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I know they're supposed to be greased with shimanos special grease. But I've not, for several years because it's my commuter and I'm lazy. The rear brake is now ineffective, and the front pulses and grabs (as grabby as roller brakes can be anyway).
Is it worth greasing them now or are they toast? Should I bite the bullet and spend more on new brakes than a whole OFO bike cost?
Maybe they're just worn and need new brake blocks?
Edit: sorry I'm thinking of drum brakes, probably different to roller wot I know nothing about...
Roller brakes ARE a form of drum brake. They just use a cam and some rollers to actuate the brake shoes.
This is a Shimano Roller Brake, the image is from Sheldon Brown's page.
It has 3 brake shoes - so I assume they can be replaced.
Got to be worth a go for the price of a pot of grease* and an hour** of your time.
*I'm assuming here it's not so special it contains Unobtanium ingredients and also costs more than an OFO bike
**how long does it take to remove the rear wheel? This IMHO can be a problem.
the grease is unobtanially expensive, but you don't need much and if you're replacing them with more roller brakes (I'd assume you have no choice) - then you need some for that set anyway.
when they go grabby the grease helps a lot ime, but the brakes dont last forever. Taking them apart is a bit of a ballache and didn't achieve anything when my set (cargo bike) died. you can't replace any parts on them (but very little wears), just bin the whole thing and bolt on a new one.
you don't need to remove anything to grease them, but keep spinning them as you do it. I've no idea how much grease you're meant to put in, so I just bung "some" in
Cheers, I'll give it a go with some generic workshop grease and see what happens, there's nothing particularly to lose at this point.
you don’t need much and if you’re replacing them with more roller brakes (I’d assume you have no choice)
Yea, annoyingly I googled how to swap them to disks and the useful answer on a forum was "yes it's possible, you just need a new frame, brakes, levers and wheels" 🤣
*I’m assuming here it’s not so special it contains Unobtanium ingredients and also costs more than an OFO bike
The trouble with OFO bikes is that EVERYTHING costs more than an OFO bike as they sell for about £100.
New tyres - could have bought a bike for that
New lights - could have bought a bike for that (upgraded to a rear dyamo light as well which required a new pannier rack too)
New brakes - £50/front £30/rear.
Damn their good value when new 🤣
the grease is unobtanially expensive
It's £15