Sticky brakes

[skull-candy18]

My brakes seem to be sticking making it hard to push the bike.
As it has been stood for a while is it a case of riding it to free them up or should I take the calipers off and push the pistons back?

With my cars I usually just take the caliper off and pop the piston out and clean it up and put a new seal on, not too sure about bikes though.

Thanks

[cal]

Pistons might be a bit sticky with lack of use? try opening the bleed nipple a touch to let a tiny bit of fluid out, this should relieve the pressure, and let the wheel turn free, check it after a ride though to make sure its not keeping stuck on, a good way to loose your fingerprints would be to touch the disc after a ride HOT HOT HOT

[guysie99]

Do you have blue spots or stock? I found this sick post by Fung. Search "Blue spot maintenance guide" to find it. I intend to do it next pad change. prob could work with stock too...

[Silver]

If you ride it with sticking pistons you have a good chance of warping a disc. Much better to get the calipers serviced. Minimum undo the calipers from bike, push pistons out till you see clean piston showing, clean all the crud off with plastic pan shiner (ask your mum) then re lube with red brake grease, push pistons back in reassemble.
Dave

[skull-candy18]

Thanks for the advice, ordered some red grease so will get cracking on that.

One more quick question, with blue spot calipers, which disc's do I use ? Or do you use them with the trx disc's?

[cal]

standard discs, straight swap,

[brenyw]

Usually 2 causes of brakes dragging
1. Dirt on the piston - clean of using a paddlepop stick or old toothbrush
2. Stuffed brake hose - usually a bit of rubber comes loose inside due to age and it can act like a 1 way valve - replace.