Have questions or want to discuss cycling? Join Now or Sign In to participate in the BikeRide community.


Loss of brake cable tension
#1
Hi all,

New member here, been looking to join a cycling forum for some time.

Essentially, I have a problem I have just noticed while refitting my rear wheel after repairing an innertube.

I have tried aligning the rear wheel to make sure there is no rub from the brake pads & that there was no obvious slant. I then applied the brakes and they wouldn't release the wheel. When trying to figure out why I felt the cable on the underside of the crossbar and felt a definite drop in tension. Is there a way to remedy this with simple tools before I get on the bike to ride to work in the morning?

The bike in question is a 2010 Specialized Secteur with the Shimano 105 gears & headset.

Any help at this time of the night would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
  Reply
#2
try taking the wheel off again and latch your brakes and make sure your cables are seated correctly
test the brake movement {without the wheel on}. and see if they function properly.if they do try and put your wheel on again
There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"
  Reply
#3
(04-26-2011, 09:10 PM)painkiller Wrote:  try taking the wheel off again and latch your brakes and make sure your cables are seated correctly
test the brake movement {without the wheel on}. and see if they function properly.if they do try and put your wheel on again

Thanks, have tried this but no luck. I have tried shortening the cable with the lever both on and off but still getting no luck. The cable gets tightened, I set it, then you pull the lever and the cable just goes very flimsy on the stretch between the headset and the saddle (underside of the crossbar).

I can't get it to open the brakes again once you let go of the lever. Very frustrating, so I'll probably have to get a professional to look at it.
  Reply
#4
Make sure the end of the brake cable is seated properly in the tension adjuster and on the brake lever. I had this happen to me and seating the cable correctly fixed the problem. It's easy to overlook if the cable has been loosened.
HCFR Cycling Team
Ride Safe...Ride Hard...Ride Daily
  Reply
#5
sometimes this happens because of a fray in the cable binding in housing. pull cable from housing and inspect it, also inspect the cable end caps for wear
There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"
  Reply


Possibly Related Threads...

Forum Jump:

[-]
10 Latest Posts
Hello from NW Ohio
Yesterday 10:27 PM
I Tried Riding Like the Pros
Yesterday 07:10 PM
Specialized bicycle post issue
Yesterday 06:12 PM
Sram Transmission derailleur possibly de...
Yesterday 04:34 PM
Philodo H8 5000W
Yesterday 04:28 PM
Chain skips under heavy load when pedall...
Yesterday 04:16 PM
It took more than 700 rubber bands to br...
Yesterday 04:13 PM
Hello from Jasleen – getting more into c...
Yesterday 01:55 AM
How do you commute on bikes in rougher a...
Yesterday 01:52 AM
Cheating on your bicycle
08-20-2026 04:42 AM

[-]
Join BikeRide on Strava
Feel free to join if you are on Strava: www.strava.com/clubs/bikeridecom

[-]
Top 5 Posters This Month
no avatar 1. Flowrider
27 posts
no avatar 2. GirishH
16 posts
no avatar 3. meamoantonio
12 posts
no avatar 4. Mr. Beanz
11 posts
no avatar 5. Sidewinder
10 posts