Brakes don’t work

[Lookrider]

There's also a pad adjustment of the inner pad via a hex screw accessed through the spokes ? Turn this hex screw to get the in inner pad almost touching the brake rotor so as the outer pad will jam against this when the lever is pulled

 

[DaveReading]

There's another possibility. The calipers are MTB calipers, so require V brake levers, but the bike has can canti/road levers, which don't pull enough cable.

Good point - my list of possible reasons for not enough pressure being applied to the pads wasn't intended to be exhaustive.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Why do people feel the need to say this?
Is it ego? Setting themselves up for an I told you so!
I got the same comment on one of my first posts sixteen years ago.

It's one of those tiresome CC rituals. It's useful to remind people that the OP hasn't been on the forum for 8 years. But two days? Not so useful.

 

[Electric_Andy]

It's one of those tiresome CC rituals. It's useful to remind people that the OP hasn't been on the forum for 8 years. But two days? Not so useful.

Also worth remembering that not everyone who posts a question (e.g. on their phone) has is set to their favourites or whatever. Or in the meantime they've figured out their problem and forgotten to log back in and tell everyone.

 

[DaveReading]

People posting about their brakes not working are such a bind ...

 

[richardfm]

Were the levers the correct lever type for the cable pull of the brakes? Not discs, but the once we bought a bike from halfords for our son they had put canti levers with v brakes, so the braking was pants. They looked quite embarrassed when I pointed it out.

Many of us use mechanical disc brakes with no issues.

I bought some replacement brake levers from our local Halfords. They said they were for V brakes, but the cable pull was much less than on the ones they were replacing.
When I took them back for a refund they didn't seem to understand the problem even when I showed them.

 

[Dogtrousers]

People posting about their brakes not working are such a bind ...

Keep posting that kind of stuff and you'll get blocked.

 

[DaveReading]

Keep posting that kind of stuff and you'll get blocked.

Sorry, I canti help myself ...

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Keep posting that kind of stuff and you'll get blocked.

Don't be such a whine, man.

 

[Electric_Andy]

come on guys, these sort of comments just cause friction

 

[Webbo2]

Every time I see this thread it starts a Verve ear worm the drugs don’t…………………….

 

[rydabent]

Hello I’m new to this. Have purchased a used Carrera bike for my son. 18” frame mechanical brakes. Brakes don’t work. Have changed pads, rubbed to new coating off them and adjusted everything and the disc just spins and the when brakes applied you hear rubbing and not stopping them. Contacted a local bike specialist who said I should swap to hydraulic brakes as mechanical are useless. Is this true or are they just telling me this to get business and my money?
Thanks

Wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you go hydraulic you just add problems.

 

[Oldhippy]

If hydraulic brakes are set up right there are no issues at all. I had these on a Koga I owned for two years, no bleeding or any problems whatsoever. I did change the pads once, again no issues.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Another shoot and run new member.

@Ming the Merciless on point, albeit quick on the trigger to assess this, only 24 hours after the OP.

Why do people feel the need to say this? Is it ego? Setting themselves up for an I told you so!

Monty - I try to be helpful, but this 'fire and forget' undermines my motivation so to be.
What's your view on whether mechanical disc brakes are pants? Add value.
I am about to move from rim brakes to mechanical discs. This will allow me to stay with my cheap and effective STIs as opposed to hydraulic STIs ?3x as expensive. To mitigate the risk of inadequate performance/adjustment difficulty, I have TRP Spyres to fit.

folks have stuff to do, sometimes a minor project like this goes to the back burner till the weekend.

What I'd be intrigued to know, so I can spot the John Notts who might be here today and be 'gone' by tomorrow (1982 reference), is how you identified them as a "shoot and run " new member so swiftly?
Three weeks on, Pat's 'back burner' must surely be out of fuel.

 

[Oldhippy]

My cable discs on my Tour de Fer are great. They are used by world travelling tourers precisely because they are easily serviceable. Loaded or unloaded they work. Changing pads and cables is simple.