maintenance ! pah!

[Blodwyn Pig]

 Thought I'd adjust Olive's brakes (Tektro Spyres) as the levers were quite (VERY) close the the bars when used in ernest. I fettled, and fiddled, but could not improve the situation.  Hmm! I thought, wonder what the pads are like. ( front and rear) ........Oooopps!  What pads!   they had virtually disappeared. happened to have 2 sets of new semi metallic pads in stock, so fitted them, readjusted all and sundry, now I have proper brakes again, with only a limited amount of lever travel ,and without the brakes binding.  Yippee!  So folks, when you run out of adjustment, it means its fooked.

[fd3]

When I moved back to the UK I ran a bike with that lack of brake pads for a couple months before I took it in to the LBS for a service.  I have since learnt bicycle maintenance, but at the time I had just about learnt to fix a puncture (and that you don't need to replace the wheel if you get a puncture).

[T42]

Semi-metallic is better than 100% metallic.