Brakes deflect wheel on Breezer

Quoted message said:

1) Has this weakened the wheel/rim/spokes/hub?

No.

Quoted message said:

2) How can I get around it? The bottom end of the metal tube
fits into the left brake arm, but I could cut it off and add
a longer housing cable? [The tube will not fit inside the rack.]
[The rear lights attach to the rack, which I do not use very
much.]

Take your bike to whereever you bought the bike, and have them route
the cable so it doesn't hit the rack mount. There are many solutions
involving different "noodles" (which is what bike folks call the metal
tube) and/or different lengths of cable housing. It should be an easy
fix.

If you're in Pasadena (an assumption on my part- but you're using a
Caltech email address), you can go to Pasadena Cyclery, Velo Pasadena
or Open Road Bicycles. Velo Pasadena and Open Road are geared to the
racing crowd, but they should be able to help. Open Road is run by a
friend of mine: Steve Lubanski. The shop's a mess, but he's a
competent mechanic. If you want to head the other direction, you can
visit the shop where I started out: B&H Cycle in South Pasadena.

Jeff

Quoted message said:

The rear brakes (Tektro) on my Breezer Uptown 8 have always
been spongy. [About 1800 miles.] I noticed yesterday that
the brakes do not center on the wheel but instead push it
sideways. The brake cable goes through a right-angled metal
tube on the left side. When the brake lever is pulled, the up
arm of this tube hits the rack and the left pad stops moving.
As a result the right pad then shoves the wheel sideways until
it hits the left pad (~ 1/4 inch?).
1) Has this weakened the wheel/rim/spokes/hub?
2) How can I get around it? The bottom end of the metal tube
fits into the left brake arm, but I could cut it off and add
a longer housing cable? [The tube will not fit inside the rack.]
[The rear lights attach to the rack, which I do not use very
much.]
thanks

L...,

It looks like Jeff has handled your question from all angles,
but when my brakes felt spongy, I thought needed cables/housing,
calipers, and levers. Once I replaced my pads to Scott/Mathauser rust
brake pads, it was like putting ABS brakes on my bike from barely
stopping
beforehand (same material as Kool salmon color pads from
what I've been told). Of course I broke down and have a front/rear set
of new Jagwire cables
and housings in mail for $3.96 + shipping now: but to reroute a front
frazzled cable
that did not have cable ends attached, and not because I was worried
about 35 year old cable breaking or reduced braking performance.

Your situation sounds different and Jeff has offered excellent advice,
but just
wanted to drop my similar experience in case you still experience
'spongy' brakes
after you get your mechanical difficulties repaired.

Thanks for the information. I will try the Open Road first (I live and
work in Pasadena).
There are some metal pieces that hold the brake pad on; the inside and
outside are different thicknesses, so I switched these on the right side.
The difference in feel is amazing. There is still a lot of travel in the
cable but the brakes are no longer spongy.

(Larry M. Henling) said:

Thanks for the information. I will try the Open Road first (I live and
work in Pasadena).
There are some metal pieces that hold the brake pad on; the inside and
outside are different thicknesses, so I switched these on the right side.
The difference in feel is amazing. There is still a lot of travel in the
cable but the brakes are no longer spongy.

Indeed. Your little tale illustrates the idea that the thought behind a
thing can be more important than the thing itself. All brakes work much
better if they are properly set up, so congratulations on finding a
partial solution. Now you have a nonsymmetrical brake which will work
but not optimally.

Batter to make the action of both sides equal. That may require no more
than a different noodle shape as Jeff Wills wrote, but it's possible
that you will have to relocate or modify your rack.

Ted

--
Ted Bennett

On Feb 19, 7:19 pm, [email hidden] (Larry M. Henling)

Quoted message said:

Thanks for the information. I will try the Open Road first (I live and
work in Pasadena).
There are some metal pieces that hold the brake pad on; the inside and
outside are different thicknesses, so I switched these on the right side.
The difference in feel is amazing. There is still a lot of travel in the
cable but the brakes are no longer spongy.

Interesting.

As Ted said, this is still sub-optimal. Ideally, both sides of the
brake will move equally when the lever is pulled and the spacers
*should* be equal on both sides. Since the noodle is hitting the rack,
one or the other needs to be modified.

Jeff

Thanks again for all the advice. I sent an email to Breezer bikes.
Joe Breeze sent me a replacement noodle.