Shuangye ebike
Enhancing Electric Bike Brakes: Tips to Increase Brake Power
The two most important safety factors for e-bikes are helmets and brakes. Your question about how to increase the braking power of an e-bike is a very necessary one, especially because of e-bikes.
There are many differences between e-bikes and regular bicycles, and one of the most obvious differences is the weight of an e-bike. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss the most important steps that must be taken in order to increase the braking strength of an e bike.
You may have read or heard of the term “ebike special brakes”, but what does it mean? Does it mean that e-bike brakes are different from regular bikes?
Generally speaking, manufacturers pair standard off-road levers with downhill calipers to create e-bike-specific brakes. Downhill calipers typically consist of four canisters, meaning they employ four pistons to enhance braking performance. This design necessitates larger pads with more contact with the rotor to ensure efficient heat dissipation.
Now let’s explain what is the most important information you should know about each braking component in order to increase the braking power of your ebike.
1. Rotor size issues
As we mentioned in the previous section, manufacturers use larger e-bike brake pads to improve control. Therefore, having a larger rotor size is beneficial, especially when riding a 29-inch fat tire e-bike.
This will ensure heat dissipation and help you control your e-bike better.
2 – Brake pads
There are two main types of brake pads:
1- Sintered (some call them metal)
This type lasts longer but is considered slightly less efficient than the organic type.By that I mean less effective because it doesn’t feel the bite when you hit the brakes. But on the other hand, this type is great if you want to ride your bike in muddy or wet areas.
If you have metal pads, watch out for glass.Glazing means that the top surface of the pad will become shiny from heat, which can vibrate on the rotor and weaken the brakes
2 – Resin (organic)
This type is the most effective and will make you feel more in control of your e-bike, but the downside is that it performs quickly in wet or muddy areas.
What do you do if your e-bike brake pads have glass?
While organic pads aren’t as shiny as metal pads, you can tap them with sandpaper or you can put them in water and rub them together.
Once this shiny surface is gone, you’re ready to go!
Things you shouldn’t do with e bike brake pads.
There are some common mistakes some people make when they think their brake pads might not be working.
I will list some of the main mistakes you should avoid.
1-Avoid leaving the pads in e-bike cleaner overnight, it doesn’t help!
2- Avoid putting them in any type of oil as this can lead to total damage.
3- Avoid burning them, it won’t work.
If you feel that your brake pads are not working properly, the only advice I can give you is to replace them as your safety always comes first.
3- Caliper alignment is very important for high performance.
Caliper alignment is one of the most important ways to improve the braking performance of your electric bicycle.
The goal of caliper alignment is to ensure that the caliper is perfectly centered and that all pistons are working effectively on the rotor.
How to align the calipers on an electric bike?
1- Loosen both adapters
2- Make sure the rotor is perfectly centered
3- Push the lever to see how the pistons work
4- Tighten the adapters once you feel the performance of the brake when using the lever.
4 Joystick settings will affect the braking performance of your e bike.The position of the joystick can be chosen according to your comfort level, but is there a preferred position to get better performance from your brakes?
In fact, it depends more on the position of your body than the position of the lever.For example, if you lower the lever below the handlebars, your body will lean forward significantly, which will definitely affect braking performance.
5 – Check your e-bike tires
Worn-out or replacement-needed brake pads on your e-bike will undoubtedly affect braking performance. Therefore, ensure you proactively check the quality of your e-bike wheels to maintain optimal performance.
6- Check your e-bike brake lines.
Cutting the brake lines will negatively impact brake performance, and if the lines become rusted, it will also affect the brakes. To ensure better braking performance, regular cable checks are necessary.
7- Poor braking technique and body position
The way you use your brakes and position your body can be unusual factors that impact brake performance. For instance, if you cannot utilize your weight to grip the tires, braking can become challenging. To achieve optimal brake performance, apply proper pressure on the brakes. Additionally, slight gripping of the brakes may also influence their performance, so try using the lever correctly.
Conclusion
Generally, you can increase the power of your e-bike brakes by using larger sized rotors and organic brake pads, you also need to make sure that the brake calipers are properly aligned.
On the other hand, you also need to check the position of your e-bike control levers, check the brake lines and make sure that your e-bike tires are not purple or worn. And use the right braking technique to maximize braking performance.