brakes seizing in cold weather

[flaco]

Rode down from Wiltshire on the first day of the freeze-up. Noticeable resistance from brakes while manoeuvring bike from parking-space and stopping at lights through town. After a little bit of town use, though, they freed up and were fine for the rest of the 200 mile journey. I however froze my arse off.
Same  thing happened when I had to use the bike last week- initial seizing followed by freeing-up after a few stops and starts.
Is this caused by metal expansion in the extreme cold? The bike is kept in a covered car-bay and the temperature in there was way below zero at night. We don't do below zero here in Cornwall.

[Nick Calne]

It's just Wiltshire.  It does that sort of thing.  It's the ancient monuments and the crop circles.... :roll:

Next time just pull in and I'll give you the magic anti-jinx potion.  A bacon sarny and a hairdryer to defrost the brakes.

[Bixxer Bob]

I think not metal expansion as it shrinks with the cold, expands if it gets hot.

There are lots of things it could be though:

Pistons partial seizing in the calipers - are they crudded up?

Pad retaining pins and pads foating freely - again, are they crudded up?

Floating caliper guide (under the rubber boot) - is water getting in and freezing?

Pads sticking to the discs if it's been put aaway wet?

All of the above get worse if there's salt involved.... :roll:

[flaco]

Thanks Bob- physics was never my strong point. The pistons and callipers have been cleaned up recently. I think you might be right about water getting in there and freezing, though. I'll check.
Thanks for the offer, Nick. I'm not planning on coming up to Wiltshire until the temperature rises, when I'll visit my old mum in Chippenham and maybe give you a shout. You also might have a point- I did spend some time wandering round Avebury while I was there.
Thanks, both.