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How to make side-pull caliper brakes more responsive?

  • I have an old Fuji road bike with side-pull caliper brakes and they are nowhere near as responsive as I'd like them to be. The brake pads are pretty clean, so I don't think that's the issue. The back brake is effective for slowing down over a long time, and the front brake is fairly strong but squeaks like hell. Both are very hard to pull. I mainly just want them to be more sensitive/responsive. I'm new to bike maintenance of any kind but am trying not to spend money for someone else to look at this. Any tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

  • Answer:

    Cables and housings is always the first thing. Don't try to save them, just replace. You could completely disassemble the brakes, clean and grease them, then reassemble carefully. This will get rid of all the crud that have built up. If your bike has steel rims, you'll never get really good braking. As far as squeaking, you need to "toe-in" the pads. You need to bend the brake arms until the front of the pad touches before the back. Don't worry, this is a standard fix for this trouble on older sidepulls. EDIT: REGARDING CENTERPULLS- Been there done that got the T shirt. All the stuff everyone mentioned will probably do very little. So, you can be there, do that, and get the T shirt, go here http://thecheapbikeshop.com/luck_t.html

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You can stop the squeaking by getting ride of the glazing on the pad with some sandpaper. I use the sandpaper also for toe-in instead of bending the arms. Clean, oil replace cables and housing and from now on oil the cables as they go into the housing. Every pivot point can use a drop of oil. Use the adjusting barrels as needed to compensate as the cables stretch and the pads wear. Eventually change the pads.

Ever change the cables and housing? They get gummed up with dirt and rust, if it is sticky it won't work right. You can get a brake cable kit ($20) but besides the normal tools you will need a cable cutter and a cable housing cutter. Cut the cable at the very end of the procedure (when you are ready to put the crimp on) Cutting and trying to slip things on will almost always fray the cable.

BigE

rusty or half - broken cables can do that so can old hard brake pads ,even though they look clean squeaking can indicate hard pads cables are $1 housings not too much more i;d change cables then pads then housings can;t be much else wle

☼wle☆atlanta☼

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