How To Stop The E-Bike Brakes From Squeaking: A Detailed Guide

Fixing squeaking e-bike brakes is a simple process.
After completing the following steps, you will not be bothered by the squeaking sound of the brakes:
1. Check which brake.
2. Wipe the disc brake.
3. Replace the brake pads.
Want to learn more about brake squeaks? Continue reading below!

Nowadays, most people like to commute by e-bike, but what moment makes you want to scream when you ride the bike? Besides the battery getting out of power, I think it might be the squeak of your brakes when you're taking a leisurely ride on an e-bike. And today I'm going to show you why your brakes squeak and how to stop the e-bike brakes from squeaking and how to make sure they don't squeak anymore.

Why do electric bike brakes squeak?

Disc brake or the brake pad is dirty

When you ride through muddy roads or puddles, there may be dust or water stains stuck to the disc brake rotor or the brake pad of your e-bike, and when you brake the bike it will squeal.
In addition, when you maintain your e-bike chain, you may accidentally get the chain maintenance oil on the disc brake rotor, and oil stains are also the main culprit for brake squeaking.

The brake pads are thinned or damaged

When you ride for more than a certain amount of time, brake pads will get thinner or wear out completely. Generally, the brake pads will become thinner after more than one year of use, depending on what terrain you use and how you use the brakes. If you always ride in mountainous terrain or downhill, the brake pads will consume faster while it is slower when riding on flat ground. When it is completely worn out, the outer iron sheet or plastic of the brake pad will rub against the disc brake rotor of the electric bicycle, and therefore, it will squeak.

Improper installation of brake pads

When your brake pads are not installed properly, it can cause them to rub against other components.

How To Stop The E-Bike Brakes From Squeaking

List of Tools

Complete the following operations, you need to prepare:
1. Grease cleaner or alcohol
2. Paper or towel
3. Hexagon socket screwdriver
4. Brake pads (if needed)
The time it will take to solve it: 5 minutes

Check which brake is to blame

It is very simple to judge whether there is a problem with the front brake or the rear brake. You only need to test the left brake and the right brake separately during riding. When you press the left side and there is a sound, then there is a problem with the front brake of the electric bike. On the contrary, if there is a squeaking sound when you press the right side, it means that there is a problem with the rear brake. If the sound occurs on both sides, you need to fix both front and rear.

Wipe the disc brake and the brake pads

Use a clean paper or towel to wipe off the stains on the disc brake rotor, and use alcohol if possible.
If the brake pads are still thick, just dirty, you only need to clean them, if it has become thin, you need to replace them. You should clean the brake pads with a degreasing cleaner. By the way, what you need to pay attention to is when you take the brake pads out for cleaning, make sure to wait for them to dry before assembling them back.

Replace the brake pads

After you wipe the disc brake rotor, if you still find that the squeaking sound is still there, what you need to do is to replace the brake pads. There are a lot of people who might worry about screwing it up, but it's simple enough that you can do it yourself, which will save you money on repairs.
Replacing the front brake pads and rear brake pads is the same step. You can go to the bike shop and buy the pads, or if you bought the e-bike online, their after-sales service support send you the pads, which is great.
You can check out the video below to learn how to replace brake pads.

After you replace the e-bike brake pads, you can start your riding tour.

Summarize

To stop your e-bike from squeaking brakes, follow these steps and you'll be able to fix it and enjoy a leisurely ride. Don't dismiss it as a hassle, as it's important to ride comfortably.
You can leave your thoughts in the comments, and if you like this article, please share it.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between mechanical disc brakes and hydraulic disc brakes? Are the steps to replace the brake pads the same?

A: The sensitivity of the hydraulic brake is higher, and the maintenance is complicated, but correspondingly, the cost is high. Mechanical disc brakes are the opposite. If you want to learn more, check out Mechanical Disc Brakes Vs. Hydraulic Disc Brakes.
Regardless of whether it is a hydraulic brake or a mechanical disc brake, the steps to replace the brake pads are the same.

Q: Electric bike brakes are not sensitive, how can I adjust it?

A: When the brakes of your bike are not sensitive, you must adjust them immediately. First, adjust the barrel adjusters on the brake lever, and then adjust the brake line. You can check out the Real-Deal Guide to learn how to adjust bike brakes.