V-Brake cable sticking to noodle sleeve

[C R]

Hi all, I wonder if you could advise on a problem I have been having with my rear brake.

I have V-Brakes, and lately the rear brake cable seems to stick on to the noodle sleeve, so that the arms return very slowly to the open position. I first thought it was a problem with the inner cable, so I put a new one, but it started doing the same after just a couple of miles. I was looking to see if I could get a new sleeve, but from what I can see I would need a whole new noodle set.

I don't mind getting a new noodle set, as they are cheap, but I'd rather understand the problem first.

Any suggestions?

Thank you for your help.

 

[gom]

Noodles strike me as a bit short to cause serious sticking, but could be. In my experience there comes a time when you just have to replace the cable & all the sleeving.
With cable disconnected at both ends, do both the brakes and the brake lever move freely? Does the cable move freely in all sections of sleeve? Is the spring on the brakes still strong enough?

 

[C R]

@gom, thank you for your reply.

Would you expect to need to replace cables and noodles after only 800 miles?

With the cable disconnected both the brakes and the levers are free. I connected everything without the sleeve, and it works fine, but if I add the sleeve, the cable sticks. Is it ok to run the brake without the sleeve at all?

 

[gom]

I’m guessing here, but noodles are exposed and so could be deformed a little but enough to affect braking.
However it sounds like you have isolated the fault to the noodle, so surely best to replace?
800miles doesn’t seem far for ordinary wear and tear, but obviously one could write off an entire bike within 1mile with a bit of bad luck.

 

[C R]

I’m guessing here, but noodles are exposed and so could be deformed a little but enough to affect braking.
However it sounds like you have isolated the fault to the noodle, so surely best to replace?
800miles doesn’t seem far for ordinary wear and tear, but obviously one could write off an entire bike within 1mile with a bit of bad luck.

Just to clarify, the noodles seem to be ok, it is the plastic sleeve inside the noodle that the cable sticks to. These are original Shimano brakes, so I was expecting them to last for a good while. My concern with replacing the sleeves without knowing why it happened is that it will happen again soon.

 

[iluvmybike]

Squirt some lube down the plastic tube of the noodle

 

[raleighnut]

^^^^^+1 , or some grease.

 

[gom]

If lube and a thorough cleaning don’t work, you do seem to have exhausted the possibilities. If it were me I’d go to an LBS, but then I’m spoilt for choice- not so everywhere alas. Sometimes an experienced person will just know. You may have been unlucky or, as you say, there may be a problem that will affect a new one if fitted.

Sorry no definitive answer here.

 

[C R]

Thanks everyone, is it possible to buy the sleeves on their own? Otherwise I will just get a new noodle and put a couple of drops of oil in the sleeve before feeding the cable through. Hopefully that will fix it.

 

[C R]

[QUOTE 5144312, member: 45"]Are you sure it's not to do with the bend of the cable outer between the top tube guide and the noodle? Sometimes if this is "bent" the wrong way then it can drag.[/QUOTE]

I can feel the cable drag in the liner by hand, without the liner the cable moves freely in the outer/noodle assembly.

 

[C R]

Thanks all, new noodle on order. Any suggestions about lubricant? Chain oil, bearing grease ...