Bicycle disc rotor
Replace a Bicycle Disc Brake Rotor
Center-lock and 6-bolt rotor swap. Covers lockring direction, T25 bolts in a star pattern, and the pad-spread you need before the new rotor will fit.
Before you start
- Never put chain lube on a rotor. Degrease the new one before the first squeeze.
- 6-bolt rotors use a star pattern, not a circle. Uneven torque warps them immediately.
- If the old rotor was oily, the pads are done too.
Tools
- Cassette lockring tool or T25 Torx
- Wrench or torque wrench
- Rotor-only grease on the lockring
- Plastic tire lever to spread pads
Parts
Rotor · Lockring or 6 bolts · Pads (if contaminated)
- 01
Wheel out, pads spread
Wheel off the bike. Gently push the pads back into the caliper so the new rotor can enter. Do not squeeze the lever with the wheel out.
- 02
Center-lock or 6-bolt
Center-lock: lockring tool, note the direction marked on the ring. 6-bolt: T25, loosen in a star, then out. The rotor only fits one way — rotation arrows point forward.
- 03
Seat the new rotor
Arrows matching rotation. Center-lock: grease the lockring threads only, not the rotor. 6-bolt: start all six by hand, then star-torque to the rotor spec (usually 4–6 Nm).
- 04
Wheel in and align
Wheel fully seated in the dropouts. If the caliper rubs, do the hydraulic align sheet — do not bend the new rotor to meet a crooked caliper.
- 05
Bed-in
Ten controlled hard stops from moderate speed. New rotors and pads glaze in; skipping this is the squeal you will chase later.
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