Adjusting V Brake Pad Clearance With A Quick Grip

With the worst of the snow and mud behind me, I decided it was time for new brake pads, housing, and cables. Here’s a trick I used today that I’d like to share with you.

Getting perfect brake pad clearance is easy to do if you have a third hand. I like to use a Quick Grip for this application. Quick Grips are easy to find at your local hardware store, and come in handy for a variety of tasks.

Here’s what I do to get perfect V brake pad clearance:

1. With the cable loose, put the Quick Grip on the brake arms, and squeeze them all the way in until the brake pads touch the rim.
2. Next, turn the barrel adjuster up at the brake lever almost all the way out.
3. Going back down to the brake arms, pull the slack out of the cable, and tighten the bolt that holds the cable in place.
4. Remove the Quick Grip. The brake pads should still be touching the rim.
5. Finally, start turning the barrel adjuster on the brake lever back in, backing the pads off the rim. Keep turning the barrel adjuster in until the wheel spins with no rubbing, and the desired lever feel is obtained. The final position of the barrel adjuster is usually almost all the way in. This provides a little room to play with if you decide you need some more slack.