads are badly worn, the cable is frayed, or the brake still feels weak after adjustment, it’s worth replacing parts or asking a good bike shop to take a look.

It's as simple as that! A small tune-up can make a big difference. Properly adjusted V-brakes give you more control, more confidence and, most importantly, a much better chance of stopping exactly when you want to every time.

If you can't quite get perfect braking, then drop into Bike Hero’s Chertsey workshop anytime and one of our friendly mechanics would be happy to walk you through any of these steps to help you get brakes perfectly dialled and pin-sharp.