Bad brakes

TheMilkyPirate

Hey guys,

Have a bike here with terribla brakes and as i've to go down a very steep hill in the morning to get to work i'd appreciate it if someone could help me out here. It's about a year old but has only been cycled a few miles (as in less than 5) So it can't be down to wear. I tried pulling the wire through and tightening the bolt but the brake just slides along the rim if i go anyway fast at all.

Any suggestions?

kenmc

Need more info; type of bike, make of brakes,levers etc

TheMilkyPirate

It's nothing like you guys would be on, It's just a cheap generic mountain bike that you buy in the likes of argos, Has rockway active stickers on the side if that's any help.

There's no name or anything on the brakes, All i know is there just normal lever brakes.

kenmc

baraca wrote: »

It's nothing like you guys would be on, It's just a cheap generic mountain bike that you buy in the likes of argos, Has rockway active stickers on the side if that's any help.

There's no name or anything on the brakes, All i know is there just normal lever brakes.

Oh one of them. You'll be doing well to make the brakes on something like that work, they're a mare to set up. Kona, he's all yours :pac:

kona

baraca wrote: »

It's nothing like you guys would be on, It's just a cheap generic mountain bike that you buy in the likes of argos, Has rockway active stickers on the side if that's any help.

There's no name or anything on the brakes, All i know is there just normal lever brakes.

Congrats, your the owner of a BSO. **** brakes are standard with these, theres not much you can do with them, other than adjust cable tension and align the pads. Even then, they are crap. Take it easy down the hill.

Honestley these bikes should be illegal they are so dangerously ****.

TheMilkyPirate

kona wrote: »

Congrats, your the owner of a BSO. **** brakes are standard with these, theres not much you can do with them, other than adjust cable tension and align the pads. Even then, they are crap. Take it easy down the hill.

Honestley these bikes should be illegal they are so dangerously ****.

I was waiting for this! Ha. I know their useless but they at least stop most of the time this doesn't want to know about it! What's a BSO? Ill adjust the cable tension again and try align the pads see if it makes any difference.

It's just for a few months so i can get in and out to my new job, Save me walking

Dermot Illogical

baraca wrote: »

What's a BSO?

Bicycle-shaped object

kona

baraca wrote: »

I was waiting for this! Ha. I know their useless but they at least stop most of the time this doesn't want to know about it! What's a BSO? Ill adjust the cable tension again and try align the pads see if it makes any difference.

It's just for a few months so i can get in and out to my new job, Save me walking

When you brake do you pull both the levers or just the rear one?

Balancing the spring tension in the arms makes a difference, although if you change the levers to metal ones there will be a big difference.

Holyboy

Sounds to me that your bike just hasn't been set up properly in the first place, even really bad or cheap brakes will work fairly well if set up right, TBH (and I expect an onslaught for this) most of the so called bike mechanics in this country aren't very good at what they do, I've had new bikes come through my hands from very large stores in Dublin that have been set up shockingly even dangerously, I'd search out a good mechanic and have it checked over fully, there's no reason brakes shouldn't work, not even on a 100 euro bike!

TheMilkyPirate

kona wrote: »

When you brake do you pull both the levers or just the rear one?

Balancing the spring tension in the arms makes a difference, although if you change the levers to metal ones there will be a big difference.

Just the rear, The front doesn't work at all i don't think? How do i balance the spring tension??

They are metal levers!

kona

baraca wrote: »

Just the rear, The front doesn't work at all i don't think? How do i balance the spring tension??

They are metal levers!

Theres your problem.

Front will stop you, back just slows you down.

Spring tension is two screws at the side of the brake arms, did you get a manual with the bike? it contains all the info and diagrams.

A brake service costs about a tenner, worth spending to get them done right. (or as best they can)

TheMilkyPirate

kona wrote: »

Theres your problem.

Front will stop you, back just slows you down.

Spring tension is two screws at the side of the brake arms, did you get a manual with the bike? it contains all the info and diagrams.

A brake service costs about a tenner, worth spending to get them done right. (or as best they can)

Would i not go over the handlebars just using the front brake? Obviously not seen as you told me to but you can understand that question from someone who doesn't cycle regularly! It's my nephew's bike i just got a lend so don't have the manual.

Thanks for all your help at least it stops a little now i just tightened the wire again i'll do the front now as well and bring it to my local bike shop tomorrow afternoon.

Tonyandthewhale

Push your weight to the back of the bike while using the front brake and you won't go over the handle-bars. You can use just the front or both front and back if you need to stop suddenly but back brake is just for low grip conditions (gravel, mud etc) and for scrubbing speed really.

If you only have one brake it should be the front brake. More importantly if you only have one brake you shouldn't really be riding around until you get the second one installed (brake cables tend to be about 2 euro, cheapo brake cantilevers can be had for a tenner or so.

kona

baraca wrote: »

Would i not go over the handlebars just using the front brake? Obviously not seen as you told me to but you can understand that question from someone who doesn't cycle regularly! It's my nephew's bike i just got a lend so don't have the manual.

Thanks for all your help at least it stops a little now i just tightened the wire again i'll do the front now as well and bring it to my local bike shop tomorrow afternoon.

Pull the back to slow you, then bring in the front as you want to stop. You go over the front if you grab a load of front brake, just like you skid if you pull a load of rear brake.

Just play around and find where the braking points are and you will get used to it

blorg

On many bikes it is actually quite difficult to throw yourself over the bars, more so than you might think. I can do it on my road bikes and MTB (light bikes with good brakes) but it isn't physically possible on my tourer or commuter.

Correct technique for an emergency stop is to use the front brake until you unweight the back wheel. Then ease off the brake. Repeat until you stop.