Rim brakes don’t suck, you just need to do these 7 things

Make rim brakes good again
(Image credit: Will Jones)

Rim brakes have declined in their usage in recent times. Pro bikes through to entry-level models come with disc brakes of one sort or another, and commuter bikes too have made the switch too in order to reap the benefits of better braking in the wet, greater reliability, and lower maintenance. 

Rim brakes aren’t bad though; this is a hill I’m willing to die on. My relatively new custom light tourer still runs rim brakes, as does my own road bike. With a few tweaks to your setup, along with some basic cleanliness, you too can have rim brakes that feel great to ride, and can still stop you effectively.

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Will Jones
Tech Writer

Will joined the Cyclingnews team as a reviews writer in 2022, having previously written for Cyclist, BikeRadar and Advntr. There are very few types of cycling he's not dabbled in, and he has a particular affection for older bikes and long lasting components. Road riding was his first love, before graduating to racing CX in Yorkshire. He's been touring on a vintage tandem all the way through to fixed gear gravel riding and MTB too. When he's not out riding one of his many bikes he can usually be found in the garage tinkering with another of them, or getting obsessive about tyres. Also, as he doesn't use Zwift, he's our go-to guy for bad weather testing... bless him.

Rides: Custom Zetland Audax, Bowman Palace:R, Peugeot Grand Tourisme Tandem, Falcon Explorer Tracklocross, Fairlight Secan & Strael