Brake levers

[Bushwacked]

I've got my brakes set up but I've been noticing that it requires a lot of pull / strength to get them to start working. More like the lever is stiff than there is too much cable.

I'm trying to manual and when I feel the bike tipping back, pulling the brake on with some effort makes me lose balance or takes too long. It perhaps doesn't help that I'm used to hydraulic disc brakes which are nice and smooth and light to operate with loads of power - so feathering the brakes is easy.

Just wondering if anyone has some advice on how to change this so the brakes activate with less force. Perhaps change of caliper or lever may help. I've just got some bog standard ones at the moment.

Any advice welcome.

Cheers

[Bushwacked]

Also, can I use V-brakes from my old Mountain bike on a BMX?

Like these:

[JT71]

okay here's my not very expert advice.

1. the springs that tension your brake only need a 1/4 turn max on each arm.
2. grease (not wd40) or oil the inner cables before fitting.
3. v-brakes only fit bikes with v brake mounts which differ from Ad mounts...i think.

[SaMAlex]

okay here's my not very expert advice.

1. the springs that tension your brake only need a 1/4 turn max on each arm.
2. grease (not wd40) or oil the inner cables before fitting.
3. v-brakes only fit bikes with v brake mounts which differ from Ad mounts...i think.

Pretty much spot on there

-The (U brake) springs will need more tension if the cables/lever/caliper aint smooth. Make sure everything runs smooth and nice and you should only need a small amount of spring force to get it all back out again.

-Grease, oil, and more oil. Get them lubed!

- Canti/Vbrake mounts are different from Ubrake mounts AND they are in a different place on the frame. U brake mounts are up near the tire, Canti/V brake mounts are below the rim. You can get bolt on brake plates for U's and V's

[Bushwacked]

This sounds like sound advice - gonna get on it during lunch and see what happens.

[thecrooch]

the only other thing i would add is that i find that old school levers dont pull much cable, i found a new school lever with an old school brake works a lot better, soemthing like a dia compe dirty harry would do (thats what ive used after try tech 3, 4 and 5.....)

[JT71]

the only other thing i would add is that i find that old school levers dont pull much cable, i found a new school lever with an old school brake works a lot better, soemthing like a dia compe dirty harry would do (thats what ive used after try tech 3, 4 and 5.....)

also a lot of pull on old school levers is lost in them "flexing" not all but some defo do.

[JT71]

then this will bring us round to the best lever question again...

it's still probably tech77 wether old, mid or new school. 

[thecrooch]

I'd probably agree with you mate, saw you picked up the nos ones last week you git, nay mind found some minty nos white ones off the bay!

[JT71]

I'd probably agree with you mate, saw you picked up the nos ones last week you git, nay mind found some minty nos white ones off the bay!

if you don't need the locking button new ones are still available cheap.

but I wanted them locking buttons. not that i'll use them but got some mid school stuff going down that they'll be great on.