Hope Tech M4 Brake - Manual (Page 7)

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Lever travel (pad position)
This is the amount of lever travel between the brakes off and on position.
For the Closed 2 brakes this can be set using the screw adjuster on top of
the lever master cylinder (see Figure 4). Screwing clockwise will move the
pads closer to the disc rotor thus reducing lever travel, screwing anti-
clockwise moves the pads away from the disc thus increasing lever travel.
For the Mini and M4 brakes there is no manual adjustment and lever travel
is determined by the piston seals in the caliper body which retract the pads.
When the brake pads have been manually retracted (by pushing the
pistons back into their bores) these calipers will require several pulls of the lever to reset
themselves, during this period the lever may travel all the way to the bars.
2.6. Break in period
Before riding check the correct action of the brake and that braking effort is applied as the lever is
pulled. To achieve the maximum braking effort the new brake pads need bedding in. Bed in the
pads by riding a short distance with the brake applied, it also helps to pour clean water over the
caliper and pads whilst bedding in. This procedure will achieve good braking performance but will
reach its full potential after a few rides.
2.7. On the trail
The Closed 2 brakes
These brakes feature the thumbwheel adjuster (see Figure 4) on the brake lever master cylinder
which is used to adjust the position of the brake pads relative to the disc rotor. Turning clockwise
will move the pads closer to the disc rotor, screwing anti-clockwise moves the pads away from the
disc. There are two situations where adjustment is necessary :
1. Compensating for pad wear. As the pads wear you need to reposition the pads closer to the disc
rotor.
2. Compensating for over heating. Extreme heating of the brake due to long descents with heavy
braking may cause the brake fluid to expand and push the brake pistons (and pads) closer to
the disc in which case you may need to back off the pads using the thumbwheel adjuster, then
readjusting as the brake cools down.
The Mini and M4 brakes
These brakes do not provide any means of manual pad adjustment. They do however feature an
expansion chamber within the brake lever master cylinder which automatically compensates for
pad wear and similarly compensates for fluid expansion as the brake heats up and cools down.
With the caliper correctly centred relative to the disc there should be no disc rub on the Mini and
M4 brakes. Even if there is a slight amount of disc rub it will not slow the bike down in any way and
will not be audible against the ground noise from the tires.
If you remove your wheels from your bicycle take care not to pull the brake levers otherwise the
pistons can pump out. If this happens then simply push the pistons back. If the pistons are so far
out that the pads are touching then you will need to remove the pads in order to get at the pistons.
If you transport your bicycle with the wheels removed then it is advisable to insert a piece of
packing between the pads to keep them in place.
Figure 4