Adjusting brakes
 

I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my bike down due to the resistance from the brake touching the rim.

It's very frustrating.

Thanks,
Andy

Adjusting brakes
 

On 7/18/2020 2:39 AM, AK wrote:
I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my bike down due to the resistance from the brake touching the rim.

It's very frustrating.

Thanks,
Andy


First off, does your rim run straight without dents ? Any
bearing slop?
Secondly are there kinks or other impedimanta to your cable?

Do your brake pads meet the rim squarely and fully or are
they askew?

Is everything original? Mismatch of standard lever with
long pull linear brake would give that symptom.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Adjusting brakes
 

On 7/18/2020 3:39 AM, AK wrote:
I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my bike down due to the resistance from the brake touching the rim.

It's very frustrating.

What are the details? What type of brake, type of brake lever, etc? A
link to some photos would help.

--
- Frank Krygowski

Adjusting brakes
 

On 2020-07-18 05:59, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/18/2020 2:39 AM, AK wrote:
I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my bike
down due to the resistance from the brake touching the rim.

It's very frustrating.

Thanks,
Andy


First off, does your rim run straight without dents ?


I have yet to see that on any well-ridden mountain bike, at least after
the first 100 miles :-)

[...]

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Adjusting brakes
 

On Saturday, 18 July 2020 15:54:11 UTC-4, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-07-18 05:59, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/18/2020 2:39 AM, AK wrote:
I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my bike
down due to the resistance from the brake touching the rim.

It's very frustrating.

Thanks,
Andy


First off, does your rim run straight without dents ?


I have yet to see that on any well-ridden mountain bike, at least after
the first 100 miles :-)

[...]

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

I know you're different from everyone else but my 26" mtb wheels are still straight and I do a LOT of logging/mining road touring on them and with around 40 pounds total of gear, food and water.

Cheers

Adjusting brakes
 

On Sat, 18 Jul 2020 12:54:24 -0700, Joerg wrote:

On 2020-07-18 05:59, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/18/2020 2:39 AM, AK wrote:
I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my bike
down due to the resistance from the brake touching the rim.

It's very frustrating.

Thanks,
Andy


First off, does your rim run straight without dents ?


I have yet to see that on any well-ridden mountain bike, at least after
the first 100 miles :-)

Which is why I've always used steel rims. Aluminium can buckle so badly
that you only have one spoke to 'attempt' to straighten it, where as with
steel, there s usually four spoke you can fiddle with to reduce the
wobble.

[...]

Adjusting brakes
 

On 2020-07-18 14:59, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Saturday, 18 July 2020 15:54:11 UTC-4, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-07-18 05:59, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/18/2020 2:39 AM, AK wrote:
I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my
bike down due to the resistance from the brake touching the
rim.

It's very frustrating.

Thanks, Andy


First off, does your rim run straight without dents ?


I have yet to see that on any well-ridden mountain bike, at least
after the first 100 miles :-)

[...]

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

I know you're different from everyone else but my 26" mtb wheels are
still straight and I do a LOT of logging/mining road touring on them
and with around 40 pounds total of gear, food and water.


Most trails here as slightly different from logging and mining roads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y38JzV-ueXI

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Adjusting brakes
 

On 2020-07-18 16:19, news18 wrote:
On Sat, 18 Jul 2020 12:54:24 -0700, Joerg wrote:

On 2020-07-18 05:59, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/18/2020 2:39 AM, AK wrote:
I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my bike
down due to the resistance from the brake touching the rim.

It's very frustrating.

Thanks,
Andy


First off, does your rim run straight without dents ?


I have yet to see that on any well-ridden mountain bike, at least after
the first 100 miles :-)

Which is why I've always used steel rims. Aluminium can buckle so badly
that you only have one spoke to 'attempt' to straighten it, where as with
steel, there s usually four spoke you can fiddle with to reduce the
wobble.


It would be nice if I could get 29er steel rims. But it's ok, I do not
mind wheels slightly out of true. Even my road bike gets rim dings every
now and then. I true them out only when I feel like it (and that's not
very often).

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Adjusting brakes
 

On Saturday, July 18, 2020 at 7:59:12 AM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/18/2020 2:39 AM, AK wrote:
I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my bike down due to the resistance from the brake touching the rim.

It's very frustrating.

Thanks,
Andy


First off, does your rim run straight without dents ? Any
bearing slop?
Secondly are there kinks or other impedimanta to your cable?

Do your brake pads meet the rim squarely and fully or are
they askew?

Is everything original? Mismatch of standard lever with
long pull linear brake would give that symptom.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Yes to all your questions.

https://imgur.com/a/e61C1L5

https://imgur.com/a/nXBEr1Q

Adjusting brakes
 

On 7/19/2020 2:44 PM, AK wrote:
On Saturday, July 18, 2020 at 7:59:12 AM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
On 7/18/2020 2:39 AM, AK wrote:
I am having a very hard time adjusting my rear brakes.

I have a mountain bike. Low end. :-)

If I adjust it to where it grabs the rim tightly, it slows my bike down due to the resistance from the brake touching the rim.

It's very frustrating.

Thanks,
Andy


First off, does your rim run straight without dents ? Any
bearing slop?
Secondly are there kinks or other impedimanta to your cable?

Do your brake pads meet the rim squarely and fully or are
they askew?

Is everything original? Mismatch of standard lever with
long pull linear brake would give that symptom.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Yes to all your questions.

https://imgur.com/a/e61C1L5

https://imgur.com/a/nXBEr1Q

If you mean "yes" to bearing slop and cable kinks, start there. Fix those.

The portion of cable visible in those photos looks extra long. You may
have similar extra length at brake lever end. Sometimes that can cause
some extra lost motion. Whether or not you correct that by shortening
the cable and housing, you might try lubricating your cables.

Are your brake levers adjustable for reach? Some are. Try that adjustment.

Those brakes themselves are pretty foolproof.

--
- Frank Krygowski