Brakes

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Jmetz

Well-Known Member
I fiddles around as you do whilst away on my bike a few weeks ago. Since this the lever to my brake has become more 'flappy' if you will, with an apparant loss of tension, basically i seem to have to squeeze it a lot to get a response....


What on EARTH have i done, and how can i rectify it please ;)

oh they are the traditional V brakes
 

battered

Guru
Ok some basics.
Are the pads still OK and not worn out?
Still straight and hitting the rim square?
Is the cable still hooked up correctly on the V brakes?
If all this is OK then it's prob just the adjuster. On the lever you will find a barrel adjuster where the cable exits. Screw it out, ie anticlockwise, a couple of turns and see if this helps. There;s a locknut on there too, so when you have the barrel adjusted properly just turn the locknut clockwise against the brake lever and stop things working loose.
 

killiekosmos

Veteran
What sort of bike/brakes do you have? You might not have put everything back in place.

If you have a road bike there may be a little lever at the side of the brakes which eases the blocks away from wheels (helps with wheel removal) might you have moved this?

If you have a hybrid /MTP with V brakes did you unhook the cable at the noodle (the curved bit of shiney tubing near the brakes) thus putting slack into system?
 
OP
OP
Jmetz

Jmetz

Well-Known Member
haha, i havent a clue what i did, although im sure it must be something and nothing as it wasnt significant enough for me to remember, the brake pads are fine in regards to all above questions, its just a lack of resistance in the brake lever.... i shall tinker on....
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
killiekosmos said:
If you have a road bike there may be a little lever at the side of the brakes which eases the blocks away from wheels (helps with wheel removal) might you have moved this?

+1 - known as a 'quick release'. If you are running a Campag setup the brake quick release is activated by a little button on the brake lever, also on some Tektro levers. You may well have operated the release without realising.
 
The OP is running V brakes.

My guess would be one or more of the following if the pads are fine.

The brake cables have stretched,
The brake cable has come loose,
The barrel adjuster have been turned the wrong way.
The brake cable is damaged/ kinked/ dirty and need replaced or lubed.
 

davidad

New Member
youngoldbloke said:
+1 - known as a 'quick release'. If you are running a Campag setup the brake quick release is activated by a little button on the brake lever, also on some Tektro levers. You may well have operated the release without realising.
+1. Worth checking. Some V brake levers do have a QR mechanism.

Jmetz said:
oh they are the traditional V brakes
Traditional? V brakes? I really must be getting old.
 
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