Replacing Brakes - Question

[davebrien]

I own a trek hybrid bike with V style brakes.

I recently changed my brake pads, and the back pads give me an issue.

Applying them works, but after I release the handle bar brake, the mechanism that houses the pads doesn't open again, leaving the brakes closed onto the rim. I can return them by gently touching them.

Any advice on what is wrong here? I suppose it has something to do with the cables. The bike is rather worn and I have been advised to do a major service (I am hesitant to spend money on it right now).

Also - please can someone advise of a reliable, cheap maintenance shop in London?

 

[spandex]

1st Welcome to CC

Have a look at the pads are they in line with the rim? do they touch the tyres, are the springs attached.

 

[spandex]

That's if they was working fine before you changed the pads?

 

[davebrien]

Thanks for the reply.

The brakes were working beforehand, but they were extremely worn out.

Initially, they are in line with the rims with about a 1-2mm gap. Applying them results in them touching down squarely, but they don't return to the 1-2mm gap. I imagine that if I ride it like this, the wheel turning will move them slightly away (haven't tested it yet).

And as for springs - I'm not sure what you mean but I changed the front brakes the same way and they work nicely.

 

[palinurus]

The most likely cause is the cables sticking somewhere in the cable outers, new cables may well sort it out, grease them before fitting into the outers.

When you replaced the pads did you remove the brake arms from the bike for some reason? if so you may have changed the spring tension setting when replacing.

 

[davebrien]

I unscrewed the bolt behind the pad and replace it with the new pads that came with their own exact same bolt. I also adjusted the place where the steel cable is screwed into the "arms" that hold the brake pads, along with the little screws that move the brake pads close to the rim or away from the rim when resting.

It may be relevant that for the front brakes, adjusting these little screws DID have an effect on moving the brake pads close to and away from the rim by a millimeter or two, but for the back ones I struggled to get the pads to come to the suggested resting position of 1-2mm away from the rim.

 

[davebrien]

solved

- solved -

I have fixed the issue which was caused by frayed cables not wanting to slide easily through the housing mechanism for the brake.

Thanks all!